[Milton_Earnest]

Hi all,

Newbie post... 

We are in year 3 of our allotment and for various reasons we've struggled with couch grass;

Year one was clearing and digging over an old plot and growing some potatoes
Last year was literally a wash out with moats, although the raspberries went too well!
This year the plot looks like no one has touched it in years (again)

I have access to as much horse manure as I want just now and I was reading through various posts on here and taking some local advice and it seems that using a 3-6 inch layer as a mulch on top of the couch grass will weaken it by cutting out access to sunlight, then after 6 weeks turn in and pull any remaining roots;

Any thoughts whether that would work?
Does it need to be longer than 6 weeks, i.e. leave it with 6 inches all year?
Can I plant something into the manure (like green manure?) whilst its suffocating the weeds?

[gremlin]

Welcome Milton, and well done on sticking with it for 3 years and not giving up like many others! 
My two-pennyworth:-

1. Manure is always good, so shovel it on, whatever !

2. Cutting out the light will help weaken the grass, but I think thick black plastic is the better bet.  3 to 6 inches of new strawy manure just isn't thick enough.  12" might do it.  Even then, I bet some couch grass will still grow right through it.

3.  Six weeks isn't enough.  The whole of the summer might be more like it, and dig it over in autumn

4. No idea if green manure would work on top of the real manure.  Might be fun to try !   
Courgettes might grow in the manure. (never tried it)


Some on this website recommend strimming and gyphosphate, which is one way. 

I cleared 99% of my couch grass by careful and through digging over three years, pulling out every last root.  No plastic sheet or weedkillers.  (I also removed the broken glass, bits of plastic and metal and other deep roots like docks, dandelions, bindweed and horsetail at the same time.)

Couch grass will compost in a big enough compost bin if left for 18 months.   Mine is 1m x1m x1m - but i'm not boasting  !    I had far too much couch to take away and it was too wet to burn.

[Stevens706]

I am using horse manure as a mulch for the first time this year, I have spread it 3 -4 inches over the area I am going to grow the pumpkins and squashes. These will be planted into holes dug into the mulch. After cropping the pumpkins the mulch will be rough dug in ready for next years spuds. Well that's the plan.

[angelavdavis]

Hi Milton,

I am in year three on my first plot (just taken over a further plot this year).  My plot suffer with bad couch and bindweed too.  Last year was particularly bad because of the heavy rainfall, so don't beat yourself up about it - a lot of plotholders suffered.

Personally, I would recommend:

- Giving the whole plot a strim, running a mower over the areas you wish to make paths.
- Covering paths - either with sheets of cardboard or invest in a roll of a good quality weed suppressant fabric.  I paid £35 for mine when I got my first plot and it only ran out last year when I started working on the new plot.  Then get hold of bark chips - many councils will deliver free of charge or contact tree surgeons locally as many have to pay to get rid of it and so they are happy to deliver.  Top off the cardboard/fabric with 2 inches of chippings.  Losing the grass paths stops the couch from invading into your growing area.
- Cover areas you are not working with old tarpaulin, pierced black plastic or weed suppressant fabric - this weakens the couch to stop it flourishing and seeding but allows water to drain through.
- Look up no dig gardening methods - I personally have found lasagne gardening really useful to get on top of a plot - if you look at the start of my gardening diary on this site (link in my signature) you will see if was all couch when we took it over - we used lasagne beds to get growing quickly and I still continue to use it where possible.  Horse manure is the perfect mulch - but I would recommend you either cover the beds with soaked cardboard or thick layer of newspaper first to keep the weeds down.  Beware though that horse manure can contain a lot of weed seeds, so don't think you will be guaranteed weed-free!

If you are finding that your plot suffers from waterlogging, it might be worth considering building beds instead - you can use lasagne beds to start them off.

If you decide not to use no dig, but dig out the roots, I have found the best method of dealing with them is:

- Yank out the roots and either drown them in a bucket of water or leave to stew under black plastic for the season (put them in a compost bag turned inside out - avoid cheap bin liners - the couch always seems to grow through causing more of an issue for you).  When they no longer look like couch - add to the compost bin.
- Lay them out on a sheet of plastic in the sun (if we get any) to cook - then when they are dried out, add to the compost bin.
- Consider using a glyphosate based weed-killer if you aren't against chemicals completely.  Choose a wind-free day and keep the spray/watering can low to stop overspray.  You may need a couple of applications.

