How to kill Irish moss/Scotch moss?

[Ray Manning]

My trees are being invaded by scotch/irish moss and I can't seem to control
it. The only cure seems to be to repot the trees in fresh soil but I have
too many trees to do this every time it starts appearing. Iron doesn't seem
to work like it does for "real" moss. Anyone had any luck getting rid of
this stuff?

Thanks
Ray

[A Polinsky]

Perhaps this is a silly question, but why would you want to get rid of the
moss?

Thanks,
Arlene

[Hud Nordin]

In article <35C751C3...@gwtv.gwu.edu> A Polinsky <apol...@gwtv.gwu.edu> writes:
>Perhaps this is a silly question, but why would you want to get rid of the
>moss?

I think I can answer for him. Irish and Scotch moss--not true
mosses--have deep roots that steal nutrition from bonsai. They
reproduce quickly and seem to spread their tiny seeds widely.

They are a pain. Attack on sight.

>Ray Manning wrote:
>
>> My trees are being invaded by scotch/irish moss and I can't seem to control
>> it. The only cure seems to be to repot the trees in fresh soil but I have
>> too many trees to do this every time it starts appearing. Iron doesn't seem
>> to work like it does for "real" moss. Anyone had any luck getting rid of
>> this stuff?

I think I got rid of it, but it was the hard way: by repotting
infected trees. I still see a tiny one germinated now and then but each
quickly is murdered.
--
Hud Nordin <h...@netcom.com> Silicon Valley

[Jeri]

Quite to the contrary, I've been buying it trying to get starts going.

Jeri

"Ray Manning" <ram...@gte.net> wrote:

>My trees are being invaded by scotch/irish moss and I can't seem to control
>it. The only cure seems to be to repot the trees in fresh soil but I have
>too many trees to do this every time it starts appearing. Iron doesn't seem
>to work like it does for "real" moss. Anyone had any luck getting rid of
>this stuff?
>

>Thanks
>Ray
>
>

Jeri =:-O
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Dream...@TheOffice.net - - http://www.theoffice.net/dreampager (business page)
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[Jeri]

But they fill in the gaps in the stones in the garden really well and
make lovely borders for my moss garden.

Jeri

h...@netcom.com (Hud Nordin) wrote:

>In article <35C751C3...@gwtv.gwu.edu> A Polinsky <apol...@gwtv.gwu.edu> writes:
>>Perhaps this is a silly question, but why would you want to get rid of the
>>moss?
>
>I think I can answer for him. Irish and Scotch moss--not true
>mosses--have deep roots that steal nutrition from bonsai. They
>reproduce quickly and seem to spread their tiny seeds widely.
>
>They are a pain. Attack on sight.
>

>>Ray Manning wrote:
>>
>>> My trees are being invaded by scotch/irish moss and I can't seem to control
>>> it. The only cure seems to be to repot the trees in fresh soil but I have
>>> too many trees to do this every time it starts appearing. Iron doesn't seem
>>> to work like it does for "real" moss. Anyone had any luck getting rid of
>>> this stuff?
>

>I think I got rid of it, but it was the hard way: by repotting
>infected trees. I still see a tiny one germinated now and then but each
>quickly is murdered.
>--
>Hud Nordin <h...@netcom.com> Silicon Valley

Jeri =:-O

[Brent Walston]

Ray Manning <ram...@gte.net> wrote in article
<6q7c0t$3oa$1...@news-1.news.gte.net>...

> My trees are being invaded by scotch/irish moss and I can't seem to
control
> it. The only cure seems to be to repot the trees in fresh soil but I have
> too many trees to do this every time it starts appearing. Iron doesn't
seem
> to work like it does for "real" moss. Anyone had any luck getting rid of
> this stuff?
>

> Thanks
> Ray

Ray

This question comes around every couple of years. Spray the Scotch moss,
Irish moss, Pearlwort, or whatever you want to call it, with household
vinegar straight from the bottle. Use one those common trigger spray
bottles and set the head to fine. One or two 'spritzes' will do the job.
You don't want the excess acid getting into the soil. Don't water until
after it is dry and apply it to a dry, not wet surface of the moss. Be very
careful not to get the vinegar on the foliage of your plant, it will kill
the leaves it touches.

The real problem of Pearlwort is the almost microscopic seeds that scatter
everywhere. The vinegar has no systemic or pre-emergent effect, so the seed
will continue to sprout. You must reapply the treatment to the new plants
BEFORE they flower and seed again, unless you want to do this forever. It
is possible to control Pearlwort, I have done it, but it takes eternal
vigilance.

--
Brent Northern California USDA Zone 8
mailto:bon...@pacific.net http://www.EvergreenGardenworks.com

You
will find more responses to your post at the IBC archives:
http://home.ease.Lsoft.com/Archives/bonsai.html

[Ray Manning]

Exactly Hud. This stuff is evil and should be yanked if you see it starting.
In some of my pots it gets so bad that it covers the roots, base of the tree
and starts hanging off the sides of the pots. Trying to pull it out doesn't
work and usually takes too much soil with the moss. The only control I've
found is to get true moss growing well enough that the seeds don't seem to
be able to get a foot hold, of course once in a while, they find their way
between the patches of moss and start but those are easy enough to get by
hand. Brent suggested a vinegar spritzer that I'm going to try.

Thanks

Hud Nordin wrote in message ...

[Mike Metcalf]

Ray Manning wrote in message <6q7c0t$3oa$1...@news-1.news.gte.net>...

>...to work like it does for "real" moss. Anyone had any luck getting rid of
>this stuff?
...>

Just give it to me and tell me to make it grow! ;)

CHESTER