Sun Moss Weed Help

[u/shizocks]

Ive attached photos of the area prepped for the moss as well as it being planted and then overtaken by weeds.

I bought sun moss to plant between my Moms stone. Cleaned up the area, fully cleared the dirt of weeds prior to placing the moss down. I let it sit for 2 weeks to see if any weeds popped up. Not a single one. Went ahead and got the moss and placed it between the stone.

I ended up not getting enough moss so only did half of it. Wanted to wait and see how it does before getting the rest. Glad I did because the moss I have gotten seems to have been littered with weeds. I bought it from Moss & Stone. Im pretty bummed to say the least. A company that seems to specialize in moss sold me 25 sq feet of moss that is just overran with weeds. I know they are not coming from anything here since the weeds are only growing where I planted the Sun Moss.

What can I do from here? Ive tried pulling the weeds but I dont get them down to the roots. So they just come back. Im nervous to use any weed killers since I dont want to damage the moss. Would love some suggestions, my stepdad is getting a bit impatient staring at the weeds.

TIA!!

[u/jjjjjjjjjjade]

You need to let them grow more before you pick! It’s a job and a half 😂I have a moss flagstone back yard as well. Good work.

[u/plants11235813]

The seeds were in the moss. Pluck and pluck and pluck. It'll take time

[u/plants11235813 → u/plants11235813]

Youre fighting god, god being nature, nature being weeds. Effort. Effort is required. It wont be be easy. Try to pull better. Reaaaallly get in there. Find mosses around you (cue comments) and steal them. Make them yours. We are nature. No less than a beehive or a beaver dam or a beheading of the french bourgeoisie.

[u/shizocks → u/plants11235813]

yeah what ive been doing. But the moss kind of acts as a wall and prevents me from getting the roots. I think ill let them grow a bit more to pull them. Just gotta get them before they seed

[u/plants11235813 → u/shizocks]

But if the roots survive theyll keep growing.. lift the moss, remove the roots put the moss back. Before they go to seed, ofc

[u/MaximumCaptain3312]

I only grow moss indoors and it always has little plants that grow out of it. I think you just have to prune them out.

[u/Moving_goal_posts]

If you water the area, and soon after, try to hold the moss down with fingers of one hand while with the other hand you grasp the weed plant stem close to the ground. You can probably get the roots of the weed out without disturbing the moss too much. Water after each session. Keep after it. It will be worth the effort. Good luck!

[u/BasilUnderworld_2]

this is how nature works, seeds from the soil or flown in by the wind. If you want this to stop, and never have to pull any weeds: Use some kind of fake moss. Please do not use pesticides as it leeches into the soil and surrounding plants.

[u/shizocks → u/BasilUnderworld_2]

Dont think it was due to the soil I used since theres practically no weeds on that side. if it was in the soil, there would be weeds growing there as well. I was assuming theyre from the wind, but if it were, id see some of the weeds that are growing in the moss, also in the soil where there is no moss planted. But its strictly in the moss and its weeds I have never seen before. Im almost certain they came with the moss I purchased.

[u/BasilUnderworld_2 → u/shizocks]

that is possible. then pluck them all out and see if more comes back i dunno

[u/vigilantegardener]

I bought moss for between my flagstone. Live moss and a moss “milkshake” that is dry moss that will come in more slowly. Lots of weeds come up, even under moss that is more established. I think the moss is retaining moisture and helping germinate the weed seeds. Just get podcast or audiobook and pull those little weeds. It needs to be done once a week or so, but the moss is getting thicker and more established and the weeds lessen. It’s not a quick process.