In shady gardens, there can sometimes be stubborn moss in the lawn. The so-called star moss is not moss from a botanical point of view, but it can not only serve as grave planting, especially in partial and full shade, but also represent an interesting alternative to conventional turf.

Sternmoos is a beautiful lawn substitute

At which locations is Sternmoos suitable as a lawn substitute

Even if lawn replacement plants such as Sternmoos are quite walkable, they are not really suitable as a substrate for a children's playground. Occasional stepping on (without heavy equipment such as wheelbarrows) does not harm the Sternmoos once it has grown well and spread out extensively. Since the Sternmoos, unlike a lawn, never needs to be mowed, it is also ideal for occasionally used leisure properties or hillsides. Locations with partial or full shade and nutrient-rich, well-drained soil are ideal.

Sow or plant the star moss as a lawn substitute

If you want to grow the star moss from seeds yourself, then you should make sure that the soil is really free of "weeds" and their seeds after preparing it with some compost and sand. The "damping" of the seeds, which are usually present everywhere due to the wind blow, with a special device saves a lot of work when weeding during the germination phase of the star moss plants. It goes faster with the closed layer of the star moss, which grows about 3 centimeters high, if about 10 to 15 young plants per square meter are planted out evenly. Spring and fall are the best times for planting. You should pay attention to:

  • a well leveled surface
  • a loosened soil that has been pre-fertilized with compost
  • even soil moisture during the germination and growth phase

The perfect year-round care for the "lawn substitute" Sternmoos

As soon as the star moss covers a closed area as a lawn replacement, it usually requires very little care. You should only make sure that Sternmoos has an adequate supply of water and nutrients. Before winter, the leaves that usually accumulate at the Sternmoos locations should be removed so that mold and rot cannot appear over the winter.

tips

If the star moss grows too high, it can simply be shortened with secateurs. This also leads to a better spread of the plants in the area. However, you should not cut in the spring if you do not want to lose sight of the flowering in May.

Category:

Vegetable garden