[ricky]

Hi I have a part of my garden which I would like to turn into a wild flower meadow ,I ploughed it up 2 years ago and sprayed it with weed killer as it was covered with thick couch grass the plots about 60 metres by 30 metres so quite large ,I worked the soil and got it into good shape I then sent away to meadowmania and got meadow wildflower mix £150 all well and good the plot looked well for 20 months now you've guessed it the couch grass is back worse than ever it has choked and smothered the lovely wildflowers I'm lost for words after all my hard work I would really appreciate any ideas or thoughts from my fellow gardeners I'm at a loss as to what to do many thanks

[Oddpod]

Have a look at this. http://www.allotment-garden.org/garden-tips/garden-hints-tips-1.php#CouchGrass

[Kristen]

No help, I know, but I think a wildflower meadow is one of the most difficult things to do well.  Pretty sure the one at East Ruston Old Vicarage is ploughed up each year and the re-seeding adjusted according to what did well, and will have re-seeded itself, and what was thin / struggled to give that a boost ...

[Oddpod]

Yellow rattle parasitises grass and should weaken it where sown, however not sure how effective it would be for couch, which is as tough as old boots.

[Comfr3y]

this is quite an interesting chat on the subject from permaculture types. one suggestion was rye grass whoch i've used to quite good effect. i misread part of it as suggesting concreting the whole thing. oh also the importace of the border, they suggest comfrey.

http://www.permies.com/t/15510/woodland/Cooch-Couch-Grass-site-wanting