Author Topic: Coach grass and fruit bushes (Read 2672 times)

slugcatcher · « **on:** April 21, 2005, 07:48:33 »

Has any of you wonderful folk got any good ideas for killing Coach grass around the base of fruit bushes (gooseberry and blackcurrent etc) without killing the bush.

I have a real problem I am hand weeding the stuff out but the roots have grown under the main stem and I nw its going to grow back. ???

Any ideas ::)

Ron :)

Derek · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2005, 07:53:47 »

Ron

I tried the Glyphosate approach last year...masked the bush off from the grass using a steet of cardboard and lightly misted the leaves of the couch grass (took a couple of goes)

This year couch grass free...goosegogs and redcurrants doing fine.

Derek

slugcatcher · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2005, 08:03:50 »

thanks Derek will give it a go
Ron

westsussexlottie · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2005, 09:56:47 »

I will try this too.

Thanks!

MarthaMad · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2005, 17:25:04 »

There is also a 'Paint-on' deep root killer.

I've used it, it is a bit wet, not as thick as I'd liked but it was easy to place. with out dripping.

waggi · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2005, 17:45:32 »

come and sea me at the weekend mate and i have some stuff to put down when you have weeded them to stop them coming again
matt :D

slugcatcher · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2005, 07:39:40 »

will do !!!!!!

Thanks
Ron

wardy · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2005, 14:54:05 »

With glyphos etc you can put on a rubber glove (aagh spider just ran over my hand - scared me to death) OK so exaggerated. Back to the post. If you put a rubber glove on (and one of them very thin ones first) you can dip your finger in the glyphos and just rub the weed with it. This so you don't spill it or get it on anything you shouldn't.

You can get weedkiller for use round established plants but it's expensive. It is generally available in the shops - or it was when I last looked.

Derek · « **Reply #8 on:** April 23, 2005, 07:27:36 »

I was talking to my allotment nighbour yesterday afternoon and he was spraying a second application on some weeds with Roundup.

During our chat it transpired that he had paid around fifteen pounds for three litres of ready mixed product from B & Q. He was comparing the area of couch grass I had sprayed, which was clear with his own which wasn't.

I told him I bought five litres of Glyphosate concentrate for around thirty pounds and it would last me for years. In fact several plotholders could share a five litre bottle making it very cost effective.

This is purchased form an agricultural supplier

Derek

slugcatcher · « **Reply #9 on:** April 23, 2005, 07:42:09 »

Thanks for the update and info Derek I will be having a look for some.

Ron

Justy · « **Reply #10 on:** April 23, 2005, 21:32:35 »

probably going to sound a bit thick here but is Roundup glyphosphate?
I am trying to be organic and will not spray anything on or close to my crops but my uncultivated bits of lottie are completely ( and I mean completely covered in couch grass, thistles, buttercup and bindweed (a lovely green mixture!) and to be honest I am never ever going to get is out without chemical help. I understand that Roundup is not too bad though as does not affect the soil at all. Any advice gratefully received!

wardy · « **Reply #11 on:** April 23, 2005, 22:01:45 »

Roundup is the trade name for glyphos. You can get it from your allotment association but you have to use it very carefully as any drift will kill everything. It doesn't harm the soil but can't be classed as organic. Your plot sounds like mine and I am doing a combination of no dig, covering bits I'm not doing yet with black sheet mulch etc. I haven't done any weed killing yet though. I got them down with a strimmer and then put the petrol mower over it a few times. Going to do that again soon as it's getting very weedy again. I thought I might use the glyphos on an area marked out for a bed. I think I will use it with the watering can (red one which I keep specially) so there won't be any drift

I used some at home on ground elder and it took about three weeks to start showing some effect. I let the weeds come back and then re-treated the area. They're coming back though so it's not the total answer.

Derek · « **Reply #12 on:** April 24, 2005, 08:47:01 »

The Glyphosate works through the leaves and as soon as it touches the soil it becomes enert, at least that's what a learned friend who knows told me.
I have always treat twice, lightly, over a week to ten days and that does the trick. The product has done its job within twentyfour hours but it does takes a week or so to show.

Last year an area treated this way gave me excellent crops of runner bean, courgettes and squashes.... no couch grass in evidence still

There is a guy on the allotment who is trying desparately to clear his plot...to be honest after three attempts of digging and weeding it looks no better.
I have mentioned Glyphosate to him but he wants to carry on...I wonder how long for before he becomes disilusioned

Derek

waggi · « **Reply #13 on:** April 24, 2005, 09:03:30 »

round up the way to do it

Derek · « **Reply #14 on:** April 24, 2005, 16:37:01 »

About five weeks ago I had a glorious Couch grass bed, a couple of applications and this is whats left (Picture taken this morning)...

The fruit bushes (red currants) are flourishing so are the goosegogs on the other side

Cheers
Derek

mark_h · « **Reply #15 on:** April 24, 2005, 20:05:27 »

Even though I promised myself not to do it, I used round-up on one of my beds on a couple of weeds. To prevent drift spray I cut the top off a used squash bottle to place over weed and sprayed through where screw cap would be.

Mark

Justy · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2005, 18:25:54 »

Right thats it I am going to get a bottle and get it sorted before too much stuff is planted. I have filled wheelbarrow with roots and the ground is still full of the d**n things so no more Mrs Nice Guy. 8)

Look out weedies........

suhayb · « **Reply #17 on:** April 26, 2005, 00:31:20 »

me lovely wife has just convinced me not to spray. I was happy with that. But now...??
I think i am still going to just rotovate it, plant and then spray where i need to......probably every where!

On a point of (get the dictionary......) paranoia-
(take breath for long sentence) so glyphosphate becomes inert when it comes into contact with the soil, but if the roots of the sprayed 'weed' are interwoven with the crop is there not a chance of poisening the crop from direct absorption from the poisened weed roots?? (breath again)

the_snail · « **Reply #18 on:** April 26, 2005, 12:00:20 »

Yes glyphosate works well. I like to mix the stuff in a hand sprayer and spray around the bush whilst it is masked off. Then when the grass is dead put a thick layer of mulch either well rotted manuar or garden compost around the base of the bush.

slugcatcher · « **Reply #19 on:** April 27, 2005, 06:53:28 »

thanks sexy snail
i will be following the advice

Ron

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Author Topic: Coach grass and fruit bushes (Read 2672 times)