Does a power washer damage landscaping?
BBQs, Beautiful flowers and the sunny weather make it very tempting to get the power-washer to clean up the paths, sheds and stone decorations. But are you aware of what you are actually washing off? Read MoreMost of the time you are probably not paying attention to where that dirty water is ending up; or what kind of chemicals you are letting flow into your ground.
As you know, roofs, pavements and other power-washable things have months if not years to build up the filth; and introducing such a build up of grime, fungi and chemical products can have devastating effects on your garden’s bed.
Of course, there are some power-washer cleaning solutions that are less hard on the plants; for example, using oxygen bleach over chlorine bleach. Either way, your plants need to be adequately protected from direct exposure to the power-washer stream and the mist that goes into the air.
Most pressure washers use a ratio of 1:10 of cleaning compound to water, although it differs for each manufacturer. The strength also depends on what kind of surface you are cleaning. Roofs collect a different type of grime than pavements and use different cleaning agents.
That’s why it’s so important that if you power-wash sheds, statues, or paths you paint away from your greens, and use a thick brush to shove the dirty water into the drain system. However, that’s not always possible.
How to protect immovable plants from power washers
There are a range of things you can do to protect your plans. The simplest one is to pre-wet and spray your plants with water; that will naturally make the plants softer and pliable, and help dissolve any residue chemicals that happen to land on the plants.
The alternative is to use some kind of cover to protect the plants. It’s important that you don’t keep the cover on for long periods of time, so make sure to cover only the nearby plants and foliage before moving forward and uncovering. You want to avoid prolonging the greenhouse effect, and heat up the plants too much.
Furthermore, the material you use for the cover is also important. The safest one is plastic, however large cloths are also very efficient. Of course in both cases, you have to make sure they are free from chemicals or debris that could harm the plants in the long run.
It’s crucial that you plan a good route for the water to drain. This downspout may contain harsh chemicals that can easily accumulate in one area and get into the roots of your garden.
At the end of the day, power washing can restore old-looking statues, paths, sheds and accessories, but you might find that you fancy yourself a little change.
We offer a wide range of garden ornaments suitable for any household. From Japanese statues to bird baths, you will definitely find yourself an ornament that suits your garden’s personality.