[Buzzy bee]

Hi

I am sure this has been covered, but for my benifit, can you tell me what the different ways of removing, no controlling it are, as I don't believe it can be removed.

I am tempted to spray it whilst trying to clear the plot as it is covered and just as green as my lawn is at home!  What are the best sprays to use, do you have to leave the soil for X amount of time, is is very bad to other plants for a long time, anything I should be aware of?

I am pretty sure I will go down the raised bed rout and they will be about two planks high, so will have topsoil manure infill ontop of where the spray will be, if that differs anyones oppinions!

Is there any barrier, fabric or whatever I can use on the base of the raised beds, to stop it coming up through the new soil, then again, my plants wouldn't go down then would they!  hehe

I will apriciate any help possible.

Cheers

Dave

[PAH48]

Just spent many many weeks digging out 6 beds 16' x 6' , on hands and knees
clearing the bindweed......
most are now planted out with tatties, I know some will re-appear.
but at least it will hopefully be shaded by the tats, and easier to get
rid of... just gotta keep on top of it, its worked, so far, on my other plot.

Yep!you could round up it, but that to my knowledge renders the plot
out of use  for a week or two.Therefore putting your plans behind.

The decission is yours...easy way or dig- dig -dig....

[Ice]

My choice would be to spray with Roundup and leave it for two weeks before planting. 

If you then build raised beds I wouldn't put any barrier in the bottom, just dig over the soil first and fill half way up.  Over time you will raise the level with the addition of compost or manure. 

[Buzzy bee]

Just spent many many weeks digging out 6 beds 16' x 6' , on hands and knees
clearing the bindweed......
most are now planted out with tatties, I know some will re-appear.
but at least it will hopefully be shaded by the tats, and easier to get
rid of... just gotta keep on top of it, its worked, so far, on my other plot.

Yep!you could round up it, but that to my knowledge renders the plot
out of use  for a week or two.Therefore putting your plans behind.

The decission is yours...easy way or dig- dig -dig....

Hi

Please don't laugh, but how do you dig it out, I did about 15m today, but just didn't know what/how to do it for the best.  I was losening the ground with a fork, then picking as much as I could out by hand, then turning the soil over to remove more again, shaking as much soil off as I can as I go along. 

I couldn't work out how to go deeper?

Anyway a turnips guide to doing it would be apriciated!

Cheers

Dave

[Buzzy bee]

My choice would be to spray with Roundup and leave it for two weeks before planting. 

If you then build raised beds I wouldn't put any barrier in the bottom, just dig over the soil first and fill half way up.  Over time you will raise the level with the addition of compost or manure. 

Hi

If I was to round up it, are we talking roundup from the garden centre?  Agric stuff seems to be stronger.  Anyway how long do I need to leave it for it to work, before it is safe to dig over/plant.

I am not sure how much I can plant in 2 or 3 weeks anyhow, as there are bushes and rubbish to be cleared/tidied on the site, and my shed and greenhouse need to be built.

Also there is a person one or two plots away who is organic, if I spray with a watering can and rose, the big droplet size should minimize drift.  Is this the right thing to do?

Cheers

Dave

[Rangerkris]

For me i have an area i place soil onto, concreate path runs along my plot side then i did over the next row of soil filling the trench i have made from the first lot now on the path. working my way row after row and then when i get to the end of the bed i rake all the soil over pulling the stuff from the path towards the last trench. all the time removing roots and stones.  ive found one small peice of bind weed so far and that to much  hahahhaha. i have been working this way to remove bramble and couch grass.  Its not easy and im not getting it all but as weed the beds im pulling couch grass most times.

Hope this makes sence

[Ice]

Use a watering can on a day with no wind.  Weatherwise, not you).

[PAH48]

Hi... certainly I would never laugh.....heck I'm still learning and will be for many a year yet.

Unfortunately there is only one way to dig it out and what you'ved said so far
is correct... spade depth , one row at a time. Back along fork it over and loosen
it up, pull out all you can...just keep going....
If as now mentioned your not going to plant for a while, round up.
I'm sure by using a watering can your not going to upset the guy a
couple of plots away...
Which ever route you take dig or round up..you could always cover
the plot with plasic sheets until your ready to plant out...
Black plasic...builders viscrene sheets... cardboard...anything realy
 cheers Best of luck...

[Parsnip]

Hi... certainly I would never laugh.....heck I'm still learning and will be for many a year yet.

Unfortunately there is only one way to dig it out and what you'ved said so far
is correct... spade depth , one row at a time. Back along fork it over and loosen
it up, pull out all you can...just keep going....
If as now mentioned your not going to plant for a while, round up.
I'm sure by using a watering can your not going to upset the guy a
couple of plots away...
Which ever route you take dig or round up..you could always cover
the plot with plasic sheets until your ready to plant out...
Black plasic...builders viscrene sheets... cardboard...anything realy
 cheers Best of luck...

That's more or less what we are doing PAH...ours is just full of couch grass ( the old guy next to me calls it Squitch?)  and horseradish... We've been up every night this week for a couple of hours. Hubby goes over with the spade, then with the fork then I fork over and pick out the big stuff, he forks over again picking more out, then I do the same..I don't think we've even got it all, but it's a start.

I've toyed with doing the round up thing, but I'm trying to hold off at the mo as i'm trying to be organic...We'll see how long it lasts

[Buzzy bee]

Hi... certainly I would never laugh.....heck I'm still learning and will be for many a year yet.

