moss killing chemicals?

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Dru
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moss killing chemicals?

Post by Dru » Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:22 pm

I have heard that powdered zinc works well as a moss killer - spread it on top of a crag in the late fall and come back in spring time to find all the moss dead.

Some of these areas out in the Valley where routes and problems have been scrubbed 4 oir 5 years ago and are vanishing back into the moss have me depressed. I really don't want to have to spend a day scrubbing a boulder every time I want to climb it.

Can anyone who has experimented with powdered zinc or other chemicals (not Agent Orange or Roundup, I want something toxic to moss but hopefully not humans) comment on their effectiveness?

bradley3297
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Post by bradley3297 » Thu Jul 10, 2008 7:38 pm

Ya how about ending that idea where it started. All we need is chemicals in the woods. what a selfish environment damaging idea. why are you even here>LOL :x
Bradley

slhughes
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Post by slhughes » Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:54 pm

i hear there is a web site called 'firstworldproblem.com'. that might be a good place for you to cyber mingle dru. i mean, by the time you've cleaned your boulder again (again! god i just did this five years ago) your latte could well be cold. if that doesn't answer your question, pour gasoline over the moss and set fire to the cocksucker.
tosser.

Brendan
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Post by Brendan » Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:13 pm

lol. apparently you people don't know who you're talking to... this is the DRU. you know... the one and only... :lol:

MGarcia
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Post by MGarcia » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:58 pm

Ashes to ashes...
Zinc comes from the ground, just give it back this winter, see what happens.

Or sodium hypochlorite, after it does its thing, the chlorine evaporates and salt is left behind. It does not last years though.

Gas is good but it has to be rainy so you don't create a forest fire. don't let it pool on pockets or the rock will crack.

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Post by Brendan » Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:27 am

MGarcia wrote:Gas is good...
just seems wrong :?

bradley3297
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Post by bradley3297 » Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:35 am

Yep. cant expect something to kill moss and not damage other plant life and the ecosystem at the same time dont be naive. :shock:
Bradley

dakine
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Post by dakine » Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:36 am

I don't know how you'd be able to apply it to the rock but roofers used to use strips of Copper (as well as Zinc) on house roofs to kill / prevent moss from growing.

Dru
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Post by Dru » Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:30 pm

:roll: trhanks for the helpful responses; to be clearer, my original question was more about some inhibitor to prevent moss regrowing on a scrubbed boulder over the winter rather than something to replace scrubbing entirely. i understand that powerwashing, come-alongs and so on are standard for Squamish cleaning projects nowadays but i don't have the budget for those...

hafilax
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Post by hafilax » Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:57 pm

Inspired by dakine's post I did a quick search and this article turned up.
http://www.pesticide.org/RoofMoss.html
It sounds like zinc strips might be a viable solution but the environmental impact of having them on a lot of boulders in a small area might be an issue.

Dru
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Post by Dru » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:35 pm

Ya, I found this

http://bryophytes.science.oregonstate.edu/page24.htm

That suggests bleach is perhaps the best option aside from "physical removal" ie wirebrushes.

smallman
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Post by smallman » Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:29 am

Copper sulfate in solution with water would work. (they use it for pressure treated lumber to prevent moss growth). But it would likely turn your route blue. the best vegetation killer is traffic - get your problem in squamish select and there won't be any moss growing on it.

mikew
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Post by mikew » Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:56 pm

Until we get the traffic out here it's going to be a problem. Some "SQUAMISH" climbers who visited Harrison were pretty impressed and said they were glad to be climbing in our neighborhood where there were no line ups.....
It's only going to get better because there are quite a few more people showing up at the crags as of late. BTW Got 4 more lines that'll be cleaned up just around the corner from your arete.

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Post by 5.4 Slayer » Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:26 am

you got any routes that stay dry in light rain Mike? If so, how many?

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Post by MarkR » Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:40 am

MGarcia wrote:
Or sodium hypochlorite, after it does its thing, the chlorine evaporates and salt is left behind. It does not last years though.
Hm. Sodium hypochlorite...you mean bleach?

Really?

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