Couch grass and other weed roots

[glosterwomble]

I'm sure I read somewhere that roots from weeds could be left in a water container for a few weeks and the liquid used as a liquid manure like with comfrey, I spent 2 hours up on the plot on Monday and almost filled a large trug with perrenial roots, mostly couch grass roots. I'm really not sure what to do with the roots otherwise as obviously they can't go in the compost bin. What do other people do??? I really don't want to just 'bin' them, I'm trying to be as eco friendly as possible!

[glosterwomble]

[Robert_Brenchley]

Put them in the compost bin and leave them for a year or so. Otherwise, put them in a bucket of water for a few weeks, as you suggest. Don't be intimidated, they're not immortal.

[jennym]

Or pile them up in a disused corner, Robert's right, they do die eventually.

[triffid]

Hear hear Robert!

Don't be intimidated, they're not immortal.

The bucket-of-water trick has worked for me too.
Equally, so has bunging the wet roots into a black binbag and stuffing them into a corner by the compost heap to forget for a few months, and so has spreading them out in the sun to dry (which only took a couple of days in last year's heat!)

[norfolklass]

does this work for nettles, dock and thistles too?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Yes. A really big dock root, or massive bindweed, may take a couple of years in a compost bin, but it does die in the end. Even if you mulch the spuds with it by mistake, it's so weakened that it comes out easily when you find it.

[louise stella]

If you mulch like mad over the summer you should find that Couch (shudder) comes out a bit easier!  I've dug as much as possible out and will now mulch it to exclude light which weakens it a bit!

I've built a compost heap for some, bagged up tons more and left some to wither in the sun! (well we had some sun last week!).  Now it's just a case of who will win out!

Louise
XX

[emmy1978]

I've built a compost heap for some, bagged up tons more and left some to wither in the sun! (well we had some sun last week!).  Now it's just a case of who will win out!

Louise
XX

:o Same here. Didn't know what was for best and got so much differing advice from ooooh, that'll never rot down to bung it in a corner for a year and it'll be fine. So we've done the same. Some is for compost, some going in bucket and some I've bagged and taken to garden waste at tip as there was just sooooo much of it. Only got half plot. Not letting the couch have it all!
Louise - we will win out. Die couch grass Die!

[glosterwomble]

I quite like the idea of making a fertiliser out of the roots if possible, it seems like the ultimate up yours (excuse me  ::)) to the weeds if we can make them into food to make our crops better!!

[louise stella]

LOL....

That was my thinking exactly - I had so much and it just seemed like good revenge to get some use out of the horrible stuff - no matter how long it takes!!!!!

In fact I had a few sleepless nights at first worrying about the stuff - and then got a grip!

I now have the attitude that things will grow and the battle against couch will go on and eventually I will be the winner!  It's not a contest - it's all out war!

LOUISE

[glosterwomble]

Exactly Louise, it is war!!! (crazy how we do get worked up over couch grass!!  ;D )

[Robert_Brenchley]

More than war, it's genocide.

[louise stella]

So i'm not the only mad one about then eh?

LOL

Louise

[emmy1978]

So i'm not the only mad one about then eh?

LOL

Louise

Not round here no!

[Slug_killer]

Everyonetells me that bindweed is the Root Of All Evil, but exactly what problems does bindweed cause?

Does is kill other plants, or just compete with them ?

[ninnyscrops]

Strangles them