The best tips for a dream lawn

the essentials in brief

• Moss likes loamy, wet soils and a low pH
• Treatment methods vary depending on the cause of the moss infestation; In general, good ventilation and the application of lime helps to raise the pH value
• Fertilizing with calcium cyanamide, blue grain, iron fertilizer or ash is not necessarily recommended in the case of moss infestation

Why does moss grow in the lawn?

Like all plants, mosses prefer to grow under certain conditions. And they are generally the opposite of those favored by grass. That means: good conditions for mosses not only ensure their rapid spread and thus for a displacement of grasses, but also form worse conditions for the from the outset Grass growth. As for the spread of Moss in the lawn Favored are, on the one hand, system and maintenance errors and, on the other hand, unfavorable location characteristics.

Installation or maintenance errors:

• Inferior grass seed mixtures
• Cut too low
• Neglected irrigation

Unfavorable location characteristics:

• Loamy, wet soil
• Too shady conditions (due to trees and high hedges)
• Too much acidity in the soil (low pH value)
• Lack of nutrients in the soil

Many mosses thrive in locations that are moist, shady, acidic and with low vegetation on the surface of the soil. A lawn on Clay soil with a lack of nutrients that is overgrown by tall trees and is often mowed very briefly, is the ideal scenario for weak sward formation and intensive moss spreading.

Successfully remove moss in the lawn

With a Scarifier (€ 98.00 at Amazon *) can be used successfully against moss

In order to be able to properly remove existing moss, it must first be removed mechanically - keyword scarifying. There is basically no getting around it. However, to save yourself the strenuous backbreaking work with a hand-held device, you can also use an electrically operated device.

Then it is the turn to tackle the causes.

Clay soil and moisture

A Garden soilwhich is basically clay and heavy, also holds a lot of water. In such a soil there are good conditions for moss, but bad conditions for grass. In order to compensate for the tenacious strength and the tendency to accumulate water, the soil must be improved with sand. To do this, apply a 2 to 3 cm thick layer of coarse sand before sowing or in the spring if the lawn is already there. With Quartz sand(€ 14.90 at Amazon *) provide the soil with good ventilation and loosening material.

To make the soil more grass-friendly and moss-unfriendly, repeat the sanding over a period of 3-5 years.

the shade

Tall trees in and around the garden are also moss-friendly and at the same time unfriendly to grass. With this problem, compromises usually have to be made. Of course, you don't want to cut down all the trees in your garden just to avoid moss. But that is not necessary either. Shrubs and trees that are too tall can also be cut back or cut. That can provide significantly more light on the floor.

Low pH

You can use a quick soil test to determine whether your soil is over-acidic. A low pH value is not necessarily moss-friendly, but rather grass-unfriendly. Moss thrives equally well on acidic and calcareous soils. Lawn grass, on the other hand, is no longer in good hands on soil with a pH value below 5 and is quickly displaced by moss. In an acidic soil environment, it is therefore advisable to counteract this with lime. The correct dosage depending on the measured pH value can be found in the instructions for the lime preparation.

You will find various products for liming in specialist shops:

• normal garden lime: in heavy garden soil, made up of carbonate of lime and some magnesium
• Primary rock meal: Potassium and some valuable trace elements, dosage for acidic soils: 200 to 300 g per m²
• Algae lime: Obtained from coral deposits of red algae, carbonate of lime and many trace elements, is applied during the vegetation period

Nutritional deficiency

If you are faced with a lack of nutrients, especially a lack of potassium in the soil, the lawn needs to be strengthened. This gives him the opportunity to be more cohesive Sward and let less moss grow through gaping gaps.

Potassium-containing ones are particularly suitable for this at first Lawn fertilizerthat make the grass more stable and resilient. In spring and summer, you should plant the lawn with organic Slow release fertilizer supply. In addition, it makes sense to use ammonia and - if there is a low pH value in the soil - with lime and to ensure that the grass grows more vigorously.

