Author Topic: Couch grass - getting a bit demoralised! (Read 10715 times)

Hels_Bels · « **on:** February 19, 2004, 19:08:22 »

Dear All

I found out about this site yesterday - absolutely fab, havem't been off it since! :)

I got my first lottie a year ago, but have really only started to take it seriously since the autumn. It's about 50% covered in couch grass and I'm getting a bit disheartened digging and digging.....

I know it's got to be done, but any success stories of getting through it would be welcomed!

Thanks!!!

Hels Bels

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2004, 19:23:00 »

Hiya H_B and welcome! Couch grass, the bain of every lottiers life, but it can be beaten. Little and often is the way to go. Concentrate on one patch, get it clean and then you can plant and whilst you are working on the next patch, you can admire your emerging fruit or veg. We did something a bit daft on our old family plot, but something I know others do and it works okay for them, but we kept grass paths, but it was couch grass, and all it did was spread back into the cleared beds. Nightmare! Got rid of the paths, stopped the problem! Hoorah!! You will do it, and you will look back this time next year and smile. aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh ;D

Doris_Pinks · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2004, 19:53:26 »

I too have couch grass! Hate the stuff!! But do as EJ says and clear it bit by bit! It seems to be one of those things in my experience that is impossible to eradicate totally, but easy to pull up the odd one or too when you have managed to get it under control :-) Keep up the good work, you'll get there in the end!

Hugh_Jones · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2004, 20:01:57 »

I`m afraid that although I normally grow completely organically, where couch grass is concerned I`m prepared to break the rules just for once. By all means get a small portion cleared by hand (although you won`t get it all in one go) to enable you to start growing your early planted stuff, but as to the remainder I would leave it for another few weeks until it is growing and then spray it all with Roundup - full strength, mixed with a few spots of Fairy Liquid to help it stick on the blades. After a few more weeks it will all be dead and you can dig the ground safely.

I had a badly infested patch, and I did this just once - it has never come back.

allotment_chick · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2004, 22:17:48 »

Fear not, HB - just look upon couch as a fact of lottie life! On my plot I find it creeps in from the main grass paths, so I'll never get rid of it, but if you can bear the hard work, taking out what you can it does eventually get manageable. >:(

On the positive side, if you dig it up and dry it in the sun, couch makes a brilliant kindling for the bonfire - and it makes a satisfying crackling noise as it burns! ;D

Remember - tackle small bits of your plot at a time and cover it or grow something as soon as you've cleared a patch!

AC :D

spade · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2004, 00:55:35 »

hiya, dont get down hearted . had me lottie for a month now. The guys on this site know thier stuff. i,m halfway now but now have the cooch to deal with . i,ve skimmed the surface but now got to deal with white roots.your not alone goodluck.Angie

gavin · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2004, 01:27:01 »

Welcome, Hels_Bels, to the wonderful world of couch grass!

It is truly a pig to get under control, but it can be done. Trick is to get the soil as clean as you can of the roots once - as Emma Jane says, bed by bed, a bit at a time - and then stay on top of it (which is MUCH easier).

Second/third year on a cleared bed, all I ahve to do is edge the couch grass path and clean out the stuff that's tried to spread over the winter - a great way to uncover clumps of slug eggs for the birds to get, and get a good start to this year's compost heap as well.

Looks odd - the old guys think I'm mad; better still, they think it's real hard work, and are VERY impressed. But those three 20 yard tumuli you can see were only about three hours work. Bed edged, soil thrown on top of the green manure, and couch grass clumps and roots removed ----- minimal problems all year.

Good luck - Gavin

Tenuse · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2004, 12:30:11 »

Don't worry! You can start a new sideline with all the couch grass you dig up - Voodoo Love Potions!!!

Recipe: Voudou Fried Eggplant (To Attract a New Love)
1 Eggplant
1 Egg - Beaten
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Bottle of Peanut Oil
1 Cup Flour with 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Pecans
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Bread Crumbs with Cooked Oats
Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Powdered Couch Grass

Peel and cut Eggplant in 1-inch strips. Powder them in flour mixed with garlic powder and couch grass. Pass them through egg and then shake the strips in breadcrumbs, oats and chopped pecans. Deep fry in Peanut Oil at 375 degrees, turning often until golden brown. Salt and pepper to taste. Dine by the light of 2 pink candles.

Ten x

DarkSkies · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2004, 12:38:03 »

I am still digging out the beds on my allotment now. I've had it since the turn of the year. The entire plot is cooch grass infested. I am gradually hand weeding the entire plot, leaving sore fingers but reasonably cleansed patches. I am keeping the grass walkways if only to stop me sliding all over on the slippy clay. I was hoping that by keeping the grass trimmed short it would eventually phase out the cooch grass leaving proper grass. Well that is the aad wives tail. Ohh yes and 2m square takes about a day. :)

aquilegia · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2004, 13:15:54 »

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere recently that they sell couch grass roots in Italy as a vegetable/salad ingrediant. Could make a few bob on the side!

