Lawn mold identification

April 25, 2009 9:37 AM

What kind of lawn mold do I have?

Can anyone identify what type of lawn mold I am dealing with to better guide remediation? The lawn is located in the northeast (albany ny area); neighbors have a similar problem. Here are snapshots.

Presumably the mold is on this list, but I can't tell which one.

Thanks

posted by Kevin S to home & garden (12 comments total)

Well, actually that's no kind of mold. It's some variety of moss, probably native to the area. That should help you identify it.
posted by Gneisskate at 9:46 AM on April 25

It's moss! It's supposed to be there! The only reason it stands out so much is that your grass is still dead from the winter. When the grass comes in, you'll hardly notice it. It grows in shade.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 9:53 AM on April 25

If you're determined to get rid of it (not saying you should be), moss tends to grow when your soil pH is too low (acidic). Consider spreading some pelletized horticultural lime over the yard.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 10:18 AM on April 25

Hey, it's my lawn! Wait, why is it in Albany instead of Brockport?

As the others have said, it's a) moss and b) develops when the soil is too acidic. The gardener currently working on my lawn tells me that lots of trees can contribute to the problem. In any event, the Emperor has the right approach.
posted by thomas j wise at 10:21 AM on April 25

It's moss, as everyone has said, and there are a number of reasons it shows up, acidity is just one reason. Don't bother adding lime until you've done a pH test, otherwise you're wasting time on money on something that may not be the underlying cause. You also are going to want to know what your pH is so you will know what you've raised it from when you do a second pH test after applying lime (not right away, of course).
This is important because the other causes of moss are low fertility and thin turf- nitrogen is the remedy needed here, but lawns only will take up nitrogen at a pH of 6 or higher. Additionally, nitrogen uptake is slowed when soils are saturated, cold, and/or compacted. So I would start by dethatching and aerating your lawn, mulching with fine compost with some slow release organic nitrogen fertilizer underneath, and then do a couple foliar feeds with a liquid nitrogen fetilizer to jump start the process. Don't overdo the foliar feed or fast-acting nitrogen, as free nitogen in plants is a signal to pest and pathogens to show up and take advantage of the bounty. Make sure you are not overwatering, as that not only causes nitrogen deficiency but makes moss very happy. Also avoid herbicides as they harm nitrifying bacteria that allow your lawn to take up organic nitrogen.

Now if your lawn is in shade, you might do all the above, to no effect. In which case you need to plant shade tolerant turf that will out-compete the moss in early spring.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:04 AM on April 25

Oops, forgot to add that lime should be added in the proper quantity along with the organic nitrogen fertilizer before you mulch, if your pH does indicate that it is needed.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:09 AM on April 25

Side comment: Why would you want to remove moss from the yard? I guess I'm a bit biased, having been raised in the northwoods of MI, where most of the turf looked just like your photos so it has pleasant associations for me. (DH and I were just discussing recently, actually, if it's possible replace all of our lawn grass with moss.) And it looks like you might have evergreen trees and dry sandy soil there: If so, you probably can't grow grass properly anyway, without some soil-chemistry magic as discussed above. Embrace the moss, it's your soft fuzzy friend. :-)
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 11:35 AM on April 25

You may also find this interesting: http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/turf/430-536/430-536.html
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 11:39 AM on April 25

Guess I was just a little confused, and see why it was hard to identify the "mold" ! I'm just back from lowes with soil testing kit, so I will know the ph shortly.

I like the idea of keeping or even promoting the moss and may do that in selected areas. This was my parents now empty house which I'm caring for (from 3 hours away), which will eventually be put up for sale - so I have to consider the curb appeal aspect.

Thanks everyone for the informative responses.
posted by Kevin S at 2:05 PM on April 25

If you post the results, I can calculate in a general way how much lime you should add (ballpark because I don't know your soil texture).
posted by oneirodynia at 2:22 PM on April 25

That is moss. You can put it into a jar and sell it for big bucks on etsy.
posted by Ostara at 2:26 PM on April 25

PH meter barely moved from "7" despite multiple attempts including dampening the soil first. When dipped directly into vinegar get 4.5, so presumably meter is ok.

I also bought chemical test, but that will take an overnight drying of the sample (per the instructions), and is supposed to show ph, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
posted by Kevin S at 2:42 PM on April 25