How can I get rid of moss on my lawn?
Moss can damage even the healthiest and most proper lawn. Fortunately, getting rid of it is not too difficult and can be done in different ways.
Causes
If the lawn is overgrown with moss, which constantly clogs the grass, it can happen for a variety of reasons, so the methods of eliminating the same problem in such situations are radical. Sometimes you can guess the source of the problem simply by identifying the type of weed – for example, creeping moss with greenish spots appears either in the absence of sunlight or on a substrate without a proper drainage system. If the lawn has grown moss with straight, long stems, shade brown to green, excessive acidity is to blame. If small weeds with straight shoots are growing on the lawn, the problem may have arisen from heavy mowing, so the grass was cut almost to the root.
In spring, weeds are active because of excess moisture, exacerbated by a lack of nutrients. To end with such “invader” is much easier – just start the usual feeding. By the way, excessive moisture also occurs when the site is located in a low-lying area – in this case only a good drainage system can help. Moss can also form when groundwater is close, especially if the soils themselves have poor permeability. Other reasons for the growth of weeds are improper maintenance of the cancer, lack of timely removal of dry branches and leaves or weakening of the lawn after disease or the winter season.
Methods of Control
There are various methods by which you can get rid of moss on the lawn in the garden. The choice of one or another method is determined depending on the severity of the “infestation”, financial and time resources.
Mechanical removal
The easiest way to remove moss is by mechanical means – that is, by hand. Since the plant has rather short roots, the distance does not cause any particular difficulties. It is possible to cope with both the usual rake, and special attachments for lawnmowers, which are equipped with short and thin teeth. The process itself does not take much time, and the only condition for its implementation is a thorough treatment of the entire area. Another advantage of choosing mechanical removal is ventilation, which improves the access of oxygen to the root system of the lawn grass.
By the way, it is recommended to maintain a depth of 10 centimeters to 15 centimeters.
Chemical treatment
Herbicides, such as concentrated iron sulfate, can fight moss quite effectively. To treat 15 square meters of lawn, it is sufficient to dilute 5 milliliters of the preparation in one liter of water and then spray. Moss is also removed with 5% iron sulfate. Good results against weeds shows copper sulfate – in this case, 10 milliliters of the preparation are diluted in one liter of water, and this amount is enough to process 20 square meters of lawn. Gardeners also recommend using special mixtures containing ammonium sulfate, iron sulfate and sand.
It is best to start the lawn treatment during a drought, as the moss is at its weakest at this time. If the treatment is done correctly, the moss will sag after no more than a week, i.e. it will die off and can be removed with a rake. During this time, it is better not to walk on the grass.
To maintain the aesthetic appeal of lawn areas, it is recommended to sow them with fast-growing grasses.
Oxidation of the flooring
Moss often develops in an area where the soil is highly acidic. Therefore, owners are advised to first check the pH value with a special device or litmus paper. In this case, if the indicator is less than 5.5, the soil should be oxidized with a weedkiller. It is possible to kill the weeds with the help of dolomite flour, 0.5 kilograms of which are required to treat 1 square meter, or lime in the same ratio.
The use of ash requires the use of 1-1.5 kilograms of powder for the same area, but plaster only 400 grams. For the same purpose, chalk in an amount of 500-700 grams and a solution of soda or soap are used. The treatment is carried out either at the beginning of spring or in early autumn. The floor should be limited to combing out and mowing the lawn, otherwise all the active substances will fall on the dry grass and the desired effect will not be achieved.
Reducing humidity
If there is active moss growth after every attempt to water the lawn, the main reason is waterlogging of the soil. Ideally, this situation is prevented at the planning stage with a good drainage layer. If water does stagnate, the soil can be rolled with a fine-toothed rake and then a centimetre-long layer of sand can be formed.
In addition, you should reduce the daily watering and completely abandon the evening watering, especially in the autumn-spring period. In some cases, the problem of stagnant water can be solved only by creating an even slope running from the main plot to its borders.
The use of drainage mats and hydraulic fibers in the organization of the lawn and the application of Schlicksand in the substrate gives a good effect.
Eliminating shading
A fairly common cause of lawn moss is lack of sunlight. To create ideal conditions for weeds, you need to transplant large shrubs which create shade and grow dense trees nearby.
In this case, if there is no way to eliminate the source of shade, it is better to fight moss mechanically or chemically. On the dark side, it is better to sow grasses that do not need a lot of sunlight – such as hellebore or fern. The resulting low spot should be levelled with sand and not mowed too low.
Elimination of weeds.
Because moss often grows with other weeds, weed ornamentals that can be eliminated with special string control are the best way to kill it. Dandelion, cocklebur, clover and culinary bananas usually have to be combed out.
Global elimination of weeds can also be accomplished with herbicides, which are sufficient to be applied once.
These formulations contain dichlorvos, so herbicides should not be applied immediately, but mild agents should be used first. One of the recommended herbicides is “Clean Lawn” brand Belrem. For 100 square meters you will need only 1.4 grams of powder and 5 liters of water. You can use the remedy 3 days after mowing the lawn.
fertilizer
Weeds feel good on bad floors, so you can make a difference by fertilizing regularly. The choice of fertilizer should be based on the presence of highly concentrated nitrogen and iron in the composition, but moss-proof or zeolite varieties are ideal.
Only act according to the instructions, since over-fertilizing leads to active lawn growth and complicates care. It is better to fertilize the lawn in the spring, and then repeat the process several times during the season. By the way, both solid and liquid compositions are suitable.
- Agrecol preparation for grass moss gets good reviews. The solution, prepared from 30 grams of the preparation and a liter of water, is used twice a season, and the second time – after a heavy rain.
