How to get rid of moss on the lawn: tips from experienced gardeners

Moss on the lawn is a problem that many gardeners face. It not only spoils the appearance of the lawn, but also destroys all the grass. It is rather difficult to get rid of it, but it is even more difficult to prevent the emergence of a new moss. Therefore, it is important not only to destroy the parasitic plant, but also to carry out appropriate prophylaxis from time to time. To combat these plants are used both chemical and organic means.

Why does moss appear

Moss is a perennial plant that has neither roots nor flowers. It is spread by spores, ripening in the so-called box. But for his appearance requires certain favorable conditions. The main reason for the appearance of moss is the acidity of the soil and its high humidity. Because of this, the grass dies, thus making room for moss.

Therefore, before you start fighting with moss, you need to:

• find out what affected the lawn grass;
• check if the lawn area is too dark;
• determine the level of acidity and soil moisture;
• stop mowing grass too short.

To find out the exact cause of the appearance of moss, you should pay attention to the plant itself, its color, etc. It is necessary to select the method of its destruction. For example, if the lawn does not receive enough moisture or there is increased acidity in the soil, then the moss will be bright green. The bottom layer will turn brown. If the lawn grass is deficient in sunlight, the moss will surely spread along the ground. If the grass is cut too short, the moss will grow for generations, rapidly growing and absorbing the grass.

Moss damage

Moss destroys grass cover almost immediately after its appearance. Over time, expanding, this plant-parasite begins to inhibit the growth of grass, blocking her access to the air. In addition, it absorbs all the nutrients and moisture from the soil.This leads to the rapid death of lawn grass and the spread of moss.

Ways to get rid

There are several methods of dealing with moss, and they all involve physical or chemical effects on the plant. This is natural, because it must be completely destroyed, otherwise the lawn grass will die. Physical removal of moss is the removal of moss using scarification. For this it is best to use a rake.

On a small lawn, you can manually scoop up moss by carefully removing moss and other organic materials. On a large lawn, manually cleaning moss can take a very long time. Therefore, it is better to use for this purpose a special blade for a lawn mower. In this case, the teeth of the blade should only slightly touch the soil, otherwise it is possible to damage the grass. It is imperative to treat the lawn in this way before using chemical agents to kill moss.

All chemical preparations for moss removal come in the form of solutions and in the form of granules or powder. Liquid herbicides lawn is treated with a watering can or sprayer. They are used to destroy plants in small areas.To use herbicides in powder or granules, they are mixed with any fertilizer and sprinkled on the grass. Then after 1-2 days the lawn is watered. Cutting grass for several days is not recommended. Also, you can not use this method for grass that grows less than 2 years.

One of the most effective means for the destruction of a parasitic plant is a glyphosate-based herbicide. This substance is absorbed by plants and transported to the soil. Glyphosate has a good effect on moss, but it should be used if nothing grows except moss and grass on the lawn. Before use, it is important to read the instructions.

A sulfate-based herbicide can be used for this purpose. They are not so popular but, nevertheless, effectively destroy moss. It is best to use products based on ferrous sulfate, copper or ammonium. The composition is diluted in proportion to 90 ml of herbicide per 20 liters of water. This amount will be enough to treat a lawn of 300 square meters. m

Often soap is often used as a universal remedy against moss on a lawn. This chemical solution is used infrequently, as it does not give a lasting effect. However, it can destroy small areas of a plant. It is best to apply such a soap in a period of drought.

With high acidity of the soil is necessary to carry out the so-called liming. At the same time it is better to take lime on the basis of calcium immediately in order to achieve a quick result. It is necessary to use this tool if the pH of the soil does not reach the figure of 6. When this indicator is above 7, then this is an alkaline medium, and not an acidic one. In general, the norm for lawn soil is from 6 to 7.

The procedure is as follows. Lime should be thoroughly mixed with sand and scattered on top of the affected areas. All this is done exclusively in dry weather, in autumn or winter. But often it is not necessary to use this method, since an excess of lime can cause irreparable harm to the grass.

Preventing the appearance of moss

Having got rid of the moss once, it is necessary to do everything so that it does not grow anymore. There are many ways to do this:

1. Leveling the lawn. After the moss is removed, care should be taken to eliminate the causes that provoked its occurrence. First, the lawn needs to be leveled by means of land or mulching in order to prevent the accumulation of water.
2. Adding new grass. It must be sown on empty areas left over from the destruction of moss. You can sow bluegrass, fry or fescue.
3. Top dressing. It is necessary if the lawn grass is weakened. Fertilizers must contain nitrogen. The procedure is best carried out in the winter when there is still snow on the grass. There are also special fertilizers for lawn grass containing ferrous sulfate and nitrogen. They are created not only to feed, but also to combat moss.
4. Increase the amount of sunlight. This is also one of the methods of dealing with dark areas. Therefore, it is necessary to try to clear the territory of the infield. Other plants and bushes should not be planted too thickly, firewood or bricks should be moved to another place, and it is better not to build new buildings next to the lawn.
5. Aeration. If the lawn is not properly cared for, over time the grass will grow so tightly that it will block access of air and moisture. Moss is guaranteed to appear on this site. To prevent this, it is necessary to carry out aeration. It can be done with the help of a special machine that digs up small plots of land.This can be done manually, for example, using a fork or rake. Aeration helps break the crust on the ground and provide the soil with essential nutrients. The procedure should be carried out before or after the growing season.
6. Control watering grass. Excessive moisture leads to the emergence and rapid spread of moss. Experienced gardeners do not recommend watering the lawn at night, as well as in early spring and autumn. At this time, moss grows especially fast. If the soil itself is too wet, it is necessary to dry it with aeration or a special drainage system. But watering the grass is necessary, otherwise it will weaken and die.
7. Prevent damage to lawn grass. Any excessive lawn exposure will quickly weaken the grass. Therefore, do not allow damage to the lawn due to games, cycling, etc. It is also important to ensure that insects do not harm it. Most often, the grass suffers from the invasion of long-flies. They need to be fought, otherwise a beautiful lawn cannot be created.

The fight against moss requires constant attention and some effort. If the cause of the lawn infestation with moss was correctly identified,Using these methods you can achieve complete destruction of the plant-parasite. It takes about a few weeks. As soon as it turns black and dry, it should be gently raked, and in these areas sow new grass. After this, it will only be necessary to apply preventive measures and then the moss will not start on it.

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