horsetail and couch grass
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Hi Snugglebum and Phil S
As Peter says Ht and Cg are very persistent. Neither will have a problem with going through woven fabric.
I've had my plot for 12 years [about 40yards x 35yards] and decided not to use chemicals. The bottom end of my plot was rife with Ht, bind weed [Bw] and Cg.
Being a carpenter, I happened to be in the right place at the right time and got about half a mile of 6x1 timber. It was winter time and not a weed in site. I made 38 raised beds. [the old boys on the lotty thought I was a nutter,they still do] I put black plastic on the paths and wood chip on top. It looked bril. By mid summer you couldn't see the beds for the weeds. I spent 5 years fighting the stuff. You could dig it out of the beds, but it was always under the plastic just waiting to invade the beds.
Then the head gardener at HDRA Yalding said to try this. In the autumn rotavate the plot and sow a green manure[Gm]. In the spring rotavate the Gm in and sow another Gm. In summer rotavate again.[ The timing needs to be right for the summer one. The weather needs to be for rain. Do this a day or two before] and sow mustard. The mustard is very fast growing and will out grow the already weakened weeds. I rotovated 5 times in that year. It knocked the Bw and Cg for 6 but I'm still fighting Ht.
I do use the Ht. It's high silica content makes it good as a preventative against blight. Boil an oz or so of dry Ht in 2 pints of rain water for 20 mins then let it stand for 24 hours. Strain and add 2 gallons of water. spray at 10 to 14 day intervals, on tomatoes and potatoes. It's also good on squashes, strawberries and anything else that gets fungus diseases. Haven't tried my feet yet.
As Peter says Ht and Cg are very persistent. Neither will have a problem with going through woven fabric.
I've had my plot for 12 years [about 40yards x 35yards] and decided not to use chemicals. The bottom end of my plot was rife with Ht, bind weed [Bw] and Cg.
Being a carpenter, I happened to be in the right place at the right time and got about half a mile of 6x1 timber. It was winter time and not a weed in site. I made 38 raised beds. [the old boys on the lotty thought I was a nutter,they still do] I put black plastic on the paths and wood chip on top. It looked bril. By mid summer you couldn't see the beds for the weeds. I spent 5 years fighting the stuff. You could dig it out of the beds, but it was always under the plastic just waiting to invade the beds.
Then the head gardener at HDRA Yalding said to try this. In the autumn rotavate the plot and sow a green manure[Gm]. In the spring rotavate the Gm in and sow another Gm. In summer rotavate again.[ The timing needs to be right for the summer one. The weather needs to be for rain. Do this a day or two before] and sow mustard. The mustard is very fast growing and will out grow the already weakened weeds. I rotovated 5 times in that year. It knocked the Bw and Cg for 6 but I'm still fighting Ht.
I do use the Ht. It's high silica content makes it good as a preventative against blight. Boil an oz or so of dry Ht in 2 pints of rain water for 20 mins then let it stand for 24 hours. Strain and add 2 gallons of water. spray at 10 to 14 day intervals, on tomatoes and potatoes. It's also good on squashes, strawberries and anything else that gets fungus diseases. Haven't tried my feet yet.
"One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade and a packet of garden seeds"