I’m a gardening pro – the reason your patio is covered with ‘green slime’ algae & how to clean it for less than a quid
AN outbreak of unsightly algae is being reported around outdoor areas at homes across Britain.
People’s fences, patios, decking and even walls are excessively covered in the brightly coloured organism.
Two-thirds of Sun readers say the algae in their yards and gardens is worse than last year.
It means professional jet-washers are in high demand, with companies charging as much as £150 a time to blitz patios and outdoor furniture.
Gardening experts attribute the explosion to the weather conditions of the past few months.
Guy Barter, chief horticulture adviser for the Royal Horticultural Society, says: “October to March has been the wettest for that period on record, so it’s no surprise that there is a lot of algae, especially as the weather has been mild too.
“It particularly favours the prolonged drizzle we’ve been having.”
He says the “green slime”, part of the same family as seaweed, is essentially a plant without roots.
Guy adds: “This means it finds it hard to get water, which is why you’ll typically find it in shady places where the drainage is poor and there is a lack of airflow.
“It’s a tough old thing and if there is an opportunity to grow, it will find it.”
Although unsightly, Guy says it is not harmful to humans or wildlife, but its slipperiness is what can cause us grief.
He adds: “It will typically affect paving, especially if it is in the shade or near overhanging branches.
“It will attack any surface. There will almost certainly be some on the lawn and in the soil — the sort of places where you get moss or lichen.
“You might see it on wooden fences and posts, or roofs. It won’t cause damage as it doesn’t have roots, but it could be a sign that things are already rotten.
“If you are concerned about traversing slippery surfaces, get some sand sprinkled on the area.”
Emma Young, 37, a marketing manager, has spent hours tackling the green invader in her garden in Scunthorpe, Lincs.
“We had some mild algae on our patio last year,” says Emma, who is married to Colin, 34.
“But this year it has grown all over our patio slabs, the wooden fences and panels, as well as the wooden slats on our house.”
Emma, who is mum to two-year-old Amber, said she researched how to banish it, but was concerned about using chemical products because most warned of potential harm to pets and children.
Instead, she opted for more natural solutions such as white vinegar, jet-washing and plenty of elbow grease.
Algae season
She says: “The white vinegar has helped to some degree and the ‘greenness’ has faded. We’ve repeated the spraying and scrubbing a few times. It’s not gone completely, but it has done a good job.
“Jet-washing the patio helped to eliminate the algae and take away the slippery feel.
“Our plan is to tackle the algae then use fence-protecting treatment to prevent it.”
Sid Partridge, who has run Partridge Exterior Cleaning in the East Midlands for seven years, has never known business to be so busy.
He says: “Demand for everything — roofs, patios, driveways, guttering — has been unprecedented. My colleagues with 20 years’ experience in the industry say the same.”
But algae season should end soon, according to Guy.
He says: “As the air gets drier and the rain hopefully gets less, the algae won’t become a problem until next November.
“In the meantime, think about tackling the underlying cause, with better drainage and airflow, using a wood preservative treatment.
“Or get covers for furniture to block out the light and water next winter. Ultimately, it’s something we just have to live with.”