Question: Our clay pots have green moss growing all over them. It’s slimy and it’s ugly. What can we do to get rid of it?

Answer: Maybe not much. You can soak the pots in a 10-percent solution of chlorine bleach for a few hours, then rinse them carefully. That will kill the algae, but some of the residue may remain. Scrubbing them with a wire brush will probably help. In the long run, however, they’re still going to be discolored. They’ll work great outdoors, but they may not be quite as attractive as you’d want inside your house. The algae, by the way, usually starts in the potting soil and spreads to the pot walls. If you cut back every so slightly on the water you give the plants, you may be able to discourage its growth in the future.