Moss is a pervasive, persistent problem for many homeowners with outdoor paver walkways, patios, or driveways. The thin, green fuzz may look charming in a woodland setting, but it can make concrete or stone surfaces treacherous to walk on and unsightly to look at. Fortunately, you don’t have to live with moss-covered pavers. Here’s what keeps moss from growing between pavers and the solutions you can use to prevent it.
Causes of Moss Growth Between Pavers
Moss doesn’t appear out of nowhere. It thrives in damp, shady conditions, where there is little sunlight, poor drainage, and excess moisture. Here are some common factors that contribute to moss growth between pavers:
1. Lack of Sunlight
Moss is one of the few plants that can grow in low-light conditions. If your pavers are shaded by trees, buildings, or other structures, it can create an ideal environment for moss to thrive. When sunlight is scarce moss takes advantage of what it can get to grow.
2. Moisture retention
Pavers with a rough surface retain more moisture than smooth pavers, which creates an environment where moss can grow. If you live in a humid or rainy climate, your pavers are even more susceptible to moss growth.
3. Poor drainage
Poor drainage causes water to pool between the pavers, creating a breeding ground for moss to grow. Lack of pitch (slope) and uneven surfaces in the paver area can cause drainage problems.
4. Nutrient deficient soil
The surface between pavers often lacks the nutrients required for other plants to grow. Moss, however, is not as choosy and can thrive with little nutrients and in less-fertile soils.
Ways to Prevent Moss from Growing Between Pavers
Knowing what causes moss to grow is only half the battle. It’s time to prevent the problem from happening.
1. Increase Sunlight Exposure to Your Paver Area
Removing or trimming nearby trees or structures that block the sun can be an easy solution to increase sunlight exposure. This may help the paver area dry out faster and inhibit the growth of moss.
2. Improve Drainage
If your pavers are not draining properly, you may need to repair the installation. A drainage system may be required to handle excess water and divert it away from the paver area.
3. Install a Joint Sand Stabilizer
A joint sand stabilizer can bind the sand particles between pavers, reducing the ability of mosses to grow and penetrate the joints. Stabilizers can make your paver area look more uniform and prevent weed growth, which can also push out mosses.
4. Apply moss-Removing products
Potassium-based liquids or a household bleach diluted with water applied between your pavers can eliminate moss. Both substances may be used safely on pavers’ surfaces without damaging them. To avoid re-growth, you should stay away from using high-pressure washers that can add moisture to the pavers’ surfaces.
5. Practice Regular Paver Maintenance
Regular pressure cleaning, sanding and sweeping the paver area is an essential part of the maintenance required to prevent Moss from growing between the joints of pavers.
Conclusion
Moss growth between pavers can make the outdoor space less appealing. Fortunately, ways of preventing moss growth between paver joints are affordable and easy to implement with most requiring minimal preparation and working with a few simple products and techniques. A little attention to paver maintenance, better drainage, and reducing shaded conditions will discourage moss growth and keep your pavers firm, safe, and clean for a long time.
FAQs about What Keeps Moss from Growing Between Pavers
Q1: Is it bad to have moss growing between pavers?
Not necessarily. Moss can be an attractive addition to some garden design themes. Mosses do not damage pavers, but it can become a safety hazard when wet and make the area slippery, making it unsafe for walking.
Q2: Can vinegar kill moss on pavers?
Vinegar can kill moss on pavers, but it is not suitable for use on some paver surfaces. Vinegar is also not long-lasting and may require repeated cleaning.
Q3: Can moss grow through concrete pavers?
Moss grows along the top surface of pavers, but it does not grow through pavers made of solid materials such as concrete or clay. However, moss can penetrate the space between pavers and grow if there is sufficient loose sand or soil to support it.
