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Moss And Ant Mounds
Readers Question
Amy’s lawn took several years to fill in. That is what happens when moss arrives on its own or from a milkshake. Laid sheets read as finished ground the day they go down, which is the difference between waiting and having. Either way the answer to pests is the same: no chemicals, because moss has no defense against them.
Dear Moss And Stone Gardens,
Ant hills are taking over my moss lawn…is there a safe way to remedy this problem? It seems to be breaking up the moss and leaving spotty areas of sand. It has taken several years to fill and I hate to see it destroyed with ant hills.
So glad to find your website!
Amy
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Dear Amy,
Congratulations on your moss lawn success! Your ant mound problem may be easy to remedy depending on the scale of the ant population and their activity in the area.
In my experience, ants will usually move their mounds out of an area where they are disturbed regularly. If you frequently water down the mounds, the ants will likely relocate to an area with less disturbance. If this doesn’t suit your needs or you wish to eliminate ants from an area without damaging your moss or using harsh chemical control, I suggest using diatomaceous earth. An ant mound is used as an entry or exit path from the colony below the surface. Sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the mound and into the opening will aggravate the ants and deter them from that area without harming the moss.
I have heard of cinnamon or cloves also having an aggravating effect, so that may also be worth a try. Good luck and let me know how you fare.
– Moss And Stone Gardens
Laid sheets read as finished ground the day they go down, unlike moss that arrives on its own.
Pending review by Olivia Milner, practitioner-scientist with a background in sustainability and education.