hi all i have a question....... would a weed wand kill the crouch grass??? or will it just burn it and not get the root??? only a chap said that is what i should do with the crouch grass on my Lotty advice please thanks ;) ;)
Sorry but there is only one answer I'm afraid and that is to dig, dig, dig. Its the only way to get rid of it.
Look around the other plots and see how you would like yours to look. You will be able to see the difference between those who made the initial effort and those who did not. Then decide how you want yours to look. In years to come you will be pleased that you made the effort to dig it all out in the first place. You should then only get annual weeds and an hour or two per week hoeing will then keep it weed free. It really is worth the initial effort.
If we had some sunshine and wind you could turn some sods over each trip and leave them to dry and then go back next day and knock the soil off.
agree with morton. it'll only burn the top (might make it easier to dig without the green bits getting in the way) but won't kill the roots and the grass will only come back with a vengeance... I've been digging couch grass and am still amazed how far the roots can spread from the initial clumps.
and only turning the soil without picking the roots out won't kill couch either, the roots will only start to grow again and it'll be off...
pretty impressive plant really ::)
one of my neighbours has been trying to convince me to blast the plot with glyphosate but I'd rather dig. time consuming but surprisingly satisfying :)
The couch grass hmmm devil of a plant . If you dont want to dig it out cover it with black plastic .
Dig a trench round it so it will spread underneath and bury the sheet at its edges. It will kill it down in
time.
Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey. I've been digging in a rather desultory manner for the two years I've had the plot, and now there are whole sections that I can turn over in an afternoon rather than a month! :D
ok bupster you show off but thanks for the advice all of you
It would have cost you a small fortune in gas too.
Grrrrrr to those roots! But dig and get rid, else it keeps coming back from the teeniest bit of root.
I going into my ninth season and only now am I getting a twitch grass free plot. The only real answer is to dig it out and burn it. Never assume that you will ever get rid of it completely, as my gransher used to tell me it takes seven years to get rid and one year to come back
There's a real pleasure in digging and deweeding the ground.
After 3 years I have the couch sort of under control, and that is because each time I spot the leaves I dig out all I can. A "little and often" works.
Forget the wand idea, unless Merlin is one of your best mates, as even after a roaring bonfire the d**n stuff pops up after a few weeks, with a smile on its leaves!
As say the others before me - dig/dig/dig
If you can leave a patch free of crops for a few weeks, wait till it comes up, then dig the bits out individually. It's not hard; the roots are really tough, and with care you can get the whole thing out without breaking it. Than move on to another patch. In time, you clear the lot.
I cant recommend the weed wands enough.
Bought mine for £10 with gas from Lidls.
After a winters day digging in the allotment theres nothing nicer than to come home and light the fire,
.. and lighting the fire is a doddle with my weed wand :)
The best use for it.
I still rub 2 sticks together!!
Everybody has weed wands. They work very hard and can do miracles as well. Also known as hands ;D ;D ;D