Getting rid of moss on the lawn can take a lot work but with a little bit of knowledge and these handy tips— it can be done.
The presence of moss in your lawn or garden is a sign of either too much shade or wet soil conditions.
Killing it naturally without ruining your lawn entirely is just a matter of making your lawn an unsuitable place for it to grow.
Why Moss Grows in Lawns
This hardy little plant is an opportunistic plant in such a way that it doesn’t compete with grass for space or even kill other plants to invade the property; rather, it will simply just exist in any spot where nothing is growing.
If your lawn is full of something other than grass, there is something wrong within it more than meets the eye. Therefore, the key to killing it and ensuring it won’t come back for good is to deal with the deeper issues with your lawn.
Since moss is desperate enough to claim any space that doesn’t have anything growing in it, you must find out the reason what kills your grass or why it is not growing healthily as it should be.
Why Grass Dies (and Moss Thrives!)
1. Lack of sunlight — Too much shade is a huge turn-off for grass but a great encourager for this small green carpet.
2. Low pH — Grass grows happily when soil has a moderate or slightly alkaline level (6.5 to 7.0). Low soil pH and high soil acidity are both enemies of grass. Coincidentally, moss loves this combination for them to grow well.
3. Compacted soil — If there are parts of your lawn or garden that receives high volume of traffic on a regular basis, soil compaction is inevitable. And what comes next is moss growing over it.
4. Poor drainage — If there are low-lying spots where water pools or even if the soil is just damp on a continuous basis, grass roots will suffocate but it is the perfect breeding ground for moss.
5. Low fertility — If soil fertility is low, moss will still thrive in lawns or gardens receiving plenty of sunlight. Run a soil test – just for $15 – to determine if your lawn lacks nutrients to support grass growth.
Moss Killer from your Kitchen
Baking soda is an all-natural killer but it is also the cheapest and most effective way to get rid of moss for good. And just in case you have green furniture, walkways and structures – even roofs! – around the house, you can rely on this quintessential kitchen staple to do the job.
Is there anything baking soda can’t do?
All you need to do is sprinkle it liberally in any affected areas. Even out the coverage with a broom or brush. Leave it as it is. After a few days, you’ll notice that it turns golden and will just flake away. Even mold or pollen buildup won’t stand a chance with baking soda!
And yes, it can kill moss in your lawn! Unlike commercial herbicides in the market, baking soda poses no threat whatsoever to your precious lawn and even to the soil.
3 Homemade and All-Natural Moss Killer Recipes
- Mix 8 ounces of baking soda to 1 gallon of water.
- Mix 4 ounces of liquid dish soap like ivory or dawn to 1 gallon of water.
- Mix 1 cup each of Murphy’s Oil Soap, antiseptic mouthwash, and chamomile tea.
Use any of these recipes to kill these tiny plants over a large area. You can use a regular hand sprayer or put it in your hose-end sprayer attachment. Repeat every two weeks until the moss dies.
If you want to learn more about moss, click here .
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