Kitchen Garden Forum

every year we have to rip it out ,dh originally used some awful killer-but it's here again!

any tips to get rid/shrink/send it elsewhere (like next doors garden)would be much appreciated!?

i know, i know i bet there's no easy way-if any!!

Hi Jopsy,
Without the use of Glyphosate you will never get rid of it. So I should either use these awful weed killers or be prepared for a lifetime of misery.
There will now follow a plethera of postings saying how they have dug it out but I'm afraid that they will all still have Couch Grass in varying degrees.
Generally if used properly Glyphosate will get rid of Couch in one hit if properly applied.

apparently dh has just informed me he's bought 'tumbleweed' !
why am i always the last to know!
i really prefer not to use this kind of thing
thank-you johnboy

Oh well, it's a free country. If people want to be masochistic let them go down fighting their perennial weeds the hard way. It's amazing the way folks get brainwashed about being Organic.

dear allan im not brainwashed
just really try to do things the hard way!!

Hi Jopsy,
Unfortunately all chemicals get put into the Pesticide catagory by some but if you use your Tumbleweed which is glphosate based, which is a Herbicide, you will come to no harm.
The alternative is to dig and dig and dig and spend half your time, which would be better spent, trying to rid yourself of Couch Grass or use something that will assist you.
I take it that you are trying to be Organic but there comes a time when the use of chemicals is wise.
I practice what is called 'Pragmatics' rather than 'Organics' and use chemicals if and when there is no other course open to me. The treatment of Couch Grass is one of these occaisions.
Used properly you only have to use it once in your life. Or until you move to a new plot and have to start again. In the eyes of most of the people who contribute to this forum it is not a sin to use Glyphosate. Of course the choice is yours.

And so say all of us.........

here here

It's interesting to see what's in small print on just about all the short term weedkillers now EC has had a go. Just about everything I saw was based on something like glufosinate ammonium (not sure of name). This is also what is used Weedol2 and in the fast acting variant of the roundup/tumbleweed formulations, to me if it's EC approved it must be squeaky clean environmentally and in no way persistent.

Hi Jopsy

My plot has bindweed and I use glypsophate on the bugger. When I first got the plot it was covered, it was even strangling the couch. It was very bad.

Use the glypsophate on it and save yourself a load of aggrivation. I don't use any other chemicals but, after learning the hard way, it's the only way to tackle the thing. I only have very small pockets of it now but I still use the chemical.

One time, I pulled a root out of a small shoot. The root was nearly 4' long under the ground.

It's worth bearing in mind that if the weed is on a neighbouring plot or garden, it will continue to infiltrate yours no matter what method you use to get rid of it. You'll need to either keep attacking it as it comes back in or put down some kind of barrier.

Hi Jopsy,
I've had another senior moment and please for Couch Grass read Bindweed! Of course it goes for Couch Grass as well though.
I think the idea of using stealth to treat for Bindweed that is strangling a particular plant.
Place Bamboo canes through the plant and allow the BW to climb and then put a horizontal cane a cross the others and when it has grown away from the plant THEN hit it with Glyphosate. I cannot remember who put his on the old forum but it was a stroke of genius.

thanks all
ill go round later with my canes and killer!
i may just attack next doors as he uses killer on other things!!
jo n lily x

OY,TART,any chance of putting some more of that poison stuff on ye weeds,there back on my ever so purfik plot

In the days of bindweed and treatment with lawn weedkiller 2.4D the best method was to dip the growing point in the solution. Maybe that is the way to treat it with glyphosate. If appropriate, frequent and regular application of the lawnmower will kill it, one never seed c.major (greater bindweed) in a lawn. My c.minor is all going beautifully yellow with fast-acting Roundup (equivalent) spray applied to it. The thistle-spraying season has just begun. Tallyho!
Allan