Remove moss from black pine

[badatusernames]

Curious as to tips on getting moss off of black pine without hurting the bark…. I have a mini pressure sprayer, but that won’t do here. Delicate tweezer work perhaps? Diluted vinegar?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Tweezers & dental pick.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Adair had me use white vinegar...apply...wait until it browns and dies. Then remove it. I use a toothbrush or artist brush depending on areas. Just dap into small bowl of vinegar...dab onto moss. Not trying to saturate the roots.

Key...is to allow it to die off and go brown. It then comes up a lot easier.

 

[Dav4]

I'll routinely spray full strength white vinegar on moss at the base of my pines when the moss first starts to appear on the bark to kill it before it gets too thick. I just did it today, in fact.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I'll routinely spray full strength white vinegar on moss at the base of my pines when the moss first starts to appear on the bark to kill it before it gets too thick. I just did it today, in fact.

You're a sprayer... I believe Crust is as well from our conversations. I've not went that route. But... I'm curious about trying it.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I'll routinely spray full strength white vinegar on moss at the base of my pines when the moss first starts to appear on the bark to kill it before it gets too thick. I just did it today, in fact.

Add some oil with the vinegar and you could have moss salad.

 

[Dav4]

You're a sprayer... I believe Crust is as well from our conversations. I've not went that route. But... I'm curious about trying it.

I use it to kill weeds, too, and will spray them heavily, in the pots, with no Ill effects to the trees.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I use it to kill weeds, too, and will spray them heavily, in the pots, with no Ill effects to the trees.

Really...fascinating. I don't grow weeds. I only grow moss here at the lake. But that us really good to hear. Thanks for sharing. I'll definitely worry less now.

 

[Glaucus]

I believe the trick is to use vinegar, then follow up with a brush that is hard enough to brush off the dead moss, but soft enough to not impact the bark.
There's special nylon brushes for bonsai that bonsai tool shops import from Japan. But I guess similar nylon brushes, like a toothbrush, could be used.

 

[badatusernames]

Thanks all! I have a dental pick so I’ll give that a go, and if that doesn’t fly then we’ll see what the vinegar can do.

 

[sdavis]

Add some oil with the vinegar and you could have moss salad.

Be careful with vinegar. I have killed mature maples by using full strength vinegar.

 

[Dav4]

Be careful with vinegar. I have killed mature maples by using full strength vinegar.

Were you using white vinegar or horticultural vinegar? The the acetic acid in horticultural vinegar is 4x stronger. I've never had a problem spraying full strength white vinegar on weeds in my pots.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Be careful with vinegar. I have killed mature maples by using full strength vinegar.

White vinegar? I'm curious... it's making my gerbil stumble.

 

[Glaucus]

You only put it on the bark. Not in the pot/soil/roots/substrate. Of course vinegar is harmful. That's why you use it on the moss.