DATE:   11/7/96
WRITER: Bob Polomski, (864) 656-2604

Give Your Concrete Garden Fixtures 
An "Aged" Look

     Q.  Do you know of a method for making concrete garden
fixtures look weathered and more attractive?
     A.  Here's the recipe used by Dan Franklin, a landscape
architect in Atlanta. First, rub the concrete surface with a
steel brush. This will roughen the surface and give it a
weathered appearance.
     Next, locate some moss growing in the woods or a shady spot,
and grind it up into small particles. Pour about a quart of
buttermilk into a bucket and add the ground-up moss, along
with a handful or two of composted cow manure. Stir thoroughly --
the resulting concoction should be rather soupy.
     Finally, brush the solution onto the concrete. Moss will
gradually begin growing on it, making it look aged. Be advised,
however, that for several weeks following this treatment the
concrete will be malodorous, to say the least. So you'll want to
move it to an out-of-the-way place before applying the buttermilk
solution.
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     If you have gardening questions or comments, write to 
Agricultural News & Publications, A-101 Poole Agricultural
Center, Box 340311, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634-0311.
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