- Copes well with its task a special combination “for the lawn from moss”, presented by the brand Target. A 25 gramme product can be used every six weeks from the beginning of the spring season through to the end of the summer.
- Gertner also recommends “lawn moss” from Embiko. Prepare a solution of one liter of water and 100 milliliters of the product and make two treatments after a week and a half.
Lawn grass also accepts organic fertilizers such as manure, compost or wood ash.
When choosing mineral fertilizers, make sure that there is a small amount of phosphorus in the composition, as this component accelerates the development of weeds.
Mulch
A variety of weeds, including moss, can be effectively controlled with mulch. It is best to use sawdust, straw or dried hay as mulch. The dry layer absorbs excess moisture and thus disrupts the creation of a cheap environment for weeds to spread.
If the cause of moss growth is unclear, it is better to combine several methods. First, work the area with a lawn mower to make it easier to access the weeds. Next is spraying with herbicides, followed by waiting for a time when the moss is black and dry. A subject is used to remove weed debris, and the entire area is treated with a stratifier. At the end, the resulting bare spots are sown with a fast-growing crop.
Preventive measures
To prevent moss on the lawn, it is important to take preventative measures and not forget to take regular care of the grass. First of all, you should think about leveling your lawn, which can either be done with a layer of mulch or additional soil. If there are no potholes on the surface, there is nowhere for liquid to stagnate and therefore no weeds to develop. In addition, the bugs are immediately removed. It would not be a bad idea to sow grasses that do not like moss. In this case we are talking about the field, OO is a loser and weeds.
Obligatory prevention is to fertilize before the season begins. Preventing shading is helped by regular pruning of trees and removal of dried and broken branches of shrubs. The lawn should not be exposed to unnecessary mechanical stresses, that is, you should not walk your dogs in the same place, allow children to roll around the site or play active games. Lawn mowing should be regular, not too high and not too low – the spread should be 5 centimeters. After the procedure, it is better to immediately clean the grass surface. An interesting solution is to form a bed with perennials in a shady area covered with moss. It is important to choose flowers so that one species replaces the other and blooms throughout the season. This way, the moss will disappear under the leaves.
If the lowland is not too flat, it can be arranged in the area of the pond, and the moss will be quite organic. After deepening the lawn, it should be decorated with stones, small pebbles and large boulders, and the spaces between them should be planted with hosta and sphagnum.
Lawn mounds: Reasons, how to get rid of them
Lawn can suffer not only from weeds, but also from moss. This perennial plant has no root system and no flowers. It reproduces by spores, which mature in a box. The parasite becomes active when it gets into favorable conditions.
Getting rid of moss is quite difficult. It is much easier to carry out timely preventive measures. To do this, you can use organics and chemicals. Before deciding to restore the lawn, it is necessary to identify the cause that provoked the appearance of moss. Treatment must be timely and correct. Ignoring all recommendations leads to slow growth of the lawn grass, and subsequently to its death.
Causes of lawn moss
The factor that caused the impulses to develop moss can be determined by a careful inspection of the grass and the moss itself.
The following causes cause moss to appear on the lawn:
- Lack of moisture, increased acidity of the floor. In this case, the moss takes on a rich green color;
- Lack of sun. The parasite crawls on the floor and prevents other plants from receiving ultraviolet light;
- Mowing the lawn too short. This is noticeable by the rapid growth of moss on the green carpet.
This list can be supplemented with items such as soil compression, lack of nutrients and poor soil drainage.
Possibilities for getting rid of moss on the lawn
The course of action depends on what exactly was the main cause of the problem.
- If the place where the lawn was planted was not asphalted in the preparatory stage, water accumulates in the remaining rivets. To get rid of the moss that has formed due to its stagnation, they need to be filled with soil. For more effective drainage, sand should be added to it.
- If ventilation is insufficient, ventilation is required. If the lawn is small, an ordinary pitchfork will do. To treat a large area, an aerator is needed. It can be either manual or mechanical.
- Increased acidity of the soil is reduced by liming. With a lack of nutrients, a complex fertilizer is carried out. When choosing fertilizers, be guided by the composition and condition of the soil.
- If the cause of moss is not enough sunlight, there are two ways out. Remove things which block the light (such as cutting down a tree), or plant the lawn with red fescue, bluegrass and other shade-tolerant plants.
- Moss is removed from established lawns with herbicides. They often contain ammonium sulfate and ferrous sulfate. Diclofen-based mixtures are especially popular with dachshunds that have ruined lawns. Spraying should only be done in warm, dry weather. The lawn should be watered 2 days after treatment. Moss turns black after 14 days. If necessary, the lawn is sprayed again. The affected moss is picked up with a fan rake. Act carefully so that the green lawn is not further damaged. The bare patches that have formed are removed by sowing fast-growing grass (annual ryegrass).
This will prevent moss from growing on your lawn.
Regular preventative measures are necessary to avoid moss. Even when preparing your lawn to be sown, you should think about future problems with parasitic plants.
The site must be leveled: fill in holes and remove hills. Do not forget about the drainage system.
The more unpretentious the planted grass, the better. A powerful root system, fast growth, shade tolerance, cold tolerance and resistance to temperature changes – characteristics that are unlikely to be superfluous. Plants possessing them can long resist the negative effects of external factors, including the influence of parasites.
Fertilizing is a step that cannot be avoided. Timely fertilization of the lawn prevents a lack of nutrients, which the grass needs at all times of the year. They are especially important during periods of active growth and disease. Note that nitrogen is not applied in the fall, as it stimulates growth, which the grass does not need at this time.
