A couple of questions....

HeidiHeidi

1. Anyone know any way to get rid of wild garlic? I accepted a bunch of it from my father a couple of years ago (he told me it was wild, it'd definitely garlic of some sort), stuck it in a small bed that I have, and the flippin' stuff is taking over! I pull it all up about three times a year, but it's spreading and keeps coming back bigger and better. I've just pulled it all again, but I can feel that I'm only pulling the bulbs out, not the roots - but I can't seem to dig deep enough to get below the roots. I'd like to plant lettuces or something in the bed, but this stuff is taking over completely. Any advice gratefully received.

2. Can anyone recommend something to help dissolve the green slime that has built up on my sandstone paving stones? I've tried a pressure washer, but it only sort of cleans them - I think something stronger (and possible chemical?) might be necessary. The water won't run off into soil, just into the drain - and I know that's not great either if I'm going the chemical route, I'd much prefer something eco-friendly if it'll work.

Thanks in advance!

ETA - 3rd question in post no. 7!

zombiepaw

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

1.
2. Can anyone recommend something to help dissolve the green slime that has built up on my sandstone paving stones? I've tried a pressure washer, but it only sort of cleans them - I think something stronger (and possible chemical?) might be necessary. The water won't run off into soil, just into the drain - and I know that's not great either if I'm going the chemical route, I'd much prefer something eco-friendly if it'll work.

Thanks in advance!

Have you tried a vinegar / warm water mix, vinegar is great stuff for cutting through anything oily or slimy

rje66

2. Can anyone recommend something to help dissolve the green slime that has built up on my sandstone paving stones? I've tried a pressure washer, but it only sort of cleans them - I think something stronger (and possible chemical?) might be necessary. The water won't run off into soil, just into the drain - and I know that's not great either if I'm going the chemical route, I'd much prefer something eco-friendly if it'll work.

Thanks in advance![/Quote]
Red label sodium hypochloride. It works for me . Treat my paving once a year and looks like new. Where are you based?

HeidiHeidi

Thanks guys!

What in the name of God is Red label sodium hypochloride???

I'm in Dublin 8.....

Anyone any ideas on the wild garlic problem?

rje66

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Thanks guys!

What in the name of God is Red label sodium hypochloride???

I'm in Dublin 8.....

Anyone any ideas on the wild garlic problem?

Its a type of chlorine used in pools etc. You can get 25L drums of in from whites agri. Its between swords and balbriggan. Just apply with sprayer or water can leave for half hour then wash off with power washer. Hey presto. Clean paving. ALSO you must seal paving to help prevent it getting too dirty.

magicbastarder

if it's coming back after powerhosing, it'll come back after chemical treatment too, i would suspect.

HeidiHeidi

Sounds a bit excessive for my teeny tiny patch of paving! It's only normal build-up of dirt/green stuff that comes from too much rain not drying quickly (I think). If I could find something to just soften it a bit, the power washer should do the rest. Well that's my hope anyway. I'll keep looking.

And a third question - if anyone is still reading this.

3. I had sacks of green waste yesterday after my blitz. I'm sure I remember bringing that stuff before to somewhere near the Foxhunter out Lucan way - you could drop bags of garden waste and take away a bag of compost if you wanted. This was years ago. I googled it but no joy, and wound up paying a recycling centre to take it. Does anyone know the place I'm thinking of and if it or somewhere similar still exists?

Thanks again for the replies!

magicbastarder

also, i'd be surprised if the garlic is returning from just the roots if you're successfully getting the bulbs up. you could sell it, i'd love wild garlic!

Northumbria

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

1. Anyone know any way to get rid of wild garlic? I accepted a bunch of it from my father a couple of years ago (he told me it was wild, it'd definitely garlic of some sort), stuck it in a small bed that I have, and the flippin' stuff is taking over! I pull it all up about three times a year, but it's spreading and keeps coming back bigger and better. I've just pulled it all again, but I can feel that I'm only pulling the bulbs out, not the roots - but I can't seem to dig deep enough to get below the roots. I'd like to plant lettuces or something in the bed, but this stuff is taking over completely. Any advice gratefully received.

Make sure all bulbs are out and stop them from setting seed in summer (cut them down before it happens). Unfortunately, most seed can last for years in the soil and will germinate when you clear away the vegetation. The only alternative is to replace a few inches of soil, you could perhaps kill any seeds by composting the soil (although it will take a long time). If the compost heap gets warm enough then the seeds will become unviable. A faster approach would be to bake the soil somehow, although it'd be impractical.

By 'wild garlic' I presume you mean Ramsons? They like slightly acidic conditions (so practically most of Ireland), so the only other way would be to turn the PH rather alkaline. This would limit what you could grow in the bed in future though (because most plants prefer neutral to slightly acid), although Brassicas like it slightly alkaline. Soil PH can be changed with lime or a lot of pigeon / poultry manure (especially if they've had oystershell grit).

What plants would you have there if you could get rid of the Ramsons? I'll tell you whether or not changing the PH would be advisable based on which plants you want there. Changing the PH won't get rid of them overnight, but they won't thrive in it and wit will severely set back their invasiveness in my opinion. Eventually they should die off.

As for the green slime on paths - perhaps try gritting the path because not a lot can stand salt and it's winter anyway. Many of these slimes are quite tough though, so consider what other people have advised as well and keep salt away from plants (and don't try to kill ramsons with it - a lot of alliums are coastal plants so I doubt that it will do anything apart from poison the soil).