Unfortunately there is only one way to dig it out and what you'ved said so far
is correct... spade depth , one row at a time. Back along fork it over and loosen
it up, pull out all you can...just keep going....
If as now mentioned your not going to plant for a while, round up.
I'm sure by using a watering can your not going to upset the guy a
couple of plots away...
Which ever route you take dig or round up..you could always cover
the plot with plasic sheets until your ready to plant out...
Black plasic...builders viscrene sheets... cardboard...anything realy
 cheers Best of luck...

Hi

Thanks for not laughing, we all have to start somewhere, and as with many things I have done, I start with no - one there to show me, learning as I go.

I have put a piece of silage sheet over a good size piece of the plot.  will go and try to cover the other bits until I find a nice day to round up it.  Then I can dig over it and try to remove as much as I can.  After spraying, how long do I need to leave the weed until I can try to remove it, or is it a matter until it looks dead?  Then leave it two weeks until I start thinking of beds and planting?

At least with it covered it has got to limit further growth with no light surely!

Cheers

Dave

[Buzzy bee]

Hi... certainly I would never laugh.....heck I'm still learning and will be for many a year yet.

Unfortunately there is only one way to dig it out and what you'ved said so far
is correct... spade depth , one row at a time. Back along fork it over and loosen
it up, pull out all you can...just keep going....
If as now mentioned your not going to plant for a while, round up.
I'm sure by using a watering can your not going to upset the guy a
couple of plots away...
Which ever route you take dig or round up..you could always cover
the plot with plasic sheets until your ready to plant out...
Black plasic...builders viscrene sheets... cardboard...anything realy
 cheers Best of luck...

That's more or less what we are doing PAH...ours is just full of couch grass ( the old guy next to me calls it Squitch?)  and horseradish... We've been up every night this week for a couple of hours. Hubby goes over with the spade, then with the fork then I fork over and pick out the big stuff, he forks over again picking more out, then I do the same..I don't think we've even got it all, but it's a start.

I've toyed with doing the round up thing, but I'm trying to hold off at the mo as i'm trying to be organic...We'll see how long it lasts

Hi

A fella today called what I was digging out Squitch, I thought it was bindweed, but could be totally wrong being a beginner.

Will rounduo do couch grass too?

Cheers

Dave

[Parsnip]

Hi... certainly I would never laugh.....heck I'm still learning and will be for many a year yet.

Unfortunately there is only one way to dig it out and what you'ved said so far
is correct... spade depth , one row at a time. Back along fork it over and loosen
it up, pull out all you can...just keep going....
If as now mentioned your not going to plant for a while, round up.
I'm sure by using a watering can your not going to upset the guy a
couple of plots away...
Which ever route you take dig or round up..you could always cover
the plot with plasic sheets until your ready to plant out...
Black plasic...builders viscrene sheets... cardboard...anything realy
 cheers Best of luck...

That's more or less what we are doing PAH...ours is just full of couch grass ( the old guy next to me calls it Squitch?)  and horseradish... We've been up every night this week for a couple of hours. Hubby goes over with the spade, then with the fork then I fork over and pick out the big stuff, he forks over again picking more out, then I do the same..I don't think we've even got it all, but it's a start.

I've toyed with doing the round up thing, but I'm trying to hold off at the mo as i'm trying to be organic...We'll see how long it lasts

Hi

A fella today called what I was digging out Squitch, I thought it was bindweed, but could be totally wrong being a beginner.

Will rounduo do couch grass too?

Cheers

Dave

I'm new to this too Dave


I've just checked on a bottle I've bought the weeds on my garden path...Yes it does...and it says treat between April and November...so you can fire away - it's not cheap though, but a small bottle goes along way!

[Buzzy bee]

Hi

Now I feel sillier than ever!  It is couch grass not bind weed, I will carry on digging, as it is not meant to be as deep is it?

Am I ok to cut/burn the greens/tops off the couch grass prior to weeding the roots out?

Cheers

Dave

[Parsnip]

Hi

Now I feel sillier than ever!  It is couch grass not bind weed, I will carry on digging, as it is not meant to be as deep is it?

Am I ok to cut/burn the greens/tops off the couch grass prior to weeding the roots out?

Cheers

Dave

Oooh, I think you need one of our  experts to answer that one for you, I don't know

All I know is that is absolutely awful stuff and is hard to get rid of. Dave ( my plot neighbour )says you have to get every little bit out.. One of my other plot neighbours told me that he's even had it grow through a potato..

One of experts will be along in a mo i'm sure to answer it for us

[PAH48]

Twitch..Switch ...Couch grass.....its all a pain in the proverbial....
they all have to be dug out or round up...'ED
 
If you've got a local Allotment society, I'd deffinately recomend joining ,
I buy round up and others from there for less than a fiver, by the bucket...
2.5 - 5 kls at a time....
but always cover the area up..even after using it, it helps....

Before starting the new plot , left it covered from last November until  late
January this year...since dug over said beds, as previously mentioned...
covering certainly helps, but its not the complete answer...to be honest
non of them are, its a constant battle, only time and hard work will finally
win..(to a point)...Certainly round up or any of the others will give you a
head start....to begin planting 2-3 weeks after use....

If your allowed fires on the plot burn it or drown it

The path is yours to take.....Cheers PAH