Gardening tips: How to remove moss on drives and patios

Moss covering a wall or tree can make a garden look charming and even like beautiful scenery from a fairytale, but it can also be a hazard if growing on the ground.

Winter officially begins in late December, but many people are already feeling the effects of the cold weather and are having to watch out for frost on their pathways to make sure they do not slip while stepping outside in the morning.

However, one major falling hazard gardeners may be aware of is green spongy moss, which thrives in damp weather, and can grow on any surface but can be a slipping concern if it grows in the cracks of patio slabs, pathways, concrete or any other floor stonework in the garden. 

Luckily, it is very easy to remove furry and slick moss from around the home without using any harsh chemicals, by instead using baking soda. 

Dr. Elizabeth Yuko, an expert in discovering convenient hacks for everyday life, has said baking soda is one of the best ways to get rid of moss. In a post online, Elizabeth wrote: “While there are multiple methods for killing moss, baking soda stands out for being cheap, effective, easy to apply, and most of all, because it’s less harmful for wildlife, and nearby plants, flowers, and trees.”

How does it work

Moss does not need soil or roots to survive and instead uses capillary spaces to absorb water, which is why it can grow in unexpected places around the garden.

Baking soda will raise the pH level around moss making it a more difficult environment to grow it and will quickly dry it out, which will kill the moss off very quickly.

In order to remove moss from around your pathways, you will need: 

• Baking Soda
• Water
• Garden hose with a nozzle attachment
• Large container (optional)
• Spray bottle

• Support fearless journalism
• Read The Daily Express online, advert free
• Get super-fast page loading

Don’t miss…
Gardeners share ‘miracle worker’ for cleaning patios and paths[REVEAL ]
Gardeners will be ‘amazed’ by ‘cheap’ household item that ‘kills moss’ on patios[INSIGHT ]
‘Magic’ item to remove ‘stubborn black spots’ from patios – ‘kills weeds’ too[LATEST]

How to kill moss using baking soda 

To begin, you will need to give the moss a thorough soaking using your garden hose. Fully drench your pathway and make sure the moss is completely covered in water. This is to make sure the baking soda can get into every nook and cranny to completely remove the moss.

Next, you will need to make your simple baking soda solution. According to Dr Elizabeth, pour half a pound (one cup) of baking soda into a large container that can hold at least one gallon of water. Then pour in your water and give it a good shake.

However, if you wish to make a smaller version of this solution, then simply combine two tablespoons of baking soda with one cup of water.

Then spray the solution on all your moss-covered surfaces; you may have to do this several times to get rid of large patches of moss.

It is important to be careful and only use this solution on stonework such as pathways, as baking soda can damage plants or flowers in the garden.

Keep spraying the solution regularly on moss, and with patience, you will completely get rid of moss from your garden. Dr Elizabeth wrote: “If the moss is still there, spray the areas again, then check them in a few weeks. Keep cycling through the process until the moss is dead — which could take two or three months.”

Get all the latest news, entertainment, sport and lifestyle updates from our dedicated American team.

Follow Daily Express US on Facebook and Twitter @ExpressUSNews

Source: Read Full Article