- Moss destroyer with iron fertilizer - Radical, poisonous and short-lived
- Moss destroyer for the lawn - It also works without iron
You don't have to accept a moss-covered lawn without resistance. There are certainly options available that can be used to turn a matted lawn back into a velvety, lush green carpet of lawn. Here we explain which moss killers are available, how they work and how they are used correctly.
Moss in the lawn should not be fought with iron fertilizer
Moss destroyer with iron fertilizer - Radical, poisonous and short-lived
Hobby gardeners looking for advice are often recommended a combination product with iron fertilizer as a moss destroyer (€15.29) in hardware stores and garden centers. The ferrous sulfate it contains actually destroys the moss in the lawn without affecting the noble grasses. It is important to remember that ferrous sulfate is highly toxic, harmful to your health and the environment. The application is correspondingly complex:
- Shortly mow the moss-covered lawn in March/April
- Put on sturdy protective overalls including respiratory protection and gloves
- Dissolve the moss destroyer with iron fertilizer in water according to the manufacturer's instructions
- Apply to the lawn with a sprayer
- Clearly cordon off the area to prevent children and animals from entering
After about a week, the moss died, which can be seen from the brown discoloration. You can either rake out the moss or remove it completely by scarifying the lawn. In this case, the resulting gaps cannot be closed with reseeding. In addition, the effect will only last if you address the actual causes of moss growth in the lawn.
Moss destroyer for the lawn - It also works without iron
To get rid of moss on your lawn, moss killers with toxic iron fertilizer are not the only option. The following list gives you alternative products and the respective main active ingredient:
| Moss killer without iron | main active ingredient | average price |
|---|---|---|
| Compo organic lawn moss-free | pelargonic acid | 19.80 euros/l |
| Nature's organic lawn moss-free | acetic acid | 14.90 euros/l |
| Bayer garden weed free Turboclean AF | caprylic acid | 9.90 euros/l |
| Compo moss destroyer with long-term effect | quinocalmine | 11.90 euros/kg |
In particular, moss killers based on acetic acid, pelargonic acid or caprylic acid are not toxic to humans or animals, as is the case with iron(II) sulfate. After you have applied the product, your children can usually walk on the treated lawn again after it has dried. Furthermore, subsequent reseeding to close the gaps that have arisen is possible, since these active ingredients do not inhibit germination.
tips
The radical effect of moss killers with ferrous sulfate in the lawn must not tempt you to use the moss killer on paved surfaces. The consequences would be unsightly rust spots that can usually no longer be removed. To combat moss on balconies, terraces and paths, household remedies such as vinegar and soda are an alternative that is just as effective as it is ecologically sensible.