In article ,
Rick wrote:

I agree with John, your best choice will be a relatively behgn
pesticide like glyphosate (Roundup is one brand). Note- do not open
messages from Billy and Charlie. They won't have anything
constructive to say, and are rather overbearing in their
misunderstanding of science in general, and pesticide use in
particular. Crossbow would probably work better, but it is
considerably more toxic and you nentioned children. Glyphosate has
the advantage of being rapidly inactivated in soil

The non-pesticide option is to grub up the roots repeatedly and keep
the area mowed to prevent flowering and seeding. Both Dock and
nettles have long and split tap roots, so repeated treatment will be
required. This is possible for a smallish garden, but will take
several years.

Another possible alternative is a high concentration of acetic acid
(vinegar). NOTE: concentrations of vinegar sold as pesticides (5-7%)
do not work. The stuff you eat on your salad is 5%. It may burn the
geen down, but the plants will resprout. You may find a higher
concentration (eg 20%). There is a brand called Bradford
horticultural vinegar that is sold and is 20%. It is not branded as a
pesticide and is not EPA aproved for that purpose. This will cause
burns to your skin and will seriously damage your eyes should you get
it in them. It might kill dock roots, but also maybe not. Keep
everyone and everything out of sprayed area for at least 48 hrs.
Glyphosate is much safer.

On Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:36:53 +1000, John Morrison
wrote:

On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 20:40:14 +0100, keelematt
wrote:

Hi everyone.

Hi, I've read all the previous replies.

snip

One of the biggest problems I need to overcome right now is weed
control. We moved into our house nearly a year ago and inherited a
good sized but terribly neglected garden (30 years). The top 1/3 of
the garden, approx 50'x35’ is totally covered in Docks and nettles but
I'd really rather it be lawned. Last summer I got my hands on some
weedkiller and sprayed the lot, within a week they all seemed dead but
a few weeks later they were back with a vengeance so I sprayed them
again, and the same happened. Obviously they died down over winter but
now they’re back in all their glory.

What was the name of the weed killer you used?

Roundup etc. will probably eventually kill the docks and nettles but it
isn't going to happen overnight.

Sorry about the Ozzie link but I often used:
http://www.yates.com.au/products/wee...d-driveways-no
n-selective-control/zero-once-a-year-path-weeder/
You don't use a bucket or watering can, just a careful spray over the
plant.

Now, this is becoming a real bug bare and I don’t feel like I can move
on until I’ve figure out how to kill them. The area is way too big to
dig them out and they must be so deep routed I’m worried that weed
killer isn’t going to get rid either.

Weed killer *WILL* eventually allow you to win.

You are able to kill the adult plants with weed killer but seeds already in
the ground will again germinate.
So when they germinate spray them with weed killer.

After your weeds are all dead I will go back to saving the planet. ;-)

Rick is a real source of garden wisdom.

Bill

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--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA
Not all who wander are lost.
- J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)

Some Hopi gardener said, "This is not about growing vegetables; it
is about growing kids."