"Nostoc Commune" gelatinous seaweed-like slime

[Roger1]

In the last two or three years we have had a great deal more rainfall on our clay based garden and this disgusting khaki coloured seaweed-like slime has appeared in ever-increasing quantities each year. It's mostly in small patches (2 or 3 inches across) and the longer it rains the more of them appear. They don't seem to be anchored anywhere as they can be easily picked up, when they hang down and cling around your fingers. If there are several consecutive days of sunshine they will shrink and turn black and you might think they'd died but as soon as it rains again, they expand back to their original size. They started around the edges of our drive but rapidly turned up all over the garden, on the bare earth of the flower beds and on the grass and even occasionally on our concrete garden paths.

I believe they are known as Cyanobacteria Nostoc Commune but can find no information regarding methods of destruction.

Does anyone have any idea how to combat this problem?

[veggiechicken]

Hello Roger and welcome!
I have no knowledge of this lichen, sorry, but, for everyone else - here's a link to some photos.
Irish lichens, algae - Nostoc commune.

[mothhawk]

As it's algae maybe a moss and algae killer would work, but don't know how that affects plants. The problem is, it only takes one cell to grow into a huge patch, 'cos algae multiply by cell division (if I remember my school biology correctly), so you need something that will total it.

or maybe spraying it with barley straw extract (the stuff used for algae in ponds) might work Ecopond | Shop

Or something acidic, like spraying with vinegar?

Just tossing ideas in the pot here, no idea really.

[VolesAteMyPeas]

Is this any help? Nursery and Garden Industry New Zealand - Weedy Nostoc
A quick Internet search reveals no-one really knows how to kill it for sure. Looks like control is the answer.

[Nicos]

Roger..hello and welcome to the Vine!

Could you please let us know your rough location as we have members here from all over the world...and pop your rough location in your profile???
This may help in answering your question more accurately!!