Hi folks,
I've been lurking over winter (and so has my poor garden) but now it is time
for action!
I'm in Northern Melbourne, my soil is quite clayey and I'm having a
horrendous time with cooch grass which has invaded the garden beds in a
major way. I've hand pulled 70% and I'm currently forking up a bit more from
the looser soiled part but there is one area that is defying anything I can
dish out physically so I'm planning to use Roundup when I can get a windless
day.

What should I do next to get early use of that part of the bed? Cover in
plastic and "bake" it for a few weeks or better to pile with newspapers and
mulch and give it a couple of months? I would like to put in a barrier so
I'm not forever doing this but it's so backbreaking digging in our soil. The
bed is more than five metres long. I would consider raising the beds but
can't really justify buying more topsoil at the moment. I'm trying to tackle
it one area at a time so that I can at least do some planting.

Also I'm on a limited budget and was planning to get bales of hay or pea
straw to use as mulch but I've been noticing the new breeds of mulch in
Bunnings. Any of the one with nutrients and wetting agents any good? I also
spotted these large mulch bricks. You add water and get 30lt of mulch I
think. Anyone had any experience with these? I don't have access to a
trailer or large car so paying for things to be delivered adds considerably
to my costs. What is economical but effective? Is it worth contacting a tree
felling company? They would chip their cuttings I assume. Are they usually
cheap?

I also have to move some strawberry plants from the garden into pots so I
can remove the cooch. Will I get away with doing it now?

Thank you

Liz

"Staycalm" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,
I've been lurking over winter (and so has my poor garden) but now it is
time
for action!
I'm in Northern Melbourne, my soil is quite clayey and I'm having a
horrendous time with cooch grass which has invaded the garden beds in a
major way. I've hand pulled 70% and I'm currently forking up a bit more
from
the looser soiled part but there is one area that is defying anything I
can
dish out physically so I'm planning to use Roundup when I can get a
windless
day.

Suprisingly pulling it out is effective but it takes more than one go.
If you are going to spray it you are better off leaving it to grow a little
to get more coverage with the spray. At a rate of 15ml per litre it should
die. Spray it, leave it for about 4 weeks, then spray again. Even spray the
forked up bits.

What should I do next to get early use of that part of the bed? Cover in
plastic and "bake" it for a few weeks or better to pile with newspapers
and
mulch and give it a couple of months? I would like to put in a barrier so
I'm not forever doing this but it's so backbreaking digging in our soil.
The
bed is more than five metres long. I would consider raising the beds but
can't really justify buying more topsoil at the moment. I'm trying to
tackle
it one area at a time so that I can at least do some planting.

After 2 sprays you should be relatively ok. Just spray the garden edge to
avoid more getting into the garden when needed. Don't spray then cover with
plastic/newspaper. If this makes sense, the better it grows, the better it
will die. The grass needs to be actively growing to take up the chemical.

Also I'm on a limited budget and was planning to get bales of hay or pea
straw to use as mulch but I've been noticing the new breeds of mulch in
Bunnings. Any of the one with nutrients and wetting agents any good? I
also
spotted these large mulch bricks. You add water and get 30lt of mulch I
think. Anyone had any experience with these? I don't have access to a
trailer or large car so paying for things to be delivered adds
considerably
to my costs. What is economical but effective? Is it worth contacting a
tree
felling company? They would chip their cuttings I assume. Are they usually
cheap?

Careful, Lucerne hay can have weeds in it. So can grass hay. Really unless
you know someone who has tried it from a particular supplier you won't know
what may pop up. We've had oaten (I think), and canola from a supplier of
Lucerne hay. We changed suppliers and going with grass hay which we have
only just put down, so we'll have to see what comes of that.
Sugar cane mulch would be the best I'd say.
You can try a tree lopper, prices may vary. Only use aged, broken down mulch
from them and ask if there is Tallowoods. If there is, avoid it. Though I'd
say most tree loppers, if they cleared an area of Tallowoods would not sell
it.
Careful of mulch from local council tips. We have a green waste section at
our local tip. All of it is mulched, weeds, everything whatever is dumped
there. I have heard of syringes being found in mulch from tips too.

I also have to move some strawberry plants from the garden into pots so I
can remove the cooch. Will I get away with doing it now?

Put it this way, now is better than later. Water well the day before
removal, dig out getting as much roots as possible, replant, water and hope
for best.

Cheers
Andrew

Thank you

Liz

Thanks Andrew - very helpful. I'll give the cooch spraying a go as you
suggest. I'll look for the sugarcane mulch and compare prices.
As to the strawberries - do you cut off the daughter plants in the middle of
the runner? Do you keep those really long woody looking roots too?

Liz
"Andrew G" wrote in message
...

