Mosses -- good or bad IYO as groundcover under daylilies/other plants

6 days ago

My backyard gardens grow moss with exuberance and abundance. I happen to love mosses, so I have allowed them to grow wherever they please. What was originally a gravel path throughout the gardens has become a lush moss path with no gravel to be seen.

Is there any reason to be concerned about the moss all over the planted beds themselves?

Featured Answer

Design Fan

4 days ago

As long as your perennials are thriving, co-existing with moss is not an issue ime.

I have areas where perennials and moss co-exist very well together. The moss is beautiful, soft and limits weeds. But the moss also reduces perennials (such as irises and daylillies) from spreading and prevents most seedlings from self-sowers (such as coneflowers). So periodically I do remove some moss to pull it back a bit from each perennial plant to encourage spreading and seedlings.

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Comments (8)

Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
5 days ago
last modified: 5 days ago
You need to investigate what conditions moss requires to grow well. I've never tried to grow moss, so have no clue. I'm thinking that moss might need constant moisture to thrive. Daylilies require good drainage, 6 hours of strong sunlight and tend to be more adaptable to dry conditions then wet. In other words you may find out from your research that the two do not enjoy the same conditions..........Maryl
roxanna thanked Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
laceyvail 6A, WV
4 days ago
If the plants are doing well, I don't see a problem. Mosses probably indicate moisture and perhaps acidity, but again, if the plants are doing well, then no problem.
roxanna thanked laceyvail 6A, WV
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roxanna
Original Author
4 days ago
last modified: 4 days ago
Maryl -- guess I didn't state my situation clearly! I don't need to know HOW to grow moss as Mother Nature does it extremely well here on my property already. I just want to know if I ought to remove it for the sake of the perennials, including my dayliles which form long rows on either side of the pathway. Said path has become a solid and beautiful mossway, lol. And the moss has also sited itself randomly and happily around in the actual garden beds.

I have not noticed that the moss is affecting any of the perennials adversely, to be honest, but wonder if it is worth the huge effort of removing. It WILL return, as conditions here are to its liking. The daylily area here is slightly raised for drainage and gets full sun for more than six hours, and they are healthy (altho I really ought to divide the clumps for better blooming).

Thanks for the reply!
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 days ago
Here in the often damp PNW, mosses of all kinds proliferate and thrive. Even through our recurring summer droughts. They grow on anything - the ground, trees, fences, large rocks and boulders. A local botanical garden has an entire area developed as a moss garden. Since mosses are extremely surface rooted, they can coexist with larger plants very well. Even dormant perennials or emerging bulbs in spring will grow right through the moss without issue. Just consider it a soft, spongey groundcover!!
roxanna thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
4 days ago
Not all mosses require damp, acidic soil.
roxanna thanked mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
mantis__oh
4 days ago
Roxanna, it would help if somewhere you listed your location. I suspect that it is in a maritime climate. So many contributors here for some reason don't want to list their location.
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roxanna thanked mantis__oh
roxanna
Original Author
4 days ago
Thanks to all of you for replies. It's good to know that moss won't really be a problem in my garden beds! =)
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Mosses -- good or bad IYO as groundcover under daylilies/other plants

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Comments (8)

Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)

laceyvail 6A, WV

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Mosses -- good or bad IYO as groundcover under daylilies/other plants

Design Fan

Comments (8)

Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)

laceyvail 6A, WV

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roxannaOriginal Author

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)

mantis__oh

roxannaOriginal Author

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roxanna
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roxanna
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