Your favourite piece of equipment

Cleaning, fixing, using, repairing, best and worst of your mechanical aids in the garden...

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter

gloworm
KG Regular
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 1:59 pm

[quote]Hi Vegman,
What has seeds got to do with it?

Couch propagates via seeds & roots
landie57
KG Regular
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Oct 07, 2006 8:42 am
Location: nr Bath, Somerset

I am sure I read in one of the manuals for the SIMAR Rototiller that it will leave most of the couch on top if it is used without the flap on the back of the rotavator (miller) box. Have not tried it myself. I suppose it depends how serious the couch problem is. I know I would not be without my old (1948) Rototiller 56, as it saves so much time in preparing the veg plot and leavs a wonderful tilth.
Vegman
KG Regular
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:41 am

Ive just received an offer from Superspray on my email to buy a 5 litre bottle ofPlant Magic liquid feed. Seems a good offer but has anyone used Plant Magic before (on tamatos)/
Howard Bantam
KG Regular
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2005 3:23 am

Johnboy wrote:Hi Vegman,
What has seeds got to do with it? When you put a rotavator over Couch Grass you give yourself thousands of minute cuttings that will all grow.
The chances of subsequent rotavations clearing all of those cuttings is zilch. If you then do it again and again the answer is still zilch. For every cutting that you leave on the surface to dry out and die there are probably 10 times more underground growing away. There are always Couch Grass roots that are far below the depth of the rotavator blades that will keep coming back. It is for this reason that I do not believe it is possible to clear a bed in this manner.
JB.


I've done it, sorry XX
Hortiman
KG Regular
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:30 pm
Location: Alltwalis, Carmarthen

Regarding couch grass eradication and rotavation, I think Landie57 has the better type of rotary cultivator for couch removal. The Simar rototiller is fitted with spring tines, which seem to hook out strands of couch and leave most of them on the surface, unlike the Howard type of L blade which does an excellent job of providing micropropagation material!. Which needs long hot sunny days and several rotavations to reduce the root population.
BUT WHAT ABOUT GROUND ELDER? or JAPANESE KNOTWEED ?
Happiness is a well tuned engine !
Vegman
KG Regular
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:41 am

Just been informed by the makers that this sprayer is has been approved by producers of Nemaslug. microscopic worms that live in the soild and eat the slugs. Anyone ever tried this product? nemaslug I mean.
Vegman
KG Regular
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:41 am

Bought it, applied it and now I wait!

re the superspray - when I mixed the 'meal' in the tank I kept shaking the tank to make sure it didnt settle. Accuracy of application apparentley is secondary to getting plenty of water onto the soil to wash in the nematodes. I guess with a watering can one could be tempted just to give it a wet rather than a soaking.

I live in hope
Life is like a toilet roll - the nearer you get to the end the faster it seems to go.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic