Despite its important functions in the ecosystem, moss is admittedly not always pretty to look at. If it spreads as a dirty green covering on pavement or mats on the lawn, you should look to effective moss killers. We have put together for you here which active ingredients and methods work well in the home garden.
What active ingredients are contained in moss killers?
Moss killers can contain both chemical and natural active ingredients, such as acetic acid, pelargonic acid, maleic hydrazide, iron II sulfate, fatty acids or dicamba. Home remedies such as boiling water, vinegar or soda are also effective against moss.
Moss killer from the store shelf
If you are struggling with mossy paths and squares or a mossy lawn, specialist retailers have a we alth of products available for you. The following table lists moss killers with their main active ingredient for the home garden that have proven themselves well in practice. The following explanations briefly summarize the advantages and disadvantages of these active ingredients:
| Moss killer | Application | Main active ingredient |
|---|---|---|
| Natures Organic Weed Free | Paths, squares, lawns | Acetic acid |
| Dr. Stähler Moss-free Organic | Lawn | Pelargonic acid |
| Finalsan Weed-Free Plus | Paths, squares, beds, lawns | Maleic hydrazide plus pelargonic acid |
| Lawn fertilizer plus moss killer | Lawn | Iron II sulfate |
| Bayer Garten Weed Free Turboclean AF | Garden, paths and lawn | Fatty acids (caprylic acid) |
| Roundup AC | Lawn | Acetic acid (without glyphosate) |
| Floranid lawn fertilizer against weeds and moss | Garden, paths, lawn | 2, 4 D with dicamba and iron II sulfate |
This table lists representative products with effective, proven ingredients against moss that are approved for use in home and allotment gardens. The database of the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety provides a detailed overview, including the duration of the approval.
The active ingredients in the moss killer in detail
So that you know more precisely which active ingredient you are dealing with in the moss killers from specialist retailers, we have taken a closer look. The following overview shows you what distinguishes the main ingredients:
- Acetic acid: In low concentrations, an active ingredient that is harmless to he alth and the environment
- Pelargonic acid: Synthetically produced acid found in pelargoniums (storksbill family)
- Maleic hydrazide: Systemic, chemical and toxic growth regulator
- Iron II sulfate: Highly toxic to humans, animals and the environment with 20 percent sulfuric acid
- Fatty acids (caprylic acid): Synthesized ingredient that occurs naturally in goat butter, milk and cheese
- Dicamba: Chemical compound with GHS hazardous substance labeling 05 for corrosive and 07 for caution
The active ingredient quinoclamine, which has been promoted in many places on the Internet as an innovation against moss, is not permitted for home and allotment gardens in Germany due to its extreme he alth and environmental risks.
Moss killer from the kitchen shelf
Long before the industry offered moss killers, gardeners and farmers knew how to defend themselves against moss on paths and stone surfaces. They used active ingredients that were already used in the household. To date, the following home remedies against moss have proven successful:
Boiling water
- Pour boiling water over moss-covered areas
- Sweep away the dead moss the next day
Vinegar
- Spray fruit or wine vinegar onto the mossy surface
- Leave for one to two days and scrub off
- If necessary, repeat the treatment with vinegar after 4 weeks
Soda/baking soda
- Roughly scrape off existing moss with the spatula
- Dissolve 20 g of soda in 10 l of hot water and spray on
- Let it work for a few days and then turn away
Lime works against moss in the lawn through the back door
To permanently remove moss from a lawn, lime does not act as a direct moss killer. In fact, the substance contributes to the fact that moss no longer feels welcome at this location. The secret is based on the property that lime raises the pH value in the soil. Since moss spreads primarily in acidic soil, while lawns favor a pH value of 6.0 to 7.0, lime acts as a secondary moss killer. This is how it works:
- Mow the lawn as deeply as possible in March/April or September/October
- Use the scarifier to comb out all existing moss lengthwise and crosswise
- Fill lawn lime or dolomite lime into a spreader and distribute it
- Water the limed lawn thoroughly
By additionally sanding the lawn when the ground is very moist and compacted, you deprive moss of any basis for life. While iron fertilizer with toxic iron II sulfate only fights the current moss, you can permanently get rid of thatch in the lawn with lime. A single application in spring or autumn is sufficient to keep the soil acidity at a lawn-friendly level for up to 3 years. A pH value test provides information about the current status.
Tip
Not all weed control products from the kitchen pantry are ecologically sound. The primary thing to be mentioned here is s alt, consisting of sodium chloride. When spread on moss, the active ingredient dries out the plant within a short time and causes it to die. This also applies to all neighboring ornamental and useful plants as well as to all soil organisms that come into contact with the s alt.
