"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 6/4/07 10:58, in article
,
"Muddymike" wrote:

I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac
drive
is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of the
surface
stone.

So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Isn't there some stuff called Pathclear that you water on, which kills
moss
and algae? I imagine a weak bleach solution would do it but you don't
want
it near your plants or ponds when you hose it off.

you will have various types of spray on products that kill the moss and
algae. Some have active bleaches, others rely on natural enzymes. Some are
sprayed on and then hosed off, other rely on weathering to do the job over
time. I prefer the enzyme products and natural weathering to do the work. A
spring or autumns dose of rain does most of the work for you.

rob

I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac drive
is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of the surface
stone.

So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Mike

On 6/4/07 10:58, in article ,
"Muddymike" wrote:

I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac drive
is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of the surface
stone.

So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Isn't there some stuff called Pathclear that you water on, which kills moss
and algae? I imagine a weak bleach solution would do it but you don't want
it near your plants or ponds when you hose it off.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

In article ,
Sacha writes:
| On 6/4/07 10:58, in article ,
| "Muddymike" wrote:
|
| I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
| paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
| remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac drive
| is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of the surface
| stone.
|
| So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Generally, I don't. The sun does it for me. Algae will grow only
where the sun doesn't reach. In places where the sun doesn't shine,
I use a stiff broom and sharp sand[*].

| Isn't there some stuff called Pathclear that you water on, which kills moss
| and algae? I imagine a weak bleach solution would do it but you don't want
| it near your plants or ponds when you hose it off.

Yes, but you DON'T want Pathclear to run onto plants and ponds. Weak
bleach may kill algae, but won't affect most plants (probably not even
mosses) - we use it to sterilise sprouted seeds, after all.
[*] cue (Frankie Howerd): Ooh, err!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Nick Maclaren writes

In article ,
Sacha writes:
| On 6/4/07 10:58, in article ,
| "Muddymike" wrote:
|
| I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
| paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
| remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac drive
| is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of
| surface
| stone.
|
| So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Generally, I don't. The sun does it for me. Algae will grow only
where the sun doesn't reach. In places where the sun doesn't shine,
I use a stiff broom and sharp sand[*].

| Isn't there some stuff called Pathclear that you water on, which kills moss
| and algae? I imagine a weak bleach solution would do it but you don't want
| it near your plants or ponds when you hose it off.

Yes, but you DON'T want Pathclear to run onto plants and ponds.

As Nick says. Pathclear is a herbicide, very good for killing weeds on
gravel paths. It wouldn't be a good idea hose it off a tarmac path onto
a garden.

--
Kay

On 6/4/07 11:48, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:


In article ,
Sacha writes:
| On 6/4/07 10:58, in article
,
| "Muddymike" wrote:
|
| I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
| paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
| remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac
drive
| is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of the
surface
| stone.
|
| So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Generally, I don't. The sun does it for me. Algae will grow only
where the sun doesn't reach. In places where the sun doesn't shine,
I use a stiff broom and sharp sand[*].

| Isn't there some stuff called Pathclear that you water on, which kills moss
| and algae? I imagine a weak bleach solution would do it but you don't want
| it near your plants or ponds when you hose it off.

Yes, but you DON'T want Pathclear to run onto plants and ponds. Weak
bleach may kill algae, but won't affect most plants (probably not even
mosses) - we use it to sterilise sprouted seeds, after all.

Thanks, Nick. That should help the OP sort it out. We have to clean off
some of the slabs here because in wet weather they become v. slippery. I
can't remember what Ray uses but will find out later

[*] cue (Frankie Howerd): Ooh, err!

My reaction exactly!!


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

On Apr 6, 10:58 am, "Muddymike" wrote:
I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac drive
is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of the surface
stone.

So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Mike

Hi Mike as we are neighbours I have the same problem here! I just use
a very weak solution of bleach in a watering can, say 1 egg-cup of
bleach to 1 gallon, it works. The North side of our house gets very
bad moss and algae on the steps leading down from the sitting room,
without bleach, I wouldn't be able to even use the steps.

On Apr 6, 12:45 pm, K wrote:
Nick Maclaren writes







In article ,
Sacha writes:
| On 6/4/07 10:58, in article ,
| "Muddymike" wrote:
|
| I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
| paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
| remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac drive
| is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of
| surface
| stone.
|
| So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Generally, I don't. The sun does it for me. Algae will grow only
where the sun doesn't reach. In places where the sun doesn't shine,
I use a stiff broom and sharp sand[*].

| Isn't there some stuff called Pathclear that you water on, which kills moss
| and algae? I imagine a weak bleach solution would do it but you don't want
| it near your plants or ponds when you hose it off.

