Thread: Brambles
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Old 04-04-2005, 10:42 PM
Phil L
 
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JustJo wrote:
:: Hi
::
:: I moved into a previouly empty house about 6 weeks ago and now the
:: weather is starting to get better I have donned my gardening
:: groves and started to find the garden under the jungle in my back
:: yard!
::
:: The brambles were awful at the bottom of the garden so I had then
:: all sawed down but already the stumps are starting to sprout
:: little leaves again.
::
:: I tried to dig out the roots but they are see thick and complex and
:: frankly, I'm just not that strong
::
:: I have a young daughter and I was hoping to make that part of the
:: garden into a veg patch so I'm not keen on poison. Do I have any
:: choice?
::
Not really, no...their roots can go down quite a long way and are
woody...try glyphosate (roundup), mix it as per instructions but you might
want to add an oily substance to it to prolong it's effectiveness...I've
used it mixed with parrafin, then added to water and sprayed onto
brambles(the parrafin keeps the poison on the surface longer than water,
rain can wash most of it off if used just mixed with water)...I've also
killed off thistles and other 'hard to beat' weeds...it breaks down on
contact with soil and is widely used in commercial agriculture so it's
perfectly safe where vegetables are concerned, it kills all the plant
including the roots but needs to be applied when it is actively growing - IE
it needs to go through the leaves etc.

:: Also, my lawn is quite patchy so I have let it grow for as long as
:: I can bear. I have mowed if for the first time and now I see all
:: the dandilion type weeds. I began to dig them out but it leaves
:: muddy patchs all over my already patchy lawn.
::
:: Shoudl I continue to dig them out and let the lawn repair it's
:: self or is it better to invest in some feed and weed. BTW,
:: Returfing is not really an option as the lawn is rather big.
::
:: Thanks guys

you can buy a weed pencil which is like one of those deodorant sticks, just
wipe it across the leaves of the 'lions and they too will shrivel up...once
they're out of the way, you can concentrate on getting the grass up to
scratch....it may seem like a big job but it's easier (and cleaner) to wipe
this across the leaves than to dig lumps out of the lawn, plus 'lion roots
can go down over two feet and if you snap the root it will simply grow back.


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