Here again the most important measures against moss-promoting conditions at a glance:

Here are some basic tips for the biological control of moss from a lawn expert:

Remedies to be viewed critically against moss or for lawn fertilization

You should not use the chemical club either when fighting moss or when fertilizing the lawn. The following is problematic:

• Calcium cyanamide
• Blue grain
• Iron fertilizer
• ash

Calcium cyanamide

Cover the lawn with calcium cyanamide fertilize, can be quite effective, but it is very difficult for laypeople to dose without provoking the lawn to burn. The toxic agent, which is often used as a herbicide, is therefore less recommended on existing lawns. More likely for new lawns. In this case, calcium cyanamide can be used to create a good supply of nitrogen in the soil.

Blue grain

Because it is relatively inexpensive and has a kind of all-inclusive character attached to it, blue-grain fertilizer is popular with many gardeners. Lawn can also be fertilized with blue grain, but be careful with the mineral NPK supplier. The problem with blue grain is the chemical production of the nitrogen compounds it contains, which in the long term pollute the global biosphere and promote algae growth in inland waters. In addition, overdosing with blue corn can quickly lead to root burns - the turf-strengthening effect is then downright reversed.

Iron fertilizer

Iron fertilizer strengthens the lawn and weakens moss

Strengthening the lawn with iron fertilizer and taking action against moss at the same time only makes sense under certain conditions. For one thing, you should have clearly established that there is an actual iron deficiency in the soil. Only then is it advisable to use iron sulfate to combat moss. Ailing plants can also suffer from iron deficiency due to calcium chlorosis. The only thing that is inhibited is their ability to absorb enough iron, which is actually present, due to too much lime (e.g. from lime-based irrigation / sprinkling water).

Moss can be effectively combated with iron fertilizer, because the plants are generally very sensitive to all forms of iron. However, if you apply fertilizer with ferrous sulfate, you should not allow children and pets on the lawn for at least 3 to 4 days. Preparations with iron sulfate are toxic and corrosive. Therefore, you should also wear protective clothing and gloves when spreading.

ash

Again and again it is recommended to use ashes against moss. It is true that the moss is actually weakened by sprinkling with ash and can be easily removed soon after application. However, ash also contains many pollutants, even relatively “clean” wood ash. These naturally get into the soil, damage the grass and disrupt the biological soil balance. With ashes, you should at best take action against moss in pavement joints.

The types of moss in your lawn

Of course, not all species of the huge group of mosses are relevant for the local garden culture. However, in principle Moss species from all of the three major departments in our gardens. The divisions into which mosses are classified are called:

• Moss (botanically Bryophyta)
• Liverworts (botanical Marchantiophyta)
• Hornworts (botanically Anthocerotophyta)

In our gardens and especially in the lawn, representatives of the moss are most common. The group in turn comprises an enormous number of subdivisions, orders, classes, families and genres. A total of 15,000 species can be counted in this department. In Central European latitudes, the following are more common:

• Bulky, wrinkled brother (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus): Most common species that leads to extensive matting in the lawn
• Common short rifle moss (Brachythecium rutabulum): Strongly branched, needle-like forest moss, very common
• Grove peat moss (Sphagnum capillifolium): Pretty heather moss with round, thick heads
• Skewer peat moss (Sphagnum cuspidatum): relatively large and delicate, weak-stemmed habit, yellowish-green, likes to grow in very moist locations
• Versatile Leskemoos (Leskea polycarpa): Likes to grow over trunks and floors with deep green carpets

Of the 10,000 species of liverwort, the following are mainly found here:

The fountain liver moss looks like small mushrooms

• Fountain liver moss (Marchantia polymorpha): Ribbon-like thallus with central rib and notched edges, wide breeding cups
• Tender liverwort (Monosolenium tenerum): is often used as a decorative moss for aquariums
• Bidentate comb moss (Lophocolea bidentata): common lawn moss that is very drought-resistant

Horn mosses are less common here.

Annoying types of moss in the lawn

Those who excel most often as a grass displacer in the garden lawn are the Sparse Wrinkle Brother and the Two-Toothed Kammkelchmoos. Both are strong grass displacers and grow on both poor and nutrient-rich soils. They especially like moist, shady locations, but the bidentate comb moss can also survive longer periods of dryness.

background

The world of mosses

frequently asked Questions

How can moss be permanently removed from the lawn?

