TACKLE MOSS THE NATURAL WAY

A simple kitchen ingredient can prevent garden slip-ups.

Alittle moisture and a lack of sunlight can be a breeding ground for moss – and we all have those dark corners lurking somewhere in our gardens. Waltzing around the garden, the last thing anyone wants to do is take a slide and fall on the concrete path. Slippery concrete and tiles are hazardous things. the longer you leave them, the greener and more slippery those surfaces get. It takes work, however, to bring them right.

Cleaning mossy concrete is the sort of job I always tell myself I’ll get to before winter. Friends tell me to just ‘spray and walk away’ using highly concentrated herbicides, but I don’t like the idea of using potentially harmful chemicals around my house and garden. Borrowing a friend’s waterblaster is another option. however, by the time I’ve lugged it all the way home, out the back of the garden, then messed around with an extension cord, I’ve had enough. So the moss continues to grow, only making it far more difficult to remove.

One morning, after taking a slide on my greentinged terracotta tiles, I jumped online and did a little research. As it turns out, we don’t have to fork out megabucks for a new waterblaster, or splash nasty chemicals around our yard, having no idea what effect they will have on our surroundings. We have a very simple ingredient in our kitchen cupboards that can do the job and give the tiles a good shine at the same time. It’s non-toxic and it won’t harm you or your tiles – enter vinegar.

Now, vinegar isn’t the be-all and end-all, but it’s a natural option for those of us who want to give it a try. household vinegar contains approximately five per cent acetic acid. Acetic acid at this concentration can kill moss, as long as the moss is young and not too established. Vinegar is a contact herbicide. It dissolves the plant‘s cell membranes, which results in the part of the plant that has been sprayed dying. We can’t expect to be able to use vinegar as our new all-round weedkiller – but for some mossy areas, it will work well.

There are a few different approaches to managing mossy concrete or tiles. If you have a large area – and no precious plants nearby – you can pour on the vinegar mix and leave it to soak before scrubbing it off. For smaller areas with plants in the vicinity, it’s better to use a spray bottle for a more precise application.

Vinegar can be watered down to a 50:50 ratio with water, which may be more desirable when addressing a large space. Try out different ratios and see what suit your needs. Several applications may be needed.

the following recipes and relevant instructions can also be used to fend off young lichen.