Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
7th March 2026
Marching On
Hello March. We have been looking forward to you. Please don’t let us down.
I know spring is springing. The birds are singing, the spring bulbs are blooming, the mornings and evenings are getting lighter and the sun shone for a morning last week. Winter is always a challenge, especially for those working outdoors, but this one seems to have gone on and on and on and on.
As one of the local farmers said, ‘The trouble is, our winters are 8 months long and then we get 3 months of bad weather.’
I know that wasn’t the case last year, and it probably won’t be long before I am writing about how hot and/or dry it is, but right now I’d just love a week of blue skies and sunshine.
C’mon March, strut your stuff.
Slippery When Wet
One of the first jobs I am going to do as soon as we do get a few ‘joined-up’ dry days, is to tackle the slippery stone slabs around the cottage. They are just lethal after so much wet weather.
The wet and mild-ish winter will have meant that moss, lichen and algae has thrived in different forms, including black spot, a dust-like lichen that originates from plants and trees. It colonises on paved areas, sending tendrils or ‘hyphae’ down into any cracks or porous surfaces, searching for nutrients. It then takes about 2-3 years to become established below the surface before creating a slippery residue on the surface of paving.
Pressure washing is a common go-to solution to remove algae from slippery slabs. But I’m not a huge fan, as it’s so messy and often ‘blows’ the grouting out of paved areas. For years I have used the moss, lichen and algae remover, Patio Magic with good results. It contains plant-based ingredients and no harsh chemicals, so the biodegradable formula is gentle on the environment. When used as directed, the cleaners are completely safe for plants and pets, with pets being able to use the area once dry.
Apparently, it also creates an environment that is far less hospitable to the microorganisms that cause the slippery surfaces. It’s also easy to use. Just spray, wait, and rinse. Although I have never rinsed. Or waited. Just sprayed. Applications are recommended every three months for best maintenance but I usually apply in the spring (now) and again in late autumn. I didn’t treat my slabs last year and have regretted it every time I walk (or slide) on them.
The Patio Magic website advises, “The application of Patio Magic Cleaner on wooden or composite decking surfaces requires special consideration due to the unique properties and vulnerabilities of wood as an outdoor building material. When treating wooden decking with Patio Magic Cleaner, dilution ratios may need to be adjusted to provide effective cleaning while minimizing potential for surface effects.”
A little research shows that the product ‘Wet and Forget’ also seems to work in the same way but I’ve not tried it.
Monty Don prefers to clean his slabs with a pressure washer or using sharp sand from the builders, advising, “Apply it very lightly and use a stiff yard broom to scour it back and forth. It will be effective for quite a few weeks at a time.”
My nan used to use white vinegar, mixing up a ‘half and half’ mixture of water and vinegar and ‘swooshing’ it over their back yard. I recommend testing a small area first, as vinegar is obviously acidic, and using a sprayer would probably be more effective than ‘swooshing’.
I have read that you leave it for 30 minutes to soak in and then scrub thoroughly with a stiff-bristled brush, before rinsing with clean water. My nan didn’t do that – she just ‘swooshed’.
Other ‘natural’ methods include baking soda, or cheap washing powder, as they are alkaline and will remove the algae. Fairy Liquid in hot water is also supposed to ‘do the job’ but these natural options will need ‘reapplying’ monthly to prevent re-growth of the slippery stuff.
Water Nightmare
I don’t think there is a Welsh cottage that hasn’t had a chimney let in some water this winter. My own chimney has become porous which has resulted in an anxiety-inducing damp patch on the bedroom ceiling, and apparently my brother’s spare room has a very damp and stained chimney breast as a result of the relentless rain.
I have put a dehumidifier in my bedroom, which has collected a staggering amount of water in just a couple of weeks. I mentioned this to a neighbour, who said she is using ‘little dehumidifiers’ in her car overnight to stop the condensation fogging all the windows up inside. The little ‘Simply Everyday Interior Dehumidifier’ has special crystals inside which draws moisture and damp from the atmosphere. It is especially useful to dry out small areas like cupboards, caravans and boats during winter months when damp and condensation is most prevalent.
I tried them out in my truck and it’s worked a treat. It seems that old cottages and old trucks need a lot of TLC and constant attention.
And then there are the ‘swollen doors’. Wooden outer doors that get wet in the driving rain and then won’t shut. I’ve had several here at the cottage, and you have to resist the urge to ‘plane a bit off’ as he doors will dry out and go back to their ‘proper size’ eventually. If you’ve planed them, you’ll end up with a saloon door in the summer. And yes, that’s another thing on the list of things to do in the better weather – paint and stain outside doors to prevent the same palaver next winter.
Lawn Ranger
The grass cutting season has begun. My brother cut his lawns last week – which always signals the start of the season locally – and one of the lads who mows a lot of big grounds with his ride on mowers also made a start last week. The ground is still a little bit slippery for machinery but the grass has hardly stopped growing this winter, so it all has to be ‘weighed up’ – especially if it’s how you earn your living.
A lot of people don’t make their first cut until Easter, utilising the Bank Holiday to ‘get out in the garden’. I wouldn’t leave it that long. Although Easter is ‘early’ this year (Easter Sunday is the 5th April), your grass will already be growing and the first cut is always the toughest, with winter grass being quite wiry. So if you haven’t already done so, get those mowers serviced and checked over and ‘ready to mow’.
It’s all about preparation now. The winter has been all about ‘keeping going’ and now that shifts to ‘get growing’. The soil will soon warm up and things will ‘be away’. Everything you can do in the garden this month will give you a good ‘head start’ on growth.
It’s a fabulous month to get out and about walking too and just taking time to notice how nature is stretching and waking up. Even my two hens joined me and Yogi on our sniffaris last week. I’ve noticed a few bigbumble bees bumbling about, a Magnolia stellata in bloom, two Red Admiral butterflies fluttering by and even a few clusters of midges as I’ve been working this week.
It really is a time of hope and new beginnings. Buds will soon burst, birds will start nesting and evenings will start to be part of the days instead of the night. Hooray!
Leave a Reply