Mother Nature apparently hates empty spaces, so she does her best to fill in patches of bare soil with plants. Moss is one of the common filter plants for shady, damp spaces, and it spreads across sparse areas as thick, spongy mats. Some mosses, like Irish moss (Sagina subulata, U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8), make suitable ground covers, while other mosses only appear to make your yard a shiny mess. Since your pet probably spends a great deal of time outside, take steps to get rid of unwanted lawn moss utilizing animal-friendly procedures.

Remove Moss

Vigorously rake out moss as soon as it looks for a fast fix that does not pose a threat to pets. Discard the debris and also cover the raked area having a 2- to 3-inch layer of natural straw or bark mulch to keep moss from regrowing in this area. Mowing your grass using a specially designed dethatching blade may also physically remove moss from your lawn. After adjusting the height of the lawn mower so the blade touches the surface of the soil, make two or three passes over your whole lawn. Rake up and discard the moss your lawn mower digs up.

Spray Large Patches

Moss-controlling soaps, known as cyrptocidals, contain biodegradable potassium salts of fatty acids. The natural ingredients work by drying out unwanted moss whilst not harming pets or any desired plants in the area. Look for a ready-to-spray formulation which takes the guesswork out of mixing solutions. After reading the directions on the manufacturer’s label, liberally spray the moss with the soap product. Gently rinse the treated area with water from your garden hose about 30 minutes after therapy, and don’t water the area again for at least 48 hours. The soap triggers dying moss to turn yellowish-white in shade. Retreat the area in two to four weeks when any green moss remains. Rake up dead moss and discard it. Soap solutions may be animal-friendly and less poisonous, but they could still irritate skin and eyes on contact and pets should not eat anything treated with them. Keep pets out of the treatment area until the solution dries. Wear protective clothing and safety glasses or goggles when spraying soap to reduce the danger of contact.

Spot Treat little Patches

Spot treat small patches of moss with common household items which won’t negatively influence your pet. Make a three percent soap solution by combining 1 oz of lemon-scented liquid dish soap with 1 gallon of water. Pour the solution in a handheld squirt bottle and straight spray the mossy location. Another powerful spot treatment alternative contains 2-3 tbsp of baking soda and 1 gallon of warm water. Wait for a sunny afternoon and then use a squirt bottle to immediately spray the moss with the option. Baking soda solutions occasionally burn the surrounding grass. Test the solution on an inconspicuous patch of moss and await 24 to 48 hours to test nearby grass for damage. If the grass stays green, place treat all of moss patches in your yard.

Prevent Moss

Once you’ve eliminated lawn safety, keep it from returning by subsequent pet-safe preventive procedures. Moss thrives in shady, damp areas and may outgrow grasses in places with little sun. Pruning shrubs and trees that shade the area allows more sun to reach the ground. Cut back overhanging low branches and prune out thick interiors and canopies to reduce the density of this shade. Between every cut, dip your pruning tools in a solution containing 1 part chlorine bleach and 9 parts water. This makes it possible to avoid spreading disease pathogens or pests to other plants. Reduce moisture in issue areas by just watering your yard when it needs it. Wait till the grass starts wilting to present your yard 2/3 to 3/4 inch of water. Water early in the afternoon so that the grass has lots of time to dry before nightfall. This is particularly crucial in early spring and autumn when moss grows most vigorously.

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