On 27/09/2014 6:50 PM, Biggles wrote:
First time post so would appreciate some advice.

Just bought a house with a neglected garden.

To the back I had 10 foot tall ivy which I have cut down and a mat of
ivy just below what was once the lawn. After 3 rounds of glyphosphate
much of the greenery is dying. I plan to leave over winter and then
apply a further 2 rounds of glyphosphate to any growth before
rotavating.

Be very careful of doing anything that could possibly chop up and spread
active roots of ivy around the place.

Mymain concerns a

Will glyphosphate kill roots of ivy\couchgrass which do not multiply
after rotavating the soil?

I'd have severe doubts of that. I've never found glyphosate to be
effective at killing ivy. When I've used it on ivy on a wall, the ivy
looks like its dead but within the next 2 years it sprouts again and
starts growing.

I have also heard of triclopyr and brushwood killer, can this be used in
conjunction with glyphosphate?

Yes. In an effort to kill an infestation of Sacred Bamboo, I've used
undiluted glyphosate and triclopyr mixed together in an old jam jar and
painted it straight onto each stem immediately after cutting through the
stem. I still haven't managed to kill the sodding thing but it looks
very sick. I must do the regrowth again this year now that Spring has
finally arrived.

Just don't want to make matters worse by rotavating roots which
reproduce.

I wouldn't rotovate. With ivy I think that the old fashioned and more
arduous way is the best way to deal with ivy.