Is moss killing my lawn?
No. Moss colonises ground where grass is already failing, usually through shade, compaction or poor drainage. It is the result, not the cause. See moss and lawns.
Does moss harm my roof?
Moss itself does not eat into sound tiles or slates, but thick growth can hold moisture against them and block gutters and valleys, so it is worth clearing from roofs and keeping out of gutters. Brush rather than blast: high-pressure washing damages the surface and shortens a roof's life more than the moss does.
Is moss bad for trees?
No. Moss on bark is just using the trunk as a surface. It takes nothing from the tree and is a sign of clean, damp air, not of ill health.
Is moss damaging my paving and walls?
On sound surfaces moss is cosmetic and, on steps, a slip hazard worth managing. It can work into already-failing mortar, so it is a prompt to repoint rather than a cause of the damage. On a stable wall it is simply part of the character.
How do I get rid of moss?
Decide where first. On paths and roofs, brush it off and improve drainage and light. On lawns, fix the shade, compaction and drainage or it returns. Chemical mosskillers based on iron sulphate blacken and kill it quickly but change nothing underlying.
How do I grow moss on purpose?
Shade, damp, poor firm soil, and patience, plus either transplanted patches or a blended slurry. The full method is on the growing page.
Is moss a weed?
Only where you do not want it. The same plant is a nuisance in a bowling green and the entire point of a Kyoto moss garden. It is all a matter of place.
Will moss grow indoors?
In a closed terrarium, very happily, because the humidity stays high. Out in a dry, centrally heated room it will not last; it needs that damp, still air. The full picture is in can you keep moss as a houseplant.
Is moss a plant?
Yes. Moss is a true plant, one of the bryophytes, a group of non-vascular plants that also includes liverworts and hornworts. What makes it unusual is what it lacks: no roots, no flowers, no seeds and no internal plumbing. It is a plant stripped back to fundamentals, which is exactly why it can live where other plants cannot. See what a moss actually is.
Does moss flower or have seeds?
No to both. Moss reproduces by spores, not seeds, and it has nothing like a flower. Instead it raises slender stalks tipped with capsules that release dust-fine spores to the wind, and it also spreads from broken fragments. The little stalked capsules standing above a moss cushion are the nearest thing it has to "going to seed".
How long does moss live?
Individual cushions can persist and slowly expand for many years, and a moss colony on an undisturbed bank or wall may be effectively decades old, thickening season on season. Moss also survives drying out by going dormant, so a patch can sit lifeless-looking through a drought and revive years' worth of growth intact when the rain returns.
Is moss poisonous, or safe around pets and children?
Garden and woodland mosses are not poisonous and are not a meaningful hazard to pets or children, who in any case rarely show interest in eating it. The sensible cautions are the ordinary ones: anything growing outdoors may carry whatever has landed on it, and a wet moss surface on steps or stone is slippery. Preserved decorative moss is treated with glycerine and dye and is for looking at, not handling food with, but it is not toxic to have in the house.
Why has my moss gone brown?
Almost always because it has dried out. Brown moss is usually dormant rather than dead, and a good soaking will tell you which within a day or two as it greens back up. Persistent browning means the spot is too dry or too sunny for it; add shade and moisture, and water with rainwater rather than hard tap water, which it dislikes. See water for moss.
Can I walk on a moss lawn?
Gently, yes, once it is well established. Moss does not take the heavy, repeated traffic a grass sports lawn does, but a settled moss lawn handles normal garden use and stepping stones perfectly well, and is soft underfoot. Keep off it while it is young and still gripping. See how to make a moss lawn.