Kitchen Garden Forum

Morning all and a happy new year,

I have a recurring problem with grape hyacinths taking over the plot and this year Ive vowed to beat them by starting early. I usually dig out as many as possible and then keep taking the tops off as they come up - this becomes tiring year after year though.

I wonder if glysophate applied now will be taken down into the bulb and kill them. I feel I need a chemical solution to this as I'll never manually dig them all out.

I would appreciate your experience and insights on this problem.

Happy growing

David

Dear David,
you have my deepest sympathies. We have a big problem with them at work as well. My boss sprayed ours last week during the mild weather so I will let you know what happens. Do remember that if you DO want to spray that the temperatures overnight need to be at least 5C for it to be effective. If you can spare the ground I would leave spraying for at least another month. It may also help to do a second spray about a month after the first just to make sure. Follow the instructions carefully and use a stronger dose rather than a weaker one, they are tough cookies those muscari.
Muscari also have an irritating habit of not always growing each year, especially the tiny ones. This may make it look as though your spraying was ineffective but be resigned to the fact that you may have to do the process all over again next year.
So that you do not lose a years cropping I would suggest that the affected area is used for tender crops this year such as squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, celeriac. Basically anything that can be planted from May onwards and harvested before Christmas.
Regards Sally Wright.

Thanks Sally, thats great advice. I will look forward to hearing how yours get on.

I guess areas that I have to plant with longer growing crops can have weed prevention fabric put down first, that should at least weaken them - and I wont have to look at them!

regards

David

This question was asked in I think the Sun yesterday in the peter seabrook column, he recomended using Deep Root rather than glysophate.

Thank you Sir, I'll have a look for that, havnt heard of it before.

David