Janet_H · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2004, 13:24:15 »

I have worked like E.J suggested, digging 4ft x 12ft beds slowly, planting as I have gone along. This ensures at least some return for your effort. I covered the areas not being digged with black plastic to try and curtail its growth, but don't be fooled its brutal stuff and not put off by lack of light, but it did help a bit. Finally got to the end this autumn, what a relief!! Its taken 18 months but worth it to see the beds ready now for a full planting, can't wait. Janet H.

Hels_Bels · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2004, 18:08:07 »

Hi everyone

Wow - thanks for all your thoughts!! It's great to know it WILL go. :) I've planted some autumn and summer raspberries in one cleared area, with enough space in between to put a couple of rows of potatoes.

Will make sure I've got my beans' and peas' strip cleared next - my fave veggies so definitely an area to do properly.

I did manage to clear one area last year and then covered it over winter. That bit's got hardly anything coming through right now, so am very glad I did that!

If it gets just a little bit warmer I should be able to spend a good long time there at the weekend, rather than the paltry hour I've managed today! ;D

ina · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2004, 10:34:27 »

The veggie part of my lottie is as good as couchgrass free. I have stomped down earth paths that occationally need hoeing. If I see a couchgrass leaf, I will dig and dig on my knees till I have the whole root out. However, the flower part is invested and the problem is the permanent plants and bushes. The couchgrass is all inbetween the roots of these and I see no way to get rid of it.

Every time I get to the lottie, I play couchgrass police. With a black and a red bucket I walk the whole area, plucking and digging couchgrass wherever I see it. Regular weeds go in the black bucket for the compost and couch goes in the red one to be taken home and disposed of. I believed that if I deprive the couch by not allowing it to have leaves, the roots I can't reach must starve but it doesn't seem to work that way. I still feel that I keep it managable this way but it's ongoing.

Piglet · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2004, 21:25:43 »

Don't know why it helped but it did, i had a badly infested plot with couch grass and dug madly to start with, and then planted with potatoes as my first crop and the area hasnt been too bad since. Maybe couch doesnt like spuds ????

Good luck with your new plot and may you have lots & lots of yummy crops.

Piglet. :)

Ceri · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2004, 08:20:32 »

That's helpful Piglet, as yesterday I cleared an infested bit at the top of my plot for my pots - luckily the couch only seems to have invaded the top 6 ft of my plot. I noticed that most of the roots seemed to be in the first spade's depth, which would make sense as couch grass tends to go along and up rather than way down like docks. I've left a spade's depth 'trench' all around the bed to see if this deters the couch grass. If this works a physical barrier to that depth, slates on their edge for example, may be one answer?

busy_lizzie · « **Reply #15 on:** February 22, 2004, 16:19:27 »

The trench idea sounds like a good plan, and worth considering as I am in the process of clearing an bit of a wild area at the top of my plot, which is heavy in couch grass - what a slog it is clearing it, such slow going.

Anyhow last year we did grow our potatoes on another area thick with the darn stuff, and it seems to have worked a treat, as that area seems so clean of it now. busy_lizzie

gavin · « **Reply #16 on:** February 22, 2004, 23:10:46 »

Yup - the trench idea works! That's where I get the funny looking beds in the piccie above; trenching around and piling the stuff on top of the bed.

Controls the couch grass - and slugs! What more could you want? Apart from a bit of spring sunshine without an arctic blast!

All best - Gavin

Hels_Bels · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2004, 18:58:35 »

Hi All

Cleared a bit more at the weekend - whohoo! ;D I'm trying the trench too now. Have rough dug whatever I can get, piled it in front of me to wilt for a few days. I wasn't quite sure about this idea, hence my original question, because I thought the roots would grow back, but they haven't! Probably because we haven't had a lot of rain in West London, but I've gone along a few days later with a big claw and pulled up all the loose roots, then dug into the piles to get the rest. At the moment it seems to be working - nothing's growing back any more or less than using the more 'traditional' way. Would definitely recommend it now I've tried it - it's not so hard on your back either!

Will take some photos to track progress - then if I cn work out how to post them..... :)

H_B

gavin · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2004, 23:23:21 »

Build a compost heap with the turves and the roots? I know - you're not supposed to; but it worked for me - and a lovely crop of compost for the next season!

Gavin

garyp · « **Reply #19 on:** February 24, 2004, 12:35:37 »

I have taken over an allotment plot at the end of last October 2003. Its was covered in couch grass. I was going to dig the plot over, but it was a massive task so I had the council come in and rotivate the plot. I then divided the area into bed around 10' X 4'. Initially I forked over these beds and hand removed any debris, glass, wood, couch grass etc. Not too suprisingly the couch grass re-appeared! My next plan of attack was to hand weed all this plots. After doing this and clearing a load more of the couch out. I then resorted to hoeing the plots. Taking the tops of the couch grass and any other weeds off. I now seem to be at the point were I have resonably clear plots. So from my experience I think you just have to be persistent!!! I find it quite satisfying to spend a couple of hours hoeing over the plots. You feel as if you are making progess if everytime you go you have cleared some of the stuff out!

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Author Topic: Couch grass - getting a bit demoralised! (Read 10715 times)

Hugh_Jones