Wildlife-friendly moss and weed killer ?

[TheSpottedZebra]

My mum is getting increasingly worried about falling in the garden. It's all level, but is a mixture of paved patio, brick paved drive and concreted dark side alley. Previously we've dug/ wheedled the weeds out from between the slabs, and pressure washed the lot, then applied sand but I'm not sure that'll cut it this year.

It's been so damp and we've had so much rain that the moss is worse than ever. Is there anything I can use to help knock it back? Am happy for elbow grease too. The issue is that it utterly has to be totally safe for wildlife - for elderly cats but also hedgehogs and birds...

Any thoughts?

[shovetheholly]

Awww, your poor mum! It's horrible to fear that you're going to fall over in your own home. And it's been SO wet!

I've heard that bicarb of soda works on moss, but I haven't tried it myself. You could try it on a patch and see if it works - if so, you can buy big packs of it online or in old-fashioned DIY stores for cheap. I use it to clean the sink

If she doesn't mind a bit of aesthetic change to the environment, I wonder if something like grab rails would help her to feel more confident? Or what about those anti-slip tapes that they use in parks and public spaces to stop people going over? You can get paints too like this: www.amazon.co.uk/Liberon-ASC750-750ml-Anti-Slip-Coating/dp/B001C4407W?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

And I realise this sounds silly, but what about a really grippy pair of shoes - something like trail shoes that are studded to claw into surfaces, or even something used by climbers or parkour people?

[TheSpottedZebra]

Ooh, bicarb! I have some of that, I could do a test. I'd do it now, but it's raining. Again.

I've wondered about grab rails, but I think she'd resist that, and also sporty grippy shoes alas. Hers are v v sensible already. I definitely reckon I could convince her to anti-women paint or tape however, especially in the alley bit, thanks!

[TheSpottedZebra]

Why does my tablet autocorrect anti-slip to anti-women?

To clarify, neither me, nor my mum, nor any paint I shall buy, are anti-women.

[shovetheholly]

Hahahahaha! I laughed!

Misogynist gardening. Could be a new thing for pick-up artists

[TheSpottedZebra]

Gawd, it's probably a thing already, isn't it? Complete with a garden full of phallic-shaped plants.

Of course my tablet was fine with the hyphenate phallic-shaped, wasn't it?

AIBU to think my tablet is misogynist?

[shovetheholly]

Is it an Apple tablet? If so, it is calling you Eve and saying you are responsible for all the woes of man.