Hi,

My name is Sara and I live in London. Im new to this forum and new to gardening, ive just got a place with a garden, which is mostly decking - it is covered with nasty green stuff (I think its algae) which is very tenacious and resists my attemps to kill it off. Ive tried a scrubbing brush (very labour intensive, took my half a day and sore knees!)and decking cleaner (only removed a little bit). I think I might need some sort of high power water jet but I dont know if that will destroy the decking. Please help!

By the way, there are some strange postings on here, I expected it to be all about keeping caterpillers off your cauliflowers and there seems to be a strange thread about the battle of the classes/sexes/post-menopausal stalkers which I was fascinated to read! Sara xx

"saralove999" wrote in message
...

Hi,

My name is Sara and I live in London. Im new to this forum and new to
gardening, ive just got a place with a garden, which is mostly decking
- it is covered with nasty green stuff (I think its algae) which is
very tenacious and resists my attemps to kill it off. Ive tried a
scrubbing brush (very labour intensive, took my half a day and sore
knees!)and decking cleaner (only removed a little bit). I think I
might need some sort of high power water jet but I dont know if that
will destroy the decking. Please help!

Powerwasher or elbow grease :~)
A washer will be OK unless the wood is rotten
Only scrub after prolong rainfall. This softens the algae

By the way, there are some strange postings on here, I expected it to
be all about keeping caterpillers off your cauliflowers and there seems
to be a strange thread about the battle of the
classes/sexes/post-menopausal stalkers which I was fascinated to read!
Sara xx

This flares up from time to time. Take no notice, it will blow over :~)
Jenny

In article ,
JennyC wrote:
"saralove999" wrote in message
...

My name is Sara and I live in London. Im new to this forum and new to
gardening, ive just got a place with a garden, which is mostly decking
- it is covered with nasty green stuff (I think its algae) which is
very tenacious and resists my attemps to kill it off. Ive tried a
scrubbing brush (very labour intensive, took my half a day and sore
knees!)and decking cleaner (only removed a little bit). I think I
might need some sort of high power water jet but I dont know if that
will destroy the decking. Please help!

Powerwasher or elbow grease :~)
A washer will be OK unless the wood is rotten
Only scrub after prolong rainfall. This softens the algae

Alternatively, soak the decking a couple of times a few hours apart
before starting. I don't go in for decking, but paving algae is best
removed with a bit of washing-up liquid in the water and a handful
of sharp sand under a stiff brush.

By the way, there are some strange postings on here, I expected it to
be all about keeping caterpillers off your cauliflowers and there seems
to be a strange thread about the battle of the
classes/sexes/post-menopausal stalkers which I was fascinated to read!

This flares up from time to time. Take no notice, it will blow over :~)

Yes, indeed. You will also see an interesting range of comments
on all sorts of topic, more of which are reliable than appear at
first sight. Ah. London. That's the place that I said would be
much improved by a few woolly mammoths and the odd rhinocerous.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In message , saralove999
writes

Hi,

My name is Sara and I live in London. Im new to this forum and new to
gardening, ive just got a place with a garden, which is mostly decking
- it is covered with nasty green stuff (I think its algae) which is
very tenacious and resists my attemps to kill it off. Ive tried a
scrubbing brush (very labour intensive, took my half a day and sore
knees!)and decking cleaner (only removed a little bit). I think I
might need some sort of high power water jet but I dont know if that
will destroy the decking. Please help!

You could hire a Karcher or similar power washer. Alternatively, you
can buy one in B & Q or similar. They are useful for all sorts of jobs
and will clean up your wood in very little time, provided it is not
rotten.
By the way, there are some strange postings on here, I expected it to
be all about keeping caterpillers off your cauliflowers and there seems
to be a strange thread about the battle of the
classes/sexes/post-menopausal stalkers which I was fascinated to read!
Sara xx


Don't take any notice of the post-menopausal stalkers. I wouldn't say
too much about them though, as they may just try getting you expelled

--
June Hughes

On 13/3/06 8:09, in article , "June
Hughes" wrote:

snip
Don't take any notice of the post-menopausal stalkers. I wouldn't say
too much about them though, as they may just try getting you expelled

I'm SO glad to see you following your own exhortations and making this a
better group, thanks to your winsome ways. BTW, you said you were older
than me, so just how post-menopausal are you? And what kind of a vulgar
besom are you that thinks insulting women on the grounds of their age or
physical condition, is clever?
--
Sacha

In message , Sacha
writes
On 13/3/06 8:09, in article , "June
Hughes" wrote:

snip
Don't take any notice of the post-menopausal stalkers. I wouldn't say
too much about them though, as they may just try getting you expelled

I'm SO glad to see you following your own exhortations and making this a
better group, thanks to your winsome ways. BTW, you said you were older
than me, so just how post-menopausal are you? And what kind of a vulgar
besom are you that thinks insulting women on the grounds of their age or
physical condition, is clever?
Here we go again. The new poster used that expression and I replied.
Get a grip, Sacha. You have tried libel in another thread. Do not
make yourself look any dafter than you have already.
--
June Hughes

saralove999 wrote:
(snip)
I think I
might need some sort of high power water jet but I dont know if that
will destroy the decking. Please help!

