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Moss is a bad thing? Some tips on moss removal and lawn care

Lawn moss is either a blessing or a pain, depending on your point of view. Although moss is considered a weed, it fills in the blank areas with a green carpet that complements, but doesn’t quite take over like other weeds. Moss does not absorb nutrients through the roots, so although moss can grow on trees, it never leaches nutrients or damages the tree. Some gardeners, especially in Japan, grow mosses for the calm and quiet it adds to a garden.

Still, some people hate seeing their lawn investment get overrun by moss. Although highly unlikely, they fear the moss will take over completely or find it unsightly. Getting rid of moss can be a laborious process. Moss thrives in areas with high moisture content or where the sun rarely or never reaches. Here are some things you can do to prevent moss. Make sure that:

Don’t over water your lawn.
Stick to a fertilization regimen.
Provide adequate drainage for standing water.
Don’t cut the grass too low.
Break up soil where it is compacted or full of dead grass.
Trim the branches to expose the moss to the sun.

If moss appears, you can kill it with a product like Moss-Out or a fertilizer that contains ferrous sulfate or ferrous ammonium sulfate. Scotts Turf Builder with Moss Control 22-2-2 contains the latter. Use moss control products in early spring or late winter. Note: don’t just pluck the live moss. Moss is spread by spores that are released when they are torn or plucked. Once the moss is DEAD, you can pluck it out by hand or rake it out with a stiff rake.

Remember, though, if you’re serious about your aversion to moss, you should avoid overwatering or mowing too low. Also, provide adequate drainage where there is standing water and don’t forget to treat compacted soil, remove dead grass (straw), and finally fertilize regularly.

Now that the moss is gone, you may notice a somewhat striking bare area. Believe me, moss wants to come back and nature really abhors a vacuum. So get some fescue or whatever grass you’ve planted, rake the soil with a stiff rake, and re-seed. The seeds need to be kept moist, so set your timer for five to seven minutes a day, every day for at least a week. If the seeded area appears light brown, it is not getting enough water. Water it by hand if necessary, but keep it moist until you see sprouts.

Once your new lawn starts, don’t forget to change your watering schedule back to 8-10 minutes, two or three times a week, depending on your weather. If you have too much water runoff, cut your watering time in half, but then schedule a similar time about an hour later. For example, after your lawn is sprouting, set the timer to turn off at 4:30 AM. M. For five minutes, and then again at 5:30 a.m. M. For another five minutes, on Mondays and Thursdays. This will encourage a deeper soak of the soil and prevent runoff and water waste.

But to completely avoid any headache on the subject of moss removal, get a Japanese perspective and enjoy your moss. Tell the people you planted it yourself. They will be dazzled by your gardening acumen and may ask you for advice on how to grow moss in your backyard.

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