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donald_vargo

Moss fertilizer

Once again I have applied moss killer per instructions - twice and it looks like it was fertilizer. Growing like crazy and "flowering". Other then hand picking moss on 2 acres any ideas? Every year I put moss killer on it, I have tried 3 kinds. It does not look like it has any affect on moss in the garden and in mulch. It works good on the moss on my retaining wall and in drive cracks.

Comments (13)

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    2 years ago

    What was the product you used? The active ingredients?

    Moss in planting beds is typically not an issue, as it is easily disturbed by cultivation or smothered by mulch. And its impact is really only aesthetic as it has no affect on any plantings. For lawn moss, changing the environment and cultural conditions that encourage moss growth is the most effective way of controlling moss.

    The reasons why lawns develop moss:

    • compacted soil
    • excessive acidity
    • too much shade
    • too much moisture
    • lack of soil fertility

    Change all of these that apply and lawn moss will no longer be a serious concern

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    As noted, it isn't clear that moss interferes with plant growth (once the plants are germinated and up and out of the soil). Moss holds water well and acts as living mulch. Moss doesn't have deep roots, so it isn't using soil nutrients that other plants would need. Moss killer is mostly ferric sulfate, which is a herbicide that will kill lots more than moss.

  • Sherry8aNorthAL
    2 years ago

    I love my moss!

  • Donald V Zone 6 north Ohio
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    I just get annoyed by it:) it is shady places like next to my outdoor kitchen, along the North side of a retaining wall along the drive and in tree shaded mulch areas. In other words not way to make it sunny. I am surrounded on 3 sides by moss filed woods which I am sure are blowing more in constantly. Not sure what I used before but current stuff uses ferrous sulfate monohydrate (I am sure I speeled that incorrectly). Yes misspelling the word spelled was on purpose:)

  • LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
    2 years ago

    My house is in the middle of the woods as well but I've never tried to get rid of the moss as it doesn't bother me too much. I use a power washer to remove it from north facing walls.

  • carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
    2 years ago

    I think moss is pretty. The only place I've seen problems with it is on walkways, where it can be slippery - or maybe that's algae?

  • John D Zn6a PIT Pa
    2 years ago

    I've always gotten rid of moss with lime. If you cover the moss with a solid coat of lime it will turn brown. If you use a heavy dusting the area will gradually grow in with other plants. In a lawn, from my experience, it will grow in with the same grass and weeds as in the rest of your lawn, In the first method you will have a patch of dead brown moss which you'll need to remove (rake) before anything will grow there. Fertilizer will assist the second method; and of course seeding.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    2 years ago

    Lime killing moss is a myth. And this myth is well documented by any turf or lawn care specialists. "Applying lime does not have a direct effect on moss. (Lime does not kill moss). The effect on moss is indirect in that moss is less likely to grow. Higher pH is better for turf grass growth and increases nutrient availability."

    "There is nothing worse than a gardening myth that refuses to die, especially when it causes gardeners to waste their money. And this is the case with the stubborn belief that you can eliminate moss from a lawn or garden simply by applying lime. Unfortunately, even garden centers repeat this false information, with the result that their customers are misled. No, lime will not kill moss: applying it to do so is just throwing your money out the window!

    This myth derives from the belief that moss only grows in acid soil and therefore, if there is moss in your lawn or garden, the soil must be acidic. But in fact, mosses are highly adaptable plants that will grow in acid, neutral and even alkaline soils. What the presence of moss really does tell you is that the soil is of poor quality, period. When other plants grow poorly, moss, being highly adaptable, moves in, occupying the empty space. The moss itself is not the problem, it is a symptom of poor growing conditions."

    "Does Lime Kill moss ? Let me say this. No, lime does not kill moss. Never did. Its a popular misconception because Lime increases PH and moss usually likes acidic (lower PH) soil. Adjusting your PH will help, but it wont kill any moss you have."


  • John D Zn6a PIT Pa
    2 years ago

    I copied this from an earlier post in this thread"


    The reasons why lawns develop moss:


    compacted soil

    excessive acidity

    too much shade

    too much moisture

    lack of soil fertility


    I speak from my experience. And a lot of garden centers here, at least, also do landscaping so have a lot of experience in the field.


    in my post i addressed two of the items on the above list. I'm not going to suggest on here that you should cut down the trees causing the shade. And in many cases, including mine the moss was too far away from the house to water so the possible excess moisture must only come from rain. Thinking about my huge patch of moss I did aerate at least part of it.


    I later fenced in a large part of the mossy lawn and it still needed lime to adjust the PH. And I also don't think lime is expensive unless you're liming extensive acreage; which I'm not. If you have a pH problem and a low PH is one of the causes then you address the causes beginning with what's the easiest to correct. And don't forget if your lawn has low PH so does the beds. But some plants in those beds like the low PH so you don't want to lime those areas.


    The OP is asking for a solution which no one has posted. By the way; the list of causes of moss was posted by the same person who later, essentially, criticized their own post.

  • daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
    2 years ago

    I believe a good way to actually kill moss is to put mulch over it. You cut off the sunlight, and the moss will die (as will any grass in the bed). Of course, if the growing conditions promote moss growth, it'll eventually just start growing back on top of the mulch. To the extent that moss doesn't grow as well in alkaline soil, a top dressing of lime might help in that regard.

  • Donald V Zone 6 north Ohio
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thanks guys good input. Ironically I hit it 3x hard it is actually dying. Not all of it but most of it. Again most permanent solutions are not an option. I do not want to cut down trees. I do have acidic soil because of a a lot of pine trees (pine needles are highly acidic. If I care enough I might kill it, rake it put down topsoil and plant grass.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    2 years ago

    "I do have acidic soil because of a a lot of pine trees (pine needles are highly acidic."

    And this is another very common and very persistent gardening myth :-) Soil pH is determined primarily by the underlying soil mineral content and secondarily by rainfall (arid or low rainfall areas tend to alkaline soils; heavier rainfall areas are more acidic). The plants growing there have virtually NO effect. They grow there because they like the soil conditions, not because they create it!!

    btw, pine needles are indeed acidic whilst growing on the tree. But they lose that feature once they dry and fall and will test out then close to neutral. And even a semi load of very fresh, right off the tree needles would have a minimal impact on the soil pH.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    2 years ago

    "The OP is asking for a solution which no one has posted. By the way; the list of causes of moss was posted by the same person who later, essentially, criticized their own post."

    The solution was posted although maybe in not direct enough terms for all to understand. Moss killing products work fine when applied as per directions but they are only temporary solutions unless you make permanent changes in the growing conditions. If you can't or don't want to change the growing conditions, the moss will just grow back and sooner rather than later. It doesn't really affect plant growth at all, it is just opportunistic. Many uninformed gardeners think that moss is choking out their lawns where in reality, the lawn is not growing well because of unsuitable conditions. The moss is just filling in the gaps.

    btw, I'd love to know how I "criticized" my own post. I fear there may be a lack of reading comprehension going on :-)) And for those of you who seem to persist in criticizing these comments, they are NOT just my opinions but horticultural facts and can be easily documented by simple research.