On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:49:39 GMT, "johngood_____"
wrote:


"John McMillan" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Emrys Davies" wrote:

"johngood_____" wrote in message
...

Does already mixed glyphosphate in the spray bottle lose any
affectiveness
after a year or so?

We have some invasive and difficult to reach bamboo plant between a
shed and
a wall and need the *maximum* effectiveness.

Would that mean spraying a tall piece of bamboo, or cutting it down so
as
just to spray a few leaves that are nearer to the ground, please?

If you are not in a hurray you could use the already mixed product to
see whether it has degraded and become non effective.

Best to spray the growing head of the whole bamboo as you will then be
maximizing the effects of the chemical.

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

No idea whether it degrades, but it works by being absorbed
by the plant and killing it systemically. So for maximum absorption
you want maximum leaf area. So put it on now before cutting anything.
I don't imagine there will be any difference between the "growing head"
(wherever that is on a bamboo) and any other green leaves. Its got to be
on the leaves, not the soil near the bamboo. If you don't much care
about the space between the shed and the wall, you might try common salt,
which bamboos particularly hate, on the soil.

Thanks to all. With regard to the salt, would its effect on the soil be
long lasting? Or might I be able to grow something there if i wanted to
after a year or two? ( I guess i'm asking how long the salt might take to
break down and neutralise in the soil). Thanks.

Salt (i.e. common salt) doesn't actually break down or neutralise. All
that happens is that it eventually gets leached out of the soil by
rain and ground-water movement. How long this takes very much depends
on the type of soil: thin sandy soils will clear much faster than
heavy clay, for example. I'd stick with glyphosate. AIUI it degrades
quite quickly in the soil. I find even old glyphosate quite effective.
Spray it on and see.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net