Where does moss come from in the garden and should it be removed?

Moss in the garden is a weed. It's not aggressive toward crops, but it does interfere with their normal growth. Furthermore, the area where the plant appears gradually becomes waterlogged. There are several reasons for this plant pest's appearance in garden beds and greenhouses. This means a comprehensive and lengthy fight will be necessary, requiring patience.

Why does the parasite take root in the garden?

Moss has a stem, leaves, and a root system, although many species exist without them. It is not fussy about environmental conditions, reproducing through spores and surviving adverse conditions such as drought and cold in them. The plant is disease-resistant because triterpene compounds and coumarins provide protection against pathogens, rot, and insects.

Moss thrives in humid areas, where most of the daylight hours are spent in shade, and where the soil is acidic. Therefore, if the soil in your area has begun to "bloom," there may be one or more contributing factors:

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• soil oversaturated with moisture, standing water;
• shady places;
• acidic soil reaction;
• rare or insufficient application of fertilizers.

If moss spreads across the ground and has no straight shoots, this is a sign of waterlogging. The soil is very wet, sticks to your hands, and is covered with a gray-green coating. The gardener regulates the amount of fertilizer applied. A deficiency is evident by the condition of the plantings.

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Negative impact on plants

Moss has a negative impact on the soil and the crops growing in it. This is due to the fact that the plant:

• absorbs carbon dioxide, minerals and organic matter;
• absorbs almost all the moisture from the ground;
• disrupts gas exchange;
• acidifies the soil;
• swamps the land.

These properties prevent crops from growing normally, and their yields are reduced. However, moss can also be useful in the garden. Some crops (tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and greens) only thrive in acidic soil. Plot owners deliberately grow moss near these crops.

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Additionally, spraying the shoots and leaves of plants with a moss infusion helps combat pests and fungi due to its bactericidal properties. It improves soil aeration by loosening the soil through the root system. Moss is used to insulate beehives and sheds, and to create vertical flower beds.

Ways to get rid of it

Eliminating weeds in open ground can sometimes take more than a year. The key is identifying the cause and addressing it head-on:

1. To reduce soil acidity, when digging the area, add lime in the spring and crushed dolomite or ash in the fall at a rate of 50 kg per 100 sq.m.
2. Removing excess moisture – adding sand to peat and clay soils, providing drainage (trenches, ditches).
3. Level the area so that water does not stagnate in the lowlands; plant shade-loving crops in shaded areas - they will gradually outgrow the moss.
4. Don't neglect weeding – thickets of nettles, wormwood, etc. contribute to the spread of moss throughout the area.

If all other methods have been tried without success, you can resort to herbicides based on glyphosate, ammonium sulfate, iron, or copper. The product must be diluted strictly according to the instructions.

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However, the problem isn't limited to open garden beds. Moss can also seep into a greenhouse or hotbed. The main cause is a disrupted microclimate due to lack of ventilation and excessive watering. Therefore, weed control involves improving the conditions within the system.

It's important to ensure adequate ventilation for the system—install two closable openings opposite each other and install a fan opposite the only window. Wipe the ends of the greenhouse or hotbed with a soapy solution to kill moss spores. Add dolomite to the soil in the fall, or ash or lime in the spring. Before planting, sow a green manure crop: oats, lupine, or any other crop. This will enrich the soil with oxygen and prevent moss from gaining a foothold.

Copper sulfate should not be used to kill moss. It will destroy the weed along with most of the soil's nutrients and beneficial microorganisms.

Preventing the appearance and spread of moss in your garden is possible. The key is to promptly neutralize factors that favor its growth: enrich the soil with fertilizer, prevent standing water, and ensure adequate watering.