How to get Moss off Landscape Rocks

Matter is anything that occupies space and has weight. If there is one thing in nature that takes this statement seriously, it has to be moss plants. They occupy space and that can be a weighty matter. Well, not everyone is a fan of nature’s green carpet so we have prepared this article piece of how to get moss off landscape rocks.

Background Information on Moss

There are 12,000 different moss species. These tiny plants reproduce from spores and are quite beautiful in a forest but are a mess in people’s lawns and well-maintained landscapes. Moss can grow anywhere.

Moss are plants that love shaded and poorly drained areas. They do not thrive under the sun. These tiny plants are void fillers in that they occupy areas where grass won’t grow.

How to get Moss off White Landscape Rocks

White rocks make your landscape gleam and provide a bright contrast to the green plants. The best thing about white is that it fits anywhere. The downside is that it also gets dirty quickly. So what do you to get moss off white landscape rocks?

Getting moss off large rocks

• Use an outdoor broom to sweep away loose dirt
• Take some strong vinegar and pour it over the moss. Let it sit for five minutes
• Use a stiff wire brush to scrub off the dead moss and other small plants off the rocks
• Rinse the rocks with a hose that has a high-pressure nozzle 
• Mix three-quarters of bleach with a gallon of water and use the solution to saturate the remaining moss and stains that could be on the rocks. Let this sit for 10 minutes then scrub again and rinse with the hose before leaving it to dry.

Getting moss off small landscape rocks

• Use the hose and let the pressure strip down as much moss as it can
• Take a shovel, scoop the rocks and put them in a gravel screen over a bucket or a wheelbarrow
• Hose down the rocks on the screen
• Put the rocks back where they belong

How to get moss off landscape rocks- gravel

For those who have a landscape made up of gravel, moss ruins everything plus it makes the entire place slippery. It would consume a lot of time cleaning gravel and the use of commercial pesticides could be prohibited. So here are a few legal and simple things that will work.

Using vinegar

• Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spray the mixture on the moss till saturated. Vinegar kills any organic thing. If a spray bottle isn’t enough then a commercial sprayer will do
• Take a good amount of table salt or de-icing salt and sprinkle it on the gravel. Salt naturally burns organic materials.
• If the moss covers a small area then you make use of baking soda. Moss loves a certain level of acidity and therefore the alkaline nature of baking soda will counter that which will result in the death of moss.
• Spray the moss infested gravel with herbicides that contain glyphosate. Herbicides are effective so long as the present environmental conditions are controlled.

How to get Moss off Landscape Rocks using Dish Soap

Iron sulfate is one of the names that pop up when it comes to destroying moss traditionally. You can also ensure that moss does not take over your landscape by ensuring the soil underneath is less acidic by adding lime to it. Now let us look at the simplest and easiest way on how to get moss off landscape rocks and this is by using dish soap.

There are several steps to follow in the dish soap execution plan:

• For small areas, mix 2 ounces of the soap and a gallon of water. Ensure to use a gentle brand. When it’s a larger area then 4 ounces in 2 gallons for every 1000 square feet. 
• Spray this mixture on the landscape
• The moss patches will turn brown after 24 hours and dry up. Take an outdoor broom and sweep up
• Take the moss debris to an isolated place because you do not want the moss growing all over again

What is the Best Time to get Moss off Landscape Rocks

Time is everything and late spring and early summer are the best times to kill moss. Early fall and late summer can work too. You should always get rid of moss before seeding the lawn. 

If you will be using dish soap then always apply the mixture when the grass is moist. You should also ensure that there will be no rain for the next 24 hours. So what if you want to discourage moss growth?

Discouraging moss growth

Most of the procedures explained here are temporary and therefore if you want a permanent solution, something else is prescribed. The main reason why your landscape is so susceptible to moss growth is that the acidic level of the soil there is moss friendly. 

You will have to test the pH level of your soil. To balance this level, add lawn lime also known as dolomite lime. Lime will make your soil less acidic therefore discouraging moss growth.

It is important to note that lime does not kill moss directly but it can slow down the rate at which moss grows. Add lime to your lawn soil between fall and early spring. Acidic soil is a catalyst that propagates moss growth and lime alkalinity slows down the process.

Conclusion

Now that you know what to do, how to get moss off landscape rocks should not be a problem but just know that if it all becomes too much, there is an alternative. Make peace with the moss. Moss growth is great for shady areas plus they have aesthetic appeal where grass does not grow.

So, if the hosing down, the use of dish soap and adding lime gets too much, join the moss bandwagon and embrace nature’s original land rug. Just remember, rocks and green, make a beautiful scene. That is if you want it so.