Stubborn moss can be quite annoying and labor-intensive. If the conditions in the garden are unfavorable (resp. are favorable for the moss), the moss can again and again gain the upper hand over the grass and demand the handle of the scarifier.

Unfavorable conditions for a grass-rich, moss-free lawn are mainly nutrient deficiencies Soil, a loamy, heavy and wet soil, too much shade and too low PH value. To get rid of moss permanently, it is best to consistently take action against these conditions.

A lack of nutrients causes weak grass growth, while moss copes better with it and then quickly gains the upper hand. A regular supply of nutrients through long-term fertilizers containing potassium is therefore advisable.

A heavy clay soil that tends to become waterlogged is best improved with sand over several years to loosen it and make it more permeable.

Conditions that are too shady are not always easy to fix. If you don't want to radically say goodbye to tree and shrub planting, you can do a lot with thinning and pruning.

A low pH value also weakens the lawn grasses and reduces their competitiveness with moss. Acidification of the soil should therefore be counteracted with lime.

How can moss in the lawn be removed biologically / environmentally friendly?

Probably the most environmentally friendly, because purely mechanical method for removing moss is and remains scarifying and the accompanying soil improvement and lawn strengthening with gentle means. It is also the most durable. So if you are reasonably fit, use the scarifier or a simple iron rake for the first moss removal. With an electrically operated machine, you can largely save yourself the sweaty backbreaking work.

With moss infestation, nothing beats a scarifier

You can also use vinegar to help remove moss - it is not really harmful to the environment, but in the long run leads to acidification of the soil, which in turn helps to get started again Moss formation is. With hot water, larger, homogeneous moss carpets can also be weakened a little without polluting them.

There are numerous environmentally friendly means for the accompanying soil improvement and lawn strengthening. Heavy soils can be improved with sand, poor soils with plant manure, Primary rock meal and compost are supplied.

Is it possible to remove moss without scarifying?

Unfortunately, you can hardly avoid scarifying. If you want to get rid of the moss permanently, mechanical removal is first of all the most important measure. However, you can make your work a little easier by weakening the moss with certain means beforehand.

This can be done with vinegar, hot water or soda, for example. Herbicides are of course out of place with moss in the lawn, because they also attack the grass plants.

Can you remove moss with home remedies?

To a certain extent, moss can be weakened with home remedies, but because of various side effects, they are usually more advisable for moss in pavement joints or on wooden surfaces.

Moss, for example, is sensitive to vinegar. Because acid gets into the soil in the process, conditions that are unfriendly to grass are created again in the long term, which ensure renewed moss formation.

Soda is commonly referred to as Home remedies for weeds recommended. Due to its ability to remove nutrient salts from plants, it also has a clearly visible effect. However, so that the same thing does not happen with grass plants growing right next to them, the method is only suitable for homogeneous moss areas or pavement joints.

Ash can also attack moss, making it easier to remove. The problem with ash, however, is that it also contains some pollutants that get into the soil when it is spread and disturb the soil environment and the grass growth there.

Fighting moss with hot water has at best a weak effect. A real relief for scarifying cannot be expected from this.

Fertilize, mow and water the lawn - but when?

So that the lawn is nice and strong, you should provide it with fertilizer in the spring. Use an organic long-term fertilizer that lasts until summer. Then you can give the lawn a boost.

You should mow the lawn about weekly during the growth phase, but not too briefly! 4 centimeters is the absolute minimum.

Water is also beneficial for moss, but it is also indispensable for healthy, strong grasses. If they are stressed by drought in summer due to the lack of precipitation for a long time, this weakens them very much. Therefore, sprinkle it regularly in the morning or evening, if there is such a dry phase.

Can moss be in the compost?

In principle yes, but only in compliance with certain composting rules. If the whole mass of combed out moss is simply thrown in its entirety onto an open compost heap, no proper decomposition process can take place that also destroys the spores.

So that a hot clot forms, which kills the bodies of moss that have spread, layer the material in thin, dense layers on top of the compost. The individual layers of moss should alternate with layers of other, different garden and kitchen waste such as shredded shrub cuttings, leaves, raw vegetable scraps or eggshells. Some garden soil stored in the meantime also favors the stringent rotting. In order to enrich the compost with trace elements, it is advisable to sprinkle it with primary rock flour.