We would spend a good part of the summer at the farm and having a place for the kids to practice was essential. Hoops has always been a game that has been enjoyed by our family, dating back to my Dad who played semi-pro basketball.
Since paving the basketball court, the only blacktop found in our town of dirt roads and driveways, keeping the court free of moss has been a constant battle. The green living carpet gets as slippery as ice. It is not ideal for playing hoops, roller skating, riding scooters, or learning how to ride a bicycle, all of which occur when our children and grandchildren visit.
After spending a few hours power washing the court one square inch at a time, frustration set in. With the gas can full and ready to fill the power washer, I wondered if I could kill the moss with fire. I poured some gas on an area that looked like a shag rug, lit it up, and let it burn. After a minute or two the fire burned out and the moss was completely eradicated. Setting the entire court on fire might be a little very dangerous, but using a torch fueled with propane should work without causing a forest fire. In the past, I've used a blow torch just like the one in this pic when I was in construction. The blow torch was used to apply roll roofing that needed to be heated to be installed.
The shade the trees provide is a good thing on hot summer days, but a lack of sunlight reaching the blacktop provides an ideal situation for the moss to grow. Step two in ensuring that I don't need to clean the court every other year was to remove some of the trees.
