On 23/06/2012 20:03, sweetheart wrote:

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article , "sweetheart"
says...

I have been using roundup and weedol even tried the 24 hr fast acting
stuff
but its all useless.

Are you following the dilution and application rates accurately?

yes, in fact I have even tried using a stronger solution.

It is there that you are going wrong. Paradoxically to get optimum kill
on perennial weeds with big root systems you want to slightly 10-20%
over dilute the glyphosate so that the time for final kill is longer.
That allows more time for the stuff to work its way down to the roots.

If you use it too strong you just burn the tops off without killing any
of the roots and it will quickly regenerate at this time of year. Wastes
chemicals and has exactly the opposite effect of what you intend.

I have tried smothering the ground with thick carpet but they grow
through.

What kind of time frame?

The carpet has been on the garden two years. It did supress some smaller
weeds and twitch grass but mostly they have just pushed their way
through in the summer. It was a thick carpet too. I really couldnt
believe it.

The commercial ground cover is even more useless.

Since it is stinging nettles and they grow apace in the summer, its
getting out of hand now, I need drastic action.

I'd suggest a scythe (dangerous to work with) or a sickle. I really
don't understand why you are struggling with nettles so much once you
hack them down any new growth is easily managed with glyphosate.

Horsetails, convolvulus and ground elder are much harder to eradicate.

On the plus side nettles are host to some very pretty butterfly larvae
which is why I do not completely eradicate them from my garden.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown