thick moss on sidewalk & porch apron ?

These 2 ?'s are related to moisture, directly and indirectly. And that is something we PNW's are authorities on.
1.I am helping friends fix their yard up after years of doing the minimun. Their house was built in late 1890's in Vancouver, WA. I was power washing the sidewalk around their yard including the city sidewalk. The built up moss was very thick in some places. What can I do to help w/ this project? a diluted bleach solution? There are at least 2 more hours of power washing to clean them all up so they can start new.
2.They have a new front porch apron (all wood) installed and is an exact replica of the original one (from old photos). the problem is keeping the water or wet soil from damaging the wood. I was thinking let the garden bed (about 4 ft deep) go back to within 4-6 inches of the wooden apron and then some sort of barrier and then either rocks or brick or ??I know this is not a unique problem wood and moisture. help!

Hi anastatia ... long time no talk ;-)

Funny but here in my garden I try to promote mosses ..... loll

Only thing I can suggest is change the climate it the problem area.

Without a lot of shade or moisture most mosses will not grow.

Good Luck

scooterbug, of the famous mango/black bean salsa and other recipes on which I have ridden my way to a new found social strata, the obvious always escapes me. duh!

Okay, tell me about the mango/black bean salsa and I will share my strawberry salsa recipe with you! As an extra bonus, I'll also tell you a fabulous thing to do with plain black bean salsa.

Gwen, who also promotes moss growth but NOT on the wood deck or porch!

This is Mz Scooterbugs wonderful black bean/mango salsa to serve w/ anything or nothing. I have used this alot of times and always a hit. My favorite part is telling them it came from my friend, scoooterbug who lives in WI.

1 can drained black beans
2 good sized Mangos, 1/2 in. dice
1 medium Jalapeno...diced finely
1 lime, juiced,or more to taste
2 Tablespoons honey.
Combine all,adjust lime ,honey & salt to taste.
This will keep tightly covered for a day or 2.

OK, gwen, the ball is your court now!
Manja, >^,,^< SB

NOtenotenotenote=== "STORE IN DA ICEBOX"



This message was edited Jul 17, 2006 12:12 AM

This message was edited Jul 17, 2006 3:38 PM

Strawberry Salsa

2-1/2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries
1 cup chopped green peppers
2 T chopped green onions
2 T minced fresh parsley (cilantro is nice too)
13 cup Catalina dressing (from a store-bought bottle)
1 dash hot sauce
salt and pepper

Mix the above, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

This is even more outstanding with the addition of baby shrimp. And if you have a fancy-schmancy affair to serve it at, serve it with endive instead of tortilla.



Corn Black Bean Salsa

Spread some cream cheese in the bottom of a shallow casserole or on a plate or some kind of serving dish.

Spread store-bought (or homemade) corn black bean salsa over the cream cheese.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Heat in an oven (or a microwave) til heated thru and the cheese is melting.

Serve with dipping size Frito corn chips.

Gwen

OMG My mouth is watering! Thanks for sharing the recepies! I really liked the various options in the strawberry salsa recipe. Let's see, does sitting in front of the TV alone gobbling strawberry salsa constitute a fancy schmancy endive kind of evening or is that more of a tortilla soire?:)
This message was edited Jul 18, 2006 5:18 AM

This message was edited Jul 18, 2006 5:20 AM

Well Herpst, it depends on what you are wearing and watching. If you are in a sequin attire watching An Affair to Remember then endive but if you are in your sweats watching Dumb and Dumber then tortillas.

Thanks for the tip anastatia! I'd hate to make a faux pas and be kicked out of Ms Manners school of etiquette. I don't do sequins much in the summer as they tend to clash with my garden-dirt brown, scratched up hands and lately, I've been playing with concrete and paint as well & I'm not the tidiest crafter on the planet. Let's just say it's not pretty. Now, let's see...What wine goes with strawberries, tortilla chips, and sweats? (O.K. BESIDES ripple)

MadDog is always appropriate!

You are a goddess!

anastatia, I stumbled on this when I was shopping at Costco, there were some landscapers putting boxes of baking soda 12 pound box(cheap) on their cart. I asked them what they used it for. they said they used it on moss. I've been using it ever since on my walkways or where I don't want the moss to grow. in the spring I use it on my lawn about 50/50 with water in a sprinkling can, sprayer will clog. I don't get as much build up as I did when using the chemical for moss ( the moss was always increasing from year to year. now I don't use as much from year to year. lol hostajim1

B.Soda for moss? cheap and easy. 12# boxes? I will look. is this preventive and help w/ removing?

Baking soda for moss? What a great tip! I wonder if it's safe for roof tiles ....

I've heard patches of copper can prevent moss on roof tops, but i've yet to fully explore that notion. It's on my "things to do" list. :)

Herpst,

Umm ... I think your supposed to drink champagne with strawberries.

MzWeazelle,

You are correct! But champagne seems to go more with the whole sequins, endive, and An Affair to Remember sort of evening.

galvanized metal on the roof will also retard moss growth.

BALV,
Would that be ZINC?? I have heard about zinc strips. Also, I have used any laundry soap WITH bleach. I dont think its clorine bleach, so it does not hurt plants. Well, it has not hurt MY plants.

I forgot about laundry soap(powder)w/ bleach. Tide is what was recommended.

I use ACDC music cause I heard that any heavy metal would retard moss. LOL

Herpst, with this hot weather is your sequin outfit making you uncomfortable?

Soferdig,
Brassy comments like that have LEAD us to wonder: Vhat vas he zinking? I'm sure someone will get it ironed out.

Anastatia,

Just a little heavy and itchy. (no, wait - that's me) I was moving a 240 lb. concrete sphere which I had just finished with a cool verdigris process. It was difficult with the sequins. When I got out the hammer drill to drill a hole in the thing to allow water to be pumped into it, the sequins reflected the sun's light and almost made me fall into the pond. Later, when dividing the Japanese Iris (way too overcrowded & didn't bloom this year- I've lots of plants to give away) I got dirt all over my outfit. Sequins and gardening present quite a challenge but one must suffer to be correct, mustn't one. What's happening in your garden?

I never wear sequins because the bees and humming birds won't leave me alone. I prefer chiffon.

Pasties when it is this hot. Oh, for a pix of you gals in your chiffon and sequins in the garden weeding and dividing and deadheading .

I see you are a sexist too Anastatia cause I'm a guy and the chiffon is fun for us too. LOL

How could anyone think that Soferdig (he of the prodigious bear scaring apparatus) was anything but male? I also am male but don't mind being called a gal or anything else except late for strawberry salsa:)

Ms. Anastatia,

Do you go to Cistus Nursery on Sauve Island? Mapquest tells me that it's 2 hours and 39 minutes from my front door. I've heard glowing things about the place. Are there other not-to-be-missed Nurseries in the area? I've a friend (no really, it's true) who has moved to Portland & keeps asking me to come & visit. I'd hate to miss an horticultural opportunity whilst there.

Oh my gosh! You 2 guys will look like Liberace gardening! Funny. Ane the candelabra?

Cistus Nursery? no, not familiar, yet. there is a fragrant one and another one I visited and Lenjo, from Mt Angel, Oregon knows what I am talking about. let me ring her bell and get back to you. These nurseriers are south of Portland by maybe 30-40 min on the back roads which is the way to travel looking for nurseries. What have you heard about Cistus. It is just a jump over the bridge into Oregon for me; or a long cool swim. I will get back to you asap.

Hi Anastatia,

Liberace here. Gosh, this heat is making my feather boa stick to my neck...eew.
I've heard that Cistus specializes in zonal denial plants, that the owner is a plant explorer and that one can find things there that are unavailable elsewhere. Their website www.cistus.com looks pretty interesting.

'zonal denial plants'? plants w/ issues, uh?
this is the place for the fragrant nursery that I just love. It is 1/2 way between Portland and Salem. http://www.fragrantnursery.com/ And the Heirloom Rose Nursery not too far from there is having a 1/2 off sale starting 1st week of Aug. That Fri, the 4th I may meet Joann from Mt Angel there.