Re: salvaged brick

A*

Kristin Faurest wrote:

>Does anyone have environmentally friendly suggestions for how to keep old 
>bricks used in paving and edging for raised beds looking nice? Mine seem 
>to be plagued by moss and a sort of vague dusty coating that's hard to get 
>off and keep off (residue from hard water? or something else?)

Moss is actually a good thing -- it's a sign you've got damp in your area 
and the moss is sucking it up rather than letting things mold (which often 
is not nice as it can cause allegeries and play havoc with folks who have 
asthma).  Not sure what the dusty coating is (could be dead moss), but it 
sounds like your garden IS taking environmentally caring for itself.

Moss is way underrated in the US -- in Japan, they pay big bucks to create 
shady moss gardens which, once established, don't need any further 
care.  In the US, folks pay big bucks to fungicide moss so that they can 
plant grass, which has to be cut constantly -- and usually dies because 
mossy areas are too wet for grasses.

Over time, your moss will suck up the excess water, die down and produce 
humus so that vascular plants can live there.  Enjoy it for what it is. . .

Dorene

Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden

A mission of
St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA  19460

______________________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org

To post an e-mail to the list:  community_garden@mallorn.com

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden