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May 12, 2009
Removing Moss from Brick Patio
Hi!
We have a brick patio in the backyard that has a layer of moss growing over the bricks. The bricks were put in with only sand and not with mortar to keep them in place(go figure).
How can we remove the moss ourselves? take a strong brush, rent a powerwasher, throw a bucket of vinegar water solution down?
Any tips?
Comments
Just curious: why do you want to get rid of the moss? I think mossy old bricks are so beautiful. They do get slippery though.
Posted by: StuyMom at May 12, 2009 12:25 PM
Stuymom
that's the problem - it's too slippery
I like the look too - but it gets soo slick when it rains
Posted by: gemini10 at May 12, 2009 12:46 PM
i don't know how you'd remove the moss. but placing bricks in sand is actually the approach recommended by most landscapers i've talked to. it allows the bricks some flexibility, so they don't heave and break when it gets really cold out, and it allows for superior drainage. i guess the downside is the plant growth.
Posted by: i disagree at May 12, 2009 12:51 PM
Thanks i disagree
I was totally stumped by the use of sand and annoyed by the plant growth - but that makes sense now
Posted by: gemini10 at May 12, 2009 12:53 PM
A strong solution of bleach should do it. Just be sure to hose down any nearby plants, lawn, etc. before you start slopping it around.
Posted by: Arkady at May 12, 2009 1:20 PM
TSP (or similar cleaner) + bleach is the standard for cleaning exterior surfaces. If you want something stronger you can try muriatic acid (watered down hydrochloric acid). This can actually damage the brick. And if you go the acid route always add acid to water never the other way around or it can explode.
Power-washers can also damage brick if you are not careful. I would try the TSP +bleach and a stiff hand brush first. If it is too tough look into getting a power washer.
Posted by: Karka at May 12, 2009 1:24 PM
Start by soaking the moss with boiling water, followed by vigorous scrubbing and sweeping all remnants. If boiling water doesn't work, you can also try heavily dusting the moss with baking soda. There are escalating forms of treatment, most of which involve purchase of potent chemicals at large garden centers. These chemicals will affect the rest of your plantlife too. Your garden and TSP are not compatible. Ultimately, your issue is not the sand, but the apparent lack of light and constant moisture in the area where your moss is growing. As noted above, it's usual to "lock" bricks and pavers in place, and preserve drainage, by sweeping sand between them. You might need to enhance drainage by pulling the bricks up and laying a deeper bed of gravel underneath.
Posted by: vinca at May 12, 2009 1:55 PM
Vinca -thank you so much! We have a typical shady garden with spotty sunlight
great ideas all - thanks again
will try the least chemical approach and try some boiling water and elbow grease
Posted by: gemini10 at May 12, 2009 2:27 PM
Gemini--I've also had luck with a very weak bleach solution--like 1/4 cup in a gallon of water.
Posted by: tinarina at May 12, 2009 3:33 PM
Gemini: Arkady and Tinarina are right. Bleach is effective, too, and would be my next step after boiling water and baking soda. You just have to remember that ALL of these (even the more benign, baking soda and bleach included) will run off into the surrounding beds or groundwater, and have some effect on soil ph and existing plantings. BTW, if your garden is generally damp and you like the mossy look, you can scrape some moss off before eradication treatment, create a slurry by mashing with water, and paint the slurry onto a terracotta pot. With the right conditions (enough shade, moisture, etc.), you will have created a living moss "patina."
Posted by: vinca at May 12, 2009 4:23 PM
Someone told me to mix the slurry w/ yogurt to help it grow.
Posted by: Arkady at May 12, 2009 4:27 PM
oh what's "slurry"
Posted by: gemini10 at May 12, 2009 4:33 PM
Yes, I have heard that you can take established moss, throw it in the blender with buttermilk or yogurt -- I guess the live culture is important -- and then pour it where you want moss to grow (general conditions permitting). I want to do something like this on a shaded, west facing brick wall that has some moss but just isn't growing fast enough for my taste.
Posted by: altervoce at May 12, 2009 5:19 PM
Slurry...essentially a moss smoothie (though not for consumption).
If you don't want to put it in your blender, you can probably mash with a mortar and pestle. Here's one URL w/ some more info and links:
http://www.porch-and-patio-ideas.com/tips/decorating-with-moss.html
Posted by: vinca at May 12, 2009 5:25 PM
Bleach seems inelegant to me. Why put something very toxic on the ground when the only thing that's growing is moss, and when you like it but don't like how intense (and therefore slippery) the growth is?
Moss needs an acid environment, that's why the yogurt works. A solution of baking soda and water will chemically "prune" your moss without the side effects that come when you pour bleach all over the ground.
Posted by: vanburenproud at May 12, 2009 7:04 PM
Oh, and of course, vinegar will do the opposite, it will feed the moss as surely as yogurt does. Or urine.
Posted by: vanburenproud at May 12, 2009 7:10 PM
I have a small powerwasher you can rent for $50, that will blow it off in an hour, and won't damage bricks as mentioned above.
Posted by: hc at May 13, 2009 12:52 PM
Although I'm a usually a big supporter of power-washers, this is a situation where the washer would blow-out the sand between the bricks, creating a mess and something else to fix. The bleach solution works quite well and isn't as harmful to your garden as you would think, but try to keep it just in the area you want to de-moss. Use a stiff push-broom first to remove larger moss growths, bleach the area, wait about 30 minutes and then re-brush to remove moss remnants. Rinse the area after. Doing this once a year should keep the moss to a minimum.
Posted by: brikenny at May 14, 2009 4:11 PM
!1 Use sawdust and a stiff broom.
2 sweep briskly to pull out excess.
3 sweep in the baking soda.
then power wash,
keep sawdust to absorb the moisture. repeat baking soda as needed on a weekly basis good luck Keep it dry! the only thing that kills moss is lack of moisture
Posted by: meme at May 22, 2009 12:53 AM
I don't live in Brooklyn but I do know moss as I live in Oregon. The sand has nothing to do with letting the moss grow. Moss doesn't grow in sand. I have a large agragate (not sure of the spelling here) concrete patio and the moss is about a half inch thick in places. It's not the slimey kind of moss but the stuff that grows in the forest.I remove it but then I forget about it and it comes back.
Posted by: DianaForester at May 24, 2009 10:29 AM
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