08-07-2003, 01:20 PM
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Nettle-choked garden - advice and suggestions welcome
(Genie) wrote in
om:
I spent a couple of hours last week trying to dig up some of the
nettles at the edge of the "grassed" area to see if it was possible to
remove them without sacrificing what little grass remains. However, I
discovered that there is a web of inch thick nettle roots about 20cm
below the soil surface, and that if I tried pulling them up, the
result looks like the surface of the moon. Am I right in concluding
it's better to redo the lawn from scratch?
Unless you are a lawn fanatic, I would just strim, then mow, and mow, and
mow. If there is still some grass in there, your nettle patch is not as
thick as some of mine were!
It will look awful for a few weeks, but soon green up. Stick a handful of
grass seed on any bits that look really bald, and don't forget to water it.
Nettles don't withstand mowing very well, so as long as you can force
yourself to mow at least once a week, they are not too horrible to get rid
of.
If you are a busy person and fear you may leave them to recover, I think
this is one case where a lawn 'weed and feed' may be the right option.
I wouldn't rotovate: it'll take you ages to get it properly flat again, and
as you say, won't kill the nettles.
Victoria
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