I use my power washer on everything (to which I get totally obsessed
with - once I start I won't stop even if my face is frekled with mud
and my neighbours start standing on their front steps, arms folded with
a frowing face on. It's such a rewarding activity ;o). I use it on my
wooden benches and tables, decking, flags, concrete, stone, granite
etc. and even go around my ivy on the walls. Depending on your position
(far or away) from the items you want to clean, I've found you can
pretty much be 'gentle' (and can even make pretty paterns if you're
creative).

My advice, wear goggles and wellies. You're going to get soaked (which
is also very much part of the fun). Don't use chemicals. There's no
need. You'll only damage your environment because the algea/moss will
return next winter anyway.

On 13/3/06 11:23, in article , "June
Hughes" wrote:

In message , Sacha
writes
On 13/3/06 8:09, in article , "June
Hughes" wrote:

snip
Don't take any notice of the post-menopausal stalkers. I wouldn't say
too much about them though, as they may just try getting you expelled

I'm SO glad to see you following your own exhortations and making this a
better group, thanks to your winsome ways. BTW, you said you were older
than me, so just how post-menopausal are you? And what kind of a vulgar
besom are you that thinks insulting women on the grounds of their age or
physical condition, is clever?
Here we go again. The new poster used that expression and I replied.
Get a grip, Sacha. You have tried libel in another thread. Do not
make yourself look any dafter than you have already.

No, the poster quoted you and your type which is rather different. And if
you're going to accuse me of libel, you better be prepared to put your money
where your mouth is.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)

Martin wrote:

How about all the water you waste? Cif removes algae.

Ho bum. Good point. Forgot about the water. Always do. Right. Elbow
grease then, a bucket, a good brush and hoping Sara's decking's not too
grand.

But not Cif. You perhaps would. I won't and never will. Methyl, propyl,
triclosan, diethyl phthalate , ethyl and butyl esters of
para-hydroxybenzoic acid not to mention 20 more chemicals in it is
frankly not a good idea. In my garden that is )

La Puce wrote:

saralove999 wrote:
(snip)
I think I

might need some sort of high power water jet but I dont know if that
will destroy the decking. Please help!

I use my power washer on everything (to which I get totally obsessed
with - once I start I won't stop even if my face is frekled with mud

My advice, wear goggles and wellies. You're going to get soaked (which
is also very much part of the fun). Don't use chemicals. There's no
need. You'll only damage your environment because the algea/moss will
return next winter anyway.

The non-ionic surfactant that is usually sold for pressure washing isn't
safe to drink, but it is relatively benign in the environment. Lots of
other common household products are much worse.

And using much larger volumes of pure drinking water with brute force is
probably at least as environmentally damaging as using a wetting agent.

If you can live with the smell for a while, spraying the decking with a
dilute solution of Jeyes fluid (or a real algicide) will work. Decking
is not a great choice in the UK since it rains too much. My N facing
paving always gets coated in green algae during the winter months.

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 13/3/06 12:20, in article , "Martin
Brown" wrote:

snip

And using much larger volumes of pure drinking water with brute force is
probably at least as environmentally damaging as using a wetting agent.

If you can live with the smell for a while, spraying the decking with a
dilute solution of Jeyes fluid (or a real algicide) will work. Decking
is not a great choice in the UK since it rains too much. My N facing
paving always gets coated in green algae during the winter months.

I haven't tried it myself but I think there's a danger that the grain of the
wood would get lifted by the power spray and if there's any caulking, that
could be damaged, too. I agree with you about decking in this country.
While it can look very attractive in the right place when it's new, it can
get that green and tired look all too quickly.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)

In message , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from June Hughes contains these words:

Snip excerpts from archives


Keep spreading that manure, June. It's the nearest you'll ever get to
being a gardener.

Janet


What a strange post Janet. Most of us are gardeners, including me. You
really don't know when to give up, do you?
--
June Hughes

"Sacha" wrote in message
id...
On 13/3/06 12:20, in article , "Martin
Brown" wrote:

snip

And using much larger volumes of pure drinking water with brute force is
probably at least as environmentally damaging as using a wetting agent.

If you can live with the smell for a while, spraying the decking with a
dilute solution of Jeyes fluid (or a real algicide) will work. Decking
is not a great choice in the UK since it rains too much. My N facing
paving always gets coated in green algae during the winter months.

I haven't tried it myself but I think there's a danger that the grain of the
wood would get lifted by the power spray

Ummmm .......doesn't the grain go all the way throught the planks ?
Jenny :~)

Thanks very much for all your helpful comments - I think I will go with the power washer, being a lazy sort it sounds the most effortless way of removing the green gunge and I like to try to be conscious of the environment so dont fancy bunging loads of noxious chemicals on it. Sara x

saralove999 wrote:
Thanks very much for all your helpful comments - I think I will go with
the power washer, being a lazy sort it sounds the most effortless way of
removing the green gunge and I like to try to be conscious of the
environment so dont fancy bunging loads of noxious chemicals on it.

HOORAY!! Sold another power washer rub hands

Actually, I don't sell them ) But you'll have a lot of fun with it
and wear sensible shoes or it'll remove your nail polish ... !