Moss specifically looks for shady, cool and meager locations on pavement, walls and in the garden, which ornamental and useful plants avoid. The green plague spreads mercilessly in the lawn when the noble grasses are weakened. It is therefore not surprising that moss infestation is often an unpleasant sight. You can find out what to do now here.

A scarifier can be used to combat moss in the lawn

This keeps slabs and walls free of moss

In the early stages of infestation, you can remove moss from plaster and walls with muscle power or home remedies. The following procedures have proven to be excellent in the home garden:

  • Remove moss with a wire brush or a joint scraper
  • Spray uncolored stone surfaces with apple or wine vinegar (no vinegar essence)
  • Treat moss-covered plaster with a solution of 20 g of soda and 10 l of boiling water

If thick cushions of moss have already formed, combating them with home remedies will be in vain. In this case, specialist retailers have environmentally friendly moss killers (€15.29) ready. Products such as Compo Bio-Moosfrei or Celaflor Naturen Moosfrei fight the green film with biodegradable ingredients.

Removing moss from the lawn - how to do it

If moss gains the upper hand in the lawn, the noble grasses are weakened by unsuitable framework conditions. Do not reach for toxic iron fertilizer now, because the caustic product only has a temporary effect. It is better to help the troubled lawn with the following measures:

  • Mow, scarify and aerate the mossy lawn
  • Sprinkle the combed green area with a lawn reseeding
  • Spread a thin layer of sand over the overseeding and water
  • Lime lawns with a pH below 5.5 additionally

Supply the aerated and overseeded lawn regularly with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer in spring and summer. In autumn, strengthen the turf against frost and snow with Patentkali. Do not mow your lawn shorter than 4-5 cm. With this stalk height, the noble grasses shade the moss so that it cannot even assert itself.

Make a virtue out of necessity in the bed - this is how it works

Where moss spreads in the bed, ornamental plants can only rarely be cultivated. Instead of destroying the moss under trees and similar shady locations, simply consider peaceful coexistence. Japanese moss gardens show how decoratively a well-groomed carpet of moss sets the scene.

Collect or purchase proven garden moss species, such as broader moss (Polytrichum commune), broom moss (Dicranum scoparium) or fountain liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha). Settle the moss in a damp, shady location on a 5 cm thick base of leaf compost or peat. Until a dense moss cover has developed, shower the area regularly with collected rainwater.

tips

With all control measures, please keep in mind that moss plays an important role in the ecosystem and numerous types of moss, we peat moss, are threatened with extinction. Since moss on wet slabs represents a risk of accidents and suffocates the grass in the lawn, combating it is understandable and sensible. On the other hand, if moss thrives on the tree, the land plant acts as a forage plant for insects, provides nesting material for birds and serves as a retreat for beneficial insects.

Category:

Vegetable garden