Moss growing on roof

[Kevin P. Williams]

Originally Posted by jwilliams4

For NWJon MAB is the Member Advisory Board

No one knows what they do, though. They skulk around in
the dark of night and do things.

Hey..I'm just kidding--maybe..,

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by rwand1

Any roof with that much moss it automatically rated for replacement in my books.

Raymond Wand

"Any" roof, Raymond?

Surely you are familar with vegetation roofs in many parts of the country, such as Colorado. Ooops. Your "country" is Canada. Sorry. I forgot.

Anyway, some people specifically use moss because it requires less water (just a nightly dew covering does fine), thereby lowering the water bill, and the uniformity of the moss with its dark green color, coupled with its low growth height, make it an idea vegetation roof.

We had an earth home near where I grew up in South Texas that had a moss roof. It was still there and doing well in 1994 when I was last there.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by gmartin2

Does moss really just grow on the north side? (a rolling stone gathers no moss)

No.

It will grow on all sides providing that it has some moisture. Best growth will be under a tall tree, regardless of which side, and then on the north side, east side, west side, south side (for here in San Diego).

[gmartin2]

Russell;

"Sanctuary" much for the info.

[Jay Moge]

the whole "north side" moss growth theory is just that, a theory. the ideal conditions for moss are all more likely on the north side because if you think of the rotaton of the earth and the position of the sun relivent to the equater, the north side of anything (north of the equater) gets less sun year round than any other side. thats why, when refuring to mountain life, it's alway rougher weather and colder on the "northern exposer". as for the "rolling stone" theory it's true. "Myth Busters" confermed it one episode a few seasons ago.

[Russel Ray]

Well, first you say it's a theory.

Originally Posted by Jay Moge

the whole "north side" moss growth theory is just that, a theory.

But then you confirm the theory:

Originally Posted by Jay Moge

the ideal conditions for moss are all more likely on the north side because if you think of the rotaton of the earth and the position of the sun relivent to the equater, the north side of anything (north of the equater) gets less sun year round than any other side. thats why, when refuring to mountain life, it's alway rougher weather and colder on the "northern exposer".

So that would tend to make it true.

In the East Texas section of the Southern Pine Belt, where there are some big and might oaks, one also finds that lichens are more prevalent on the north side of those oaks.

Now for those InterNACHI members, reverse everything if you're in the Southern Hemisphere.

[Jay Moge]

Rus, i've alway liked and apreciated your constructive criticism and like being taken seriously when that was my intent. yes it's a theory.....a proven theory, but a theory non the less. o.k. it's more fact than theory, but i'm sure some were there is exception that prove it, and someone is bound to post a tree with no moss on the north side, or a patch of moss on the south side of something and try to disproof a "rule'' so that's why i choose to stay with the "theory" theory. thanx

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by Jay Moge

but i'm sure some were there is exception that prove it, and someone is bound to post a tree with no moss on the north side, or a patch of moss on the south side of something and try to disproof a "rule'' so that's why i choose to stay with the "theory" theory. thanx

It's not a rule or a theory. It's simply fact. All other things being equal (lighting conditions, wind, moisture, food source, etc.), moss will prefer the north side over the east, west, and south sides, in the northern hemispher.

Moss needs more than just the north side of something to grow, though. In fact, by providing proper moisture and lighting conditions, it is very easy to get it to grow on the east, west, and south sides.

If one drives from College Station, Texas, to Austin, about halfway there, there is a stand of old Texas Live Oaks dating from the Civil War. It's one of the most beautiful stands of oak trees I've ever had the pleasure of walking through (in my forestry class; a Texas A&M Forestry alumnus owns the land). Every single tree, and there are a few thousand of them, has moss and lichens growing only on the north side. The picture could be straight out of a Stephen King novel.

[Jay Moge]

Originally Posted by rray

It's not a rule or a theory. It's simply fact. All other things being equal (lighting conditions, wind, moisture, food source, etc.), moss will prefer the north side over the east, west, and south sides, in the northern hemispher.

Moss needs more than just the north side of something to grow, though. In fact, by providing proper moisture and lighting conditions, it is very easy to get it to grow on the east, west, and south sides.

If one drives from College Station, Texas, to Austin, about halfway there, there is a stand of old Texas Live Oaks dating from the Civil War. It's one of the most beautiful stands of oak trees I've ever had the pleasure of walking through (in my forestry class; a Texas A&M Forestry alumnus owns the land). Every single tree, and there are a few thousand of them, has moss and lichens growing only on the north side. The picture could be straight out of a Stephen King novel.

Stephen King? now you're talking my language....I've read many of his novels, and i'm never disapointed. I'd love to see some pics of those mighty oaks, if you have a link. I actualy met Stephen King one summer while visiting inlaws in Maine, about 2.5 hours from here, he was getting his mail while we were stalking.......i mean looking at his house.

[Russel Ray]

My domestic partner, Jim, now a Realtor with Century 21, spent 27 years with Waldenbooks and Borders, both part of Borders Group Inc. So we have pre-release copies of many books, signed first editions, etc. We have a complete Stephen King collection, including autographed copies of "The Stand," "Christine," and all the "Dark Tower" books. We thought about selling them when Jim left Borders last May, but we're kind of emotionally attached to them, and they do make good investments for retirement years, so we'll probably hang on to them and just sell the duplicates. He was collecting signed first edition hardbacks (free) while I was collecting unsigned paperbacks (and paying for them).

[Jay Moge]

that's awsome Rus. it truely is a small world. do you also have the entire Richard Bauchman series? (for those who don't know, that was Stephen Kings allias in the day when other authors were pissed because King was always #1. they said it was just 'cus of his name. so he wrote a R. Bauchman without telling anyone, and they were happy to see a different name at the #1 spot......till they found out it was King all along. one that comes to mind is Thinner, i know there's more, and i have several but i also have a major brain cramp and can't think.)

[Kevin P. Williams]

.....

[Russel Ray]

Once the secret is out about aliases, I usually don't make any distinction other than the fact that Bachman's books still have Bachman on them. But we've got all those, too. Unfortunately, none of them are signed--duh.

[Jay Moge]

well maybe we should bring this back on topic. so what your telling me is that if you put all the Bachmans on the north side of your roof, they'd grow moss?? and still be worth as much if not more than before??

[Russel Ray]

No, because all other conditions have to also be right for growing moss. Conditions around my home are very much desert-like, so there ain't no moss growing around here.