Moss in the garden

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zelda_marie May 02, 2010

I have a problem with moss growing all over the soil and around the plants. It is primarily in the lower side of the garden that can get very wet.

Is it harmful? Should I try to get rid of it? Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) May 02, 2010

It's not harmful, it likes to grow in damp areas. But while the moss itself isn't harmful, it signifies that the areas where it's growing are staying pretty moist, and depending on what plants you have there they may not be happy with that level of moisture. So if your plants in that area are struggling, you'll need to think about either moving them or improving the drainage.

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zelda_marie May 02, 2010

Thanks, ecrane, for the info. I know I have a moisture problem, and unfortunately, to correct it would mean moving the garden (and trust me ... that AIN'T gonna happen!!!). I have compensated for it by putting in plants that prefer or can handle moisture, i.e. Juncus effusus ‘Afro’, Juncus inflexus 'Blue Arrow', Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners' etc. and they have all done very, very well. But the moss just appeared in force last year (we had a cold, wet growing season) and appears to be back again this year. There are clumps that are easily to remove ... will that get rid of those clumps or does it just continue to come back and grow as long as it is wet?

Appreciate your input!

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) May 02, 2010

As long as the area is wet it's going to tend to come back. It really doesn't hurt anything, so there's no reason why you couldn't just leave it alone. If you want to you can remove it of course but you don't need to.

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cyclops101 Wakefield, RI May 02, 2010

Moss is also an indication that your soil may be acidic. Moss will not compete with your plants for nutrients but an acidic soil with a low ph will affect how well your plants utilize nutrients. 5 lbs of dolomite lime per 100 square feet will raise the ph 1 point. if you are so inclined to test your soil. If your current planting is thriving I guess you should leave well enough alone.

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JulieQ Bella Vista, AR(Zone 6b) May 02, 2010

I have a shade garden with tons of moss. I think it is charming.

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