If the flower bed is shady, cool and damp, moss will spread quickly. You can let this grow - it does not harm the plants - or remove it with the help of a small hoe. To prevent the moss carpet from spreading further or disappearing again, you can try our tips.
How to remove moss in the flowerbed?
To remove moss in the flower bed, you can loosen the affected area with a hoe, ensure better drainage, aerate the soil and treat it with garden lime or fertilizer. Make sure that not all plants tolerate lime and use iron fertilizer carefully if necessary.
Causes
Moss in the flower bed has one main reason: it finds ideal growing conditions and therefore spreads freely. Flower beds that are shady and have moist soil are particularly suitable for moss growth. Compacted soils that tend to be rather acidic are also ideal breeding grounds. The main reason, however, is a lack of sun.
Countermeasures
Basically, you won't be able to change the site conditions, because you won't be able to create full sun in a shaded bed - especially since the plants, which are certainly adapted to the lack of light, will be more reluctant to move them. However, you are not completely helpless when it comes to eliminating the cause, as you can improve compacted, damp soil using simple means and thus make it unattractive to moss.
Drainage
This includes, for example, sustainably draining the soil by subsequently installing drainage. To do this, dig drainage trenches into which water pipes are laid - these should have a slight slope so that the water can flow freely from the bed to a lower location.
loose up / aerate the soil
Another important cause of mossy flower beds is soil that is too dense, which you can carefully aerate with a digging fork (experts call this process scarifying). To do this, pierce the bed regularly at small intervals with the tines of the device and wiggle it back and forth a little. However, be careful not to damage any roots. In addition, the soil can be loosened superficially, for example with the help of a hoe (€139.00 on Amazon).
Fertilizing / liming
Moss prefers acidic and nutrient-poor soil. You can therefore effectively combat the green carpet with garden lime, which you should preferably apply directly to the previously loosened soil in the spring. But be careful: not all perennials and shrubs can tolerate lime! Regular fertilization, for example by spreading compost and horn shavings in spring and early summer, will also gradually make the moss disappear.
Tip
The use of special iron fertilizer is also effective against moss. However, you should only use this if there is actually an iron deficiency (carry out a soil analysis). In addition, iron sulfate is poisonous and should therefore be used with caution.
