The week end before last was exceptionally dry and sunny after a wet
period, here in the Eastern part ofthe Midlands of Ireland.
I therefore decided to treat my drive (compacted hardcore) and back
path (concrete slabs) with Pathclear to get rid of all weeds. 10 days
on, and I am practically taking the weeds' pulse for signs of
ill-health... How long does the stuff take to show results this time of
year? Is this a bad time of year to use it?
I am not enamoured with chemical treatment where it can be helped, and
I have maintained the drive and back path by hand throughout the
summer, but being busy and bad weather means I have let it get on top
of me over the last couple of months.
Are there any effective alternative treatments?

Still on weeds, I took the hoe to the veg patch for what I figured
would be the last weeding session of the year. I did no different from
what I would do during the summer, but instead of withering, the weeds
I topped with the hoe just seem to have recovered... and re-taken root.
Is it because the sun is not about to bake them? Is it because it is
wetter now? Should I just forget about weeds till Spring? (and I
admit that if the answer to this is yes, I will be most willing to
oblige!!)

TIA!

Cat(h)
Herds twirl slow...

"Cat(h)" wrote in message
oups.com...
The week end before last was exceptionally dry and sunny after a wet
period, here in the Eastern part ofthe Midlands of Ireland.
I therefore decided to treat my drive (compacted hardcore) and back
path (concrete slabs) with Pathclear to get rid of all weeds. 10 days
on, and I am practically taking the weeds' pulse for signs of
ill-health... How long does the stuff take to show results this time
of
year? Is this a bad time of year to use it?
I am not enamoured with chemical treatment where it can be helped, and
I have maintained the drive and back path by hand throughout the
summer, but being busy and bad weather means I have let it get on top
of me over the last couple of months.
Are there any effective alternative treatments?

Still on weeds, I took the hoe to the veg patch for what I figured
would be the last weeding session of the year. I did no different
from
what I would do during the summer, but instead of withering, the weeds
I topped with the hoe just seem to have recovered... and re-taken
root.
Is it because the sun is not about to bake them? Is it because it is
wetter now? Should I just forget about weeds till Spring? (and I
admit that if the answer to this is yes, I will be most willing to
oblige!!)

TIA!

Cat(h)
Herds twirl slow...

It will be a few weeks or even more before you see the effects of your
actions. For best results make such an application in the spring or
early summer when the weeds are growing and even then the weeds, in my
experience, will not be eradicated for a few weeks although, as you will
see, this site says differently:

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/garden-chemi...hclear/320381/

Regards,
Emrys Davies.

Cat(h) wrote:
[...]
Still on weeds, I took the hoe to the veg patch for what I figured
would be the last weeding session of the year. I did no different
from what I would do during the summer, but instead of withering,
the
weeds I topped with the hoe just seem to have recovered... and
re-taken root. Is it because the sun is not about to bake them? Is
it because it is wetter now? Should I just forget about weeds
till
Spring? (and I admit that if the answer to this is yes, I will be
most willing to oblige!!)

I'd do it again, if possible. Yes, they will often re-grow after
hoeing, especially in moist conditions: sometimes the hoe leaves the
crown of the weed intact (hoeing too shallow), and sometimes it just
leaves the whole weed plant on the surface, roots, leaves and all
(hoeing too deep). A bugger, isn't it? It helps if you keep your hoe
sharp with a scythe-stone or something. Running through the rows with
a Dutch hoe shouldn't be strenuous work; but in my bitter experience
you'll particularly get the above versions of regrowth if the soil is
stony.

A great tool I haven't got is the Wilkinson "swoe": it's like a Dutch
hoe, but with only one "arm", so you can cut backwards and forwards
with both leading and trailing edges. Seize one with alacrity if you
ever see it second-hand, or invest the rather excessive number of
Euro or quid to buy a new one.

--
Mike.

The message .com
from "Cat(h)" contains these words:

The week end before last was exceptionally dry and sunny after a wet
period, here in the Eastern part ofthe Midlands of Ireland.
I therefore decided to treat my drive (compacted hardcore) and back
path (concrete slabs) with Pathclear to get rid of all weeds. 10 days
on, and I am practically taking the weeds' pulse for signs of
ill-health... How long does the stuff take to show results this time of
year? Is this a bad time of year to use it?

Did you read the packet first? :-) Some weedkillers are dependent
on temperature , because the plant needs to be in active growth to
disperse the chemical to the roots.

Are there any effective alternative treatments?

I use a flamegun on the drive ( pressurised parrafin)..it's cheaper,
and the results are no worse.

Still on weeds, I took the hoe to the veg patch for what I figured
would be the last weeding session of the year. I did no different from
what I would do during the summer, but instead of withering, the weeds
I topped with the hoe just seem to have recovered... and re-taken root.
Is it because the sun is not about to bake them? Is it because it is
wetter now?

Both. Summer and winter weeding are two different kettles of fish.

Should I just forget about weeds till Spring?

No, but any you hoe off or pull out at this time of year, should be
removed (most can be composted) . It's worth getting on top of them now,
because if you leave them till spring they will grow away at huge speed
and make a lot more work than they would be now.

Janet

On Mon, 14 Nov 2005 18:44:31 +0000, Mike Lyle wrote:

Cat(h) wrote:
[...]
Still on weeds, I took the hoe to the veg patch for what I figured
would be the last weeding session of the year. I did no different
from what I would do during the summer, but instead of withering,
the
weeds I topped with the hoe just seem to have recovered... and
re-taken root. Is it because the sun is not about to bake them? Is
it because it is wetter now? Should I just forget about weeds
till
Spring? (and I admit that if the answer to this is yes, I will be
most willing to oblige!!)

I'd do it again, if possible. Yes, they will often re-grow after
hoeing, especially in moist conditions: sometimes the hoe leaves the
crown of the weed intact (hoeing too shallow), and sometimes it just
leaves the whole weed plant on the surface, roots, leaves and all
(hoeing too deep). A bugger, isn't it? It helps if you keep your hoe
sharp with a scythe-stone or something. Running through the rows with
a Dutch hoe shouldn't be strenuous work; but in my bitter experience
you'll particularly get the above versions of regrowth if the soil is
stony.

A great tool I haven't got is the Wilkinson "swoe": it's like a Dutch
hoe, but with only one "arm", so you can cut backwards and forwards
with both leading and trailing edges. Seize one with alacrity if you
ever see it second-hand, or invest the rather excessive number of
Euro or quid to buy a new one.
***********************
Yes super hoes!...But how about secateurs
I have about ten pairs of secateurs all of which drive me up the pole one
way or another.

The worst...you clip once then they lock...for every clip
you have to unlock them. If you're cutting down Hymalian Musk roses you
have to wear very thick gloves.
The only sensible secateurs are ones garnered from Victorian ancestors
that have a spring in the middle and a lock on the handle