Pests & Diseases


Moss Control


Managing Moss


One of the most diverse plants on the planet, moss is the bane of many groundsmen and greenkeepers. It will happily grow anywhere; on greens, tees, synthetic and hard surfaces, patios and pathways. So, what’s the best way to get rid of it and can you do anything to prevent it in the first place?


104 I PC APRIL/MAY 2017 M


oss, like every living organism, requires moisture. The difference between mosses and other plants is that they do not require a root system


for survival, though some produce a structure called rhizoides. Whilst many take nutrients from the


substrate directly beneath them, a lot of mosses can also survive in areas where moisture and nutrients pass over the leaf. They are also organisms that, in comparison to grass species, can tolerate shade and poor drainage. These are special qualities that help us


understand why they can be found on most surfaces, even hard surfaces such as roofs and


pathways. The high levels of moisture, mild temperatures and a competitive growth habit over the winter period have therefore been a major contributing factor to the amount of moss we witnessed in the early spring. Mosses are plants that do not have a


vascular system. They are part of the order called Bryophytes. As well as mosses, Bryophytes also contain the groups Hornworts and Liverworts. After flowering plants and ferns, mosses are the most diverse form of plants, with over 10,000 species in more than 700 genera; nearly twice as many as all the mammals on Earth. In addition to not having a vascular system, they also have no woody parts. The lack of a


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