If the manure is well rotted (weeds growing on top of the pile is a good sign), then plants which are greedy feeders should be happy growing in it - although brassicas prefer firmer soil.

Good luck!

[simonwatson]

I've just been putting horse manure from a compost bin onto the bed where I'm going to grow spuds this year. The manure has been there for 12 months,was 2 feet deep and covered with weed fabric. When I removed the fabric, poking out the top was some yellowed but very alive couch grass with roots all the way to the bottom of the pile.

[Trillium]

My mother has a huge pile of manure and compost behind the barn and I tried to use the big tractor bucket to get some manure out, but not a chance. The couch roots were so thick that not even the big bucket with hydraulic power could force its way through the tangle. After many tries, I gave up. Good thing mum has 120 acres to play with because this small area was a write-off.

[ilan]

I would be very very wary of putting any horse manure near my plot its full of viable weed seeds  . last time I used it spent the rest of the year deweeding I think this type of manure causes as many problems as it solves unless its well rotted or buried very deep just use cardboard and grass cuttings as a mulch and keep it clear of any growing plants

[boldondig]

I don't use horse manure as a mulch - I have found it is full of weed seed if used direct.  I have two 1m2 compost bins which I fill in the spring ( just done it ) it heats up nicely and I dig it into my beds in the autumn.  I do have a problem with couch grass and bind weed - This is my third year with my allotment- I have used black plastic and have planted squash / courgettes through it successfully. However the open beds still sprout Couch Grass and Bind weed. The best way I have found to get rid of it is dig it out with a spade - as deep as you can - the bind weed goes into the Clay Sub soil - so it will always come back a bit - perseverance is the key - keep at it...

[shed head]

Welcome Milton, and well done on sticking with it for 3 years and not giving up like many others! 
My two-pennyworth:-

1. Manure is always good, so shovel it on, whatever !

2. Cutting out the light will help weaken the grass, but I think thick black plastic is the better bet.  3 to 6 inches of new strawy manure just isn't thick enough.  12" might do it.  Even then, I bet some couch grass will still grow right through it.

3.  Six weeks isn't enough.  The whole of the summer might be more like it, and dig it over in autumn

4. No idea if green manure would work on top of the real manure.  Might be fun to try !   
Courgettes might grow in the manure. (never tried it)


Some on this website recommend strimming and gyphosphate, which is one way. 

I cleared 99% of my couch grass by careful and through digging over three years, pulling out every last root.  No plastic sheet or weedkillers.  (I also removed the broken glass, bits of plastic and metal and other deep roots like docks, dandelions, bindweed and horsetail at the same time.)

Couch grass will compost in a big enough compost bin if left for 18 months.   Mine is 1m x1m x1m - but i'm not boasting  !    I had far too much couch to take away and it was too wet to burn.

Hi Gremlin
The couch grass rotted down after 18 monthes?..Did you put anything else in the bin with it?
Im asking because i have around 40 black bin bags full of the stuff and an empty metre square bin that ive not started filling yet.
You think it would be ok to load it in there?

[Trillium]

In one of Bob Flowerdew's books he shows how you half fill a barrel with water and shove all sorts of noxious weeds into it to let them rot and turn into useful plant feed. After a few months, you'd screen whatever you pour off then keep topping up water and weeds - with a midge screen on top so they don't get in and breed.

[shed head]

Ta Tril'
Ive had some in a bin of water for a few weeks and keep topping it up with more couch as it rots down but its going to take a long long time.
Just looking for other ways to get rid of it.
Was thinking of putting a dalek on concrete and filling it with couch....it would rot eventually i guess.
The stuff in the bin bags is bursting through the smallest holes and appears to be growing happily 
Is there anything i could put in with to speed things up?
Any advise/suggestions much appreciated

[Milton_Earnest]

Thanks for all the replies and advice, I think I'll try building some raised beds and experiment...