Yes, but you DON'T want Pathclear to run onto plants and ponds.

As Nick says. Pathclear is a herbicide, very good for killing weeds on
gravel paths. It wouldn't be a good idea hose it off a tarmac path onto
a garden.

--
Kay- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

No, it certainly wouldn't Kay! On the Eastern wall of my house, A
couple of years ago I had a clematis growing up it and I made a stupid
mistake of using weed killer on the path. It died, how long would I
have to wait to replant in the same place?

Judith

On 6 Apr, 12:49, Sacha wrote:
On 6/4/07 11:48, in article , "Nick



Maclaren" wrote:

In article ,
Sacha writes:
| On 6/4/07 10:58, in article
,
| "Muddymike" wrote:
|
| I am busy spring cleaning in the garden, presently pressure washing the
| paving. There must be an easier way of doing this, it takes me hours to
| remove the winter grime and algae from our 100s of slabs. The tarmac
drive
| is another question, pressure washing seems to dislodge a lot of the
surface
| stone.
|
| So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

Generally, I don't. The sun does it for me. Algae will grow only
where the sun doesn't reach. In places where the sun doesn't shine,
I use a stiff broom and sharp sand[*].

| Isn't there some stuff called Pathclear that you water on, which kills moss
| and algae? I imagine a weak bleach solution would do it but you don't want
| it near your plants or ponds when you hose it off.

Yes, but you DON'T want Pathclear to run onto plants and ponds. Weak
bleach may kill algae, but won't affect most plants (probably not even
mosses) - we use it to sterilise sprouted seeds, after all.

Thanks, Nick. That should help the OP sort it out. We have to clean off
some of the slabs here because in wet weather they become v. slippery. I
can't remember what Ray uses but will find out later



[*] cue (Frankie Howerd): Ooh, err!

My reaction exactly!!

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devonhttp://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)


In my younger day we used to use formaldehyde for cleaning off
concrete with algae, but I forget the strength, we also used to put it
through the spray lines for cleaning up the greenhouses.
Not nice stuff in an enclosed space.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries.

So how do you remove moss and algae from paths and drives?

I have just pressured washed our patio and paths. There are two ways of
treating the algea.

as mentioned, dilute bleach works, but for next winter I am getting the real
stuff.

http://www.malcleanse.co.uk/

I will let you know next spring.........

JT

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
Thanks, Nick. That should help the OP sort it out. We have to clean off
some of the slabs here because in wet weather they become v. slippery.

That's exactly why I am keen to clean up now, we have a holiday apartment
adjoining the house which we let and the path to that becomes VERY slippery
when wet if I don't clean up the algae.

Mike
www.farend.org.uk

By the way, I have used bleach in the past and yes it does work but it needs
to be left on for some time to do any good. My problem here is that we have
two dogs and I can't keep them off the treated areas and don't want them
walking in it.

Mike
www.farend.org.uk

On Apr 6, 6:07 pm, "Muddymike" wrote:
By the way, I have used bleach in the past and yes it does work but it needs
to be left on for some time to do any good. My problem here is that we have
two dogs and I can't keep them off the treated areas and don't want them
walking in it.

Mikewww.farend.org.uk

Oh I see, Iit follows you can't use bleach. It must pose a problem for
you because whatever you use has to be hosed off in case it gets onto
their pads.

Judith

On 6/4/07 18:07, in article ,
"Muddymike" wrote:


By the way, I have used bleach in the past and yes it does work but it needs
to be left on for some time to do any good. My problem here is that we have
two dogs and I can't keep them off the treated areas and don't want them
walking in it.

Hmmmmm, bit of a problem because anything you use has to have time to work,
I suppose? I mean, you wouldn't apply anything if you knew there was going
to be a heavy downpour, would you? Which means the power washer..... ;-(
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

On 6/4/07 18:44, in article ,
"Sacha" wrote:

On 6/4/07 18:07, in article ,
"Muddymike" wrote:


By the way, I have used bleach in the past and yes it does work but it needs
to be left on for some time to do any good. My problem here is that we have
two dogs and I can't keep them off the treated areas and don't want them
walking in it.

Hmmmmm, bit of a problem because anything you use has to have time to work,
I suppose? I mean, you wouldn't apply anything if you knew there was going
to be a heavy downpour, would you? Which means the power washer..... ;-(

Hang on. What about vinegar? Try it - I'm almost sure it can be used as a
herbicide.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)