Wet Weather in Clark County Washington.

We've sure had plenty of wet weather in Clark County, Washington this spring. No doubt that's the understatement of the year if you’ve been stuck anywhere in the Pacific Northwest without a break.Those webs on our hands and feet are going to be permanent if mother nature doesn’t let up soon? But, some are thriving. 

The slugs, moss and weeds are doing just fine, thank you. And that’s the problem, how do we deal with those annoyances without endangering our neighborhood kids and dogs, not to mention the wildlife? Fortunately, there are many “environmentally friendly remedies” for a lot of the pesky problems that wet weather brings our way. 

For example, Moss can be removed from our rooftops with a pretty simple solution of water and non toxic oxygen bleach. However, there is some work involved. First, you need to scrub the moss with a hard bristle brush and clean off any loose debris. Then spray on  the solution of water and oxygen bleach and let it sit on the surface for 20 minutes. Scrub again and most of the moss and algae should come off.

Slugs, one of the slimiest and most voracious of garden visitors, can be treated by using a non toxic product called, Sluggo. The bait, with iron phosphate as the main ingredient, is safer for pets and wildlife than the metaldehyde baits on the market. You do have to apply it once a week in our wet climate, and most experts also recommend daily hand picking, especially during high population outbreaks. You can normally spot slugs in the early morning and early evening hours. When you find one, drop it into a bucket of soapy water, it’s easier (and less gross) than cutting it in half. 

Weeds also tend to multiply quickly during wet spring weather as gardeners stay inside waiting for a dry spell.  You probably want to hear about some amazing, and non toxic product that you can spray on the weeds and be rid of them. Sorry, those types of methods normally employ toxic products which aren’t good for you, children, pets, or wildlife. Instead, there are a variety of weeding tools that make the job of weed removal easier, and help ensure that you pull up the root system with the plant.  Once the weeds are removed there are some plants you can add to the garden that act as a natural defense against weeds.