"Staycalm" wrote in message
...
Hi folks,
I've been lurking over winter (and so has my poor garden) but now it is
time
for action!
I'm in Northern Melbourne, my soil is quite clayey and I'm having a
horrendous time with cooch grass which has invaded the garden beds in a
major way. I've hand pulled 70% and I'm currently forking up a bit more
from
the looser soiled part but there is one area that is defying anything I
can
dish out physically so I'm planning to use Roundup when I can get a
windless
day.

Suprisingly pulling it out is effective but it takes more than one go.
If you are going to spray it you are better off leaving it to grow a
little
to get more coverage with the spray. At a rate of 15ml per litre it should
die. Spray it, leave it for about 4 weeks, then spray again. Even spray
the
forked up bits.

What should I do next to get early use of that part of the bed? Cover in
plastic and "bake" it for a few weeks or better to pile with newspapers
and
mulch and give it a couple of months? I would like to put in a barrier
so
I'm not forever doing this but it's so backbreaking digging in our soil.
The
bed is more than five metres long. I would consider raising the beds but
can't really justify buying more topsoil at the moment. I'm trying to
tackle
it one area at a time so that I can at least do some planting.

After 2 sprays you should be relatively ok. Just spray the garden edge to
avoid more getting into the garden when needed. Don't spray then cover
with
plastic/newspaper. If this makes sense, the better it grows, the better it
will die. The grass needs to be actively growing to take up the chemical.

Also I'm on a limited budget and was planning to get bales of hay or pea
straw to use as mulch but I've been noticing the new breeds of mulch in
Bunnings. Any of the one with nutrients and wetting agents any good? I
also
spotted these large mulch bricks. You add water and get 30lt of mulch I
think. Anyone had any experience with these? I don't have access to a
trailer or large car so paying for things to be delivered adds
considerably
to my costs. What is economical but effective? Is it worth contacting a
tree
felling company? They would chip their cuttings I assume. Are they
usually
cheap?

Careful, Lucerne hay can have weeds in it. So can grass hay. Really unless
you know someone who has tried it from a particular supplier you won't
know
what may pop up. We've had oaten (I think), and canola from a supplier of
Lucerne hay. We changed suppliers and going with grass hay which we have
only just put down, so we'll have to see what comes of that.
Sugar cane mulch would be the best I'd say.
You can try a tree lopper, prices may vary. Only use aged, broken down
mulch
from them and ask if there is Tallowoods. If there is, avoid it. Though
I'd
say most tree loppers, if they cleared an area of Tallowoods would not
sell
it.
Careful of mulch from local council tips. We have a green waste section at
our local tip. All of it is mulched, weeds, everything whatever is dumped
there. I have heard of syringes being found in mulch from tips too.

I also have to move some strawberry plants from the garden into pots so
I
can remove the cooch. Will I get away with doing it now?

Put it this way, now is better than later. Water well the day before
removal, dig out getting as much roots as possible, replant, water and
hope
for best.

Cheers
Andrew

Thank you

Liz

In article ,
"Staycalm" wrote:


What should I do next to get early use of that part of the bed? Cover in
plastic and "bake" it for a few weeks or better to pile with newspapers and
mulch and give it a couple of months?

Hi Liz! Wait till the grass looks pretty dead before covering it with
anything, that's all I've heeard.

I would like to put in a barrier so
I'm not forever doing this but it's so backbreaking digging in our soil. The
bed is more than five metres long. I would consider raising the beds but
can't really justify buying more topsoil at the moment. I'm trying to tackle
it one area at a time so that I can at least do some planting.

I am not sure physical barriers work that well for a grass like couch. There
used to be couch on one side of my Dad's garage, and it crept all the way
under the slab and out the other side!

Also I'm on a limited budget and was planning to get bales of hay or pea
straw to use as mulch but I've been noticing the new breeds of mulch in
Bunnings. Any of the one with nutrients and wetting agents any good? I also

Look, they might be, but pea straw et al aren't bad, and are considerably
cheaper, I would imagine.

spotted these large mulch bricks. You add water and get 30lt of mulch I
think. Anyone had any experience with these? I don't have access to a

Sounds suspiciously like peat moss, which wouldn't be a good choice for mulch
as it becomes water-repellent quite easily.

trailer or large car so paying for things to be delivered adds considerably
to my costs. What is economical but effective? Is it worth contacting a tree
felling company? They would chip their cuttings I assume. Are they usually
cheap?

Try that, and also your local council loppers. Mine are happy to drop a
truckload of chipped loppings on the driveway for free, bcause it saves them
having to take it to the depot.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Life is like a cigarette -- smoke it to the butt." -- Harvie Krumpet

"Staycalm"
As to the strawberries - do you cut off the daughter plants in the middle
of
the runner? Do you keep those really long woody looking roots too?

Actually the daughter plants will probably be the best plants to keep and
you should toss out the old mother plants (old strawberry plants are prone
to disease). So long as the daughter plants have roots you can cut off the
runner at the daughter plant.

Amy