Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,553 posts, read 81,067,970 times
Reputation: 57723
It's a constant battle, and many just live with it. If you are not opposed to "Better living through chemicals" and don't live on a stream, there are a couple of things you can get at Home Depot or Lowes. One is a 20 lb sack of moss killer made for lawns, and an inexpensive spreader. I find that it takes 2-3 applications per year to keep the moss under control from October-June. You have to apply when it's going to rain for a day or two, and the moss turns black very soon after the rain hits. The other product comes in a tall round container, and is more powder-like so try not to breath it in when sprinkling on the sidewalks. Neither is good for pets, so keep them off of where you have used it for a couple of days. It too has to be wet to work, and turns the moss black then you can power wash it away after a couple of days.
the other thing beside "moss killer" to consider is that moss thrives in acid soils (very common in our area). applying lime to turf grass on an annual basis during the "wet" season (when natural rain can "wash" it into the root zone) can be an important part of reducing the soil acidity that tends to stunt the grass and increase the moss. your local county extension agent or competent nursery person should be able to give you more details on how much to spread how often. the spreader used for the moss killer should work just as well for the lime (sold as pellets ("prilled") or powder (very dusty) in most garden and home improvement stores.
hopefully by reducing the soil acidity the grass will do better/grow thicker and more healthy and the moss will (if initially killed by the moss killer) not come back or grow much less rampantly under the new soil conditions.
another possible consideration is shade. if your yard is very shady, moss will thrive even more---you may want to see if some trees or shrubs might need to be "thinned" (carefully) to let more light in especially in the winter seasons. hope this helps.
Last edited by georgeinbandonoregon; 02-14-2015 at 02:03 PM..
Reason: more info.
Yep, as long as you have constant wet conditions and not enough sun to burn out the moss then you'll have to find alternative treatments.
Contact your State/County/Local/Horticulture Extension Service Center for further local advice.
I have no idea what type of moss you have out there. When we visited in Kyoto Japan...moss gardens were spectacular, often combined with stones and large granite rocks. Ferns and moss and stones are beautiful.....but do not make a "lawn".
We a new to the PNW and moss is taking over the backyard grass and the concrete patio. What do I do?
LOL, learn to love it. It's just a part of living in the PNW. I also kinda freaked out when I moved here last year and encountered moss everywhere. It took me a bit to get used to it. I've decided I'm not going to battle it on my lawn or on my patio (plus, I hate using chemicals—I've used baking soda to successfully kill the moss on my stepping stones, though). Keeping it off the roof, however, is important.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,553 posts, read 81,067,970 times
Reputation: 57723
Quote:
Originally Posted by OrangeCoriander
LOL, learn to love it. It's just a part of living in the PNW. I also kinda freaked out when I moved here last year and encountered moss everywhere. It took me a bit to get used to it. I've decided I'm not going to battle it on my lawn or on my patio (plus, I hate using chemicals—I've used baking soda to successfully kill the moss on my stepping stones, though). Keeping it off the roof, however, is important.
This is a place where the phrase "a rolling stone gathers no moss" doesn't apply. It is quite attractive on rocks, and the side of the road, but can become hazardous to pedestrians on sidewalks, patios and decks.
This is a place where the phrase "a rolling stone gathers no moss" doesn't apply. It is quite attractive on rocks, and the side of the road, but can become hazardous to pedestrians on sidewalks, patios and decks.
True, but I can't see dumping chemicals on the lawn to try to get rid of it. Use common sense where it is a hazard. I'd go the baking soda route first or try to bring more light to the yard.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
