[Beejay]

I think I read somewhere, I cannot remember where, that that you can use the liquid that you 'drown' weeds in.
Anybody hear of that?

[mumofstig]

Yes the girl with the glasses and red hair (whose name i can never remember) on Gardener's world said to do it. Leave the weed roots in it until they've rotted away, you can then put any remains on the compost heap and the water for feeding the garden....that's how i remember it anyway

Not sure i'd put bindweed roots in the compost no matter how rotted they were tho
I'm sure the bu@@er would grow again somehow

[woodburner]

I'm currently trying to drown couch grass, but there's so much that some is swimming rather than drowning.     

[Trillium]

It's an idea I first heard from Bob Flowerdew in his book No Work Gardening. You need a good sized barrel to do this. Half fill barrel with water and shove in all weed roots (not tops) freed of soil. Even couch and bindweed can go in. Weight it down and if you're concerned with mosquitoes, add some used cooking oil to the surface. You can keep adding more weed roots (only) provided they stay under the water level, which you can keep topping up before you eventually stop adding to this barrel and start a fresh one. Let the first barrel age a while.
Ideally, you have a spigot at the bottom to eventually pour off some of the 'good stuff' which should be beyond mush by now and can be added to water plants. This liquid contains masses of nutrients which pernicious roots are famous for gathering and storing and will in no way 'seed' fresh weed roots.

[peapod]

an obvious question Trill,but I could do this with a water butt right? Covering the inside tap opening with mesh to let the water flow of course.Ive got room for a water butt at the end of my shed that cant be utilised for anything else,so this would be great for that

[Trillium]

Yes, a water butt would do the job with the screening at the spigot to prevent blockage.
The roots need to completely liquify to be useful, which is why I find Alyce's comment about putting the remains in the compost odd. What remains? Obviously she's not waiting long enough nor getting the full benefits.

[Beejay]

Thankyou all.
I am glad I am not remembering things that aren't