Tagetes minuta hates couch?

[tilts]

Tagetes minuta ......tall plant......insignigicant yellow lflowers.....its value ....alleged ability to destroy some of the toughest weeds via herbicidal root secretions...... plants reputedly clear ground of couch grass, bindweed and ground elder.
I read this in recent Gardens Monthly and have googled ~~~~~it appears that this works for pests also ~~~~~ has anyone used it to get at their couch????

[tilts]

[timnsal]

Bob Flowerdew mentions it in the 'no work' book - says it did work, but black plastic is easier :-\

I'm going to try it on the ground elder in the garden. It's worth a try.

Sally

[Justy]

currently got about 40 little tagetes plants growing away in the grow house. Hope this will work rather than planting direct. 

I saw something on TV once which showed a sea of couch grass and a definate line where it stopped around the tagetes. 

fingers crossed!

[SMP1704]

I also read that eel worms hate the root secretions.........but where does everyone get their seeds from??

[Gordon]

I used these last year to get rid of horsetail it didn't seem to do much to start with but then they really took affect after about 2 months so I'm going to plant a lot more this year on the part of the plot that i haven't attacked yet.

Gordon

[Gordon]

I got my seeds from Chiltern seeds here http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/pages/moreinfo.asp?pe=DBFBCJGFQ_+tagetes+minuta&cid=211

Gordon

[Justy]

I think one of the seed companies also do them as part of their 'Garden Doctor' range.

Does anyone know if the other tagetes have the same effect?

[timnsal]

Organic gardening catalogue. HDRA or whatever they're called these days.

(I hope - they haven't arrived yet and previous orders from them have usually been to the next village first.)

[timnsal]

Seeds arrived without too many detours and are growing away in the greenhouse.

Presumably, if it's that effective on the nasties, it will also do for any other plants in the vicinity? Anyone know?

Sally

[Gordon]

Hi Timnsal

In answer to your question DO NOT put it near any other plants as it will destroy them also as i found out with the OHs sweet peas.

Gordon

[timnsal]

Thanks Gordon,
That's what i wanted to know.

Sally

[saddad]

I'm raising some to put on an abandoned plot adjoining mine, overgrown with couch and bindweed!
:-\
Wish me luck!

[katynewbie]

 ???

Is it just the "minuta" that does this, or all the Tagetes? I have some growing perilously close to things I care about...eeek!

Advise please...may need to nip out and tear them up!

[grawrc]

Just the minuta variety. I have just planted some raised from seed several months ago. I'll report back. I got them from the organic catalogue.

[amphibian]

You only get 95 seeds for your £1.44 from HDRA. From CN Seeds you can buy over 7000 seeds for £4.35 (Vat Inc.)