Need help! Moss growing on branches and trunk.

[River's Edge]

I killed a tree using a small amt of straight up vinegar. Next time I am diluting it at least 50% or more....

Strange, I have used straight up vinegar for years with no ill effects to the trees. Sure works on the moss though! I apply it by paint brush to the moss, takes a few days then the moss turns brown and is easily removed or washed off. Occasionally it make take multiple applications in very thick areas. But it always works. I typically leave one or two weeks between applications if multiple applications are needed.
I would suspect your tree died from other causes or misapplication. On the other hand perhaps it is a species issue with some trees more susceptible to the use of vinegar.

 

[Shibui]

Strange, I have used straight up vinegar for years with no ill effects to the trees. Sure works on the moss though! I apply it by paint brush to the moss, takes a few days then the moss turns brown and is easily removed or washed off. Occasionally it make take multiple applications in very thick areas. But it always works. I typically leave one or two weeks between applications if multiple applications are needed.
I would suspect your tree died from other causes or misapplication. On the other hand perhaps it is a species issue with some trees more susceptible to the use of vinegar.

My experiences are exactly the same. It is easy to make a conclusion from a single example but whether the conclusion is valid will certainly be debatable. More recently I have tried spraying the foliage to see if vinegar affects the leaves. So far no problem so I agree that the death was probably due to another factor rather than the vinegar.

 

[BrightsideB]

Would be interesting to see a pic of the entire tree. There is something underlying the moss growth I’d imagine. Maybe focusing on moss removal would be better once they are healthier.

 

[leatherback]

I got a thing from Kaizen bonsai last year that was supposed to be safe and kill moss, and then the moss would just naturally blow off the bark.

This tree bark cleaning product do me sounds VERY much like normal anti-algea products which you use on pathways. It is what I use to clean the bark. Twice a year I paint trunks of rough barked species and it does wonders in keeping the trunk clean. Ready the package. If it is safe to use on walkways and does not warm against protecting shrubs alongside the road, you are normally good to go (But it does not hurt avoiding the foliage with it!

 

[sdavis]

Strange, I have used straight up vinegar for years with no ill effects to the trees. Sure works on the moss though! I apply it by paint brush to the moss, takes a few days then the moss turns brown and is easily removed or washed off. Occasionally it make take multiple applications in very thick areas. But it always works. I typically leave one or two weeks between applications if multiple applications are needed.
I would suspect your tree died from other causes or misapplication. On the other hand perhaps it is a species issue with some trees more susceptible to the use of vinegar.

It was a red maple among many others and it was dead within 30 days and all others did fine. Vinegar killed it!

 

[River's Edge]

It was a red maple among many others and it was dead within 30 days and all others did fine. Vinegar killed it!

I have never used vinegar on red maples, rarely on deciduous for that matter. It is typically more of an issue in terms of difficulty to remove with conifers I find. For deciduous I would use a nylon brush to remove any moss on the nebari or trunk. The smoother bark makes this process simple. An effective tool for deciduous moss removal is the green nylon brush that is sold by most Bonsai supply outlets. Shaped like a small hockey stick with wire handle!

 

[Darth Masiah]

i was just wondering about other moss removal products after seeing the shipping on the Kaizen product. white vinegar it is. with a ph of 2 to 3, i see why it works so good after reading moss likes to be in the 5 ph range. when feeding i make sure it's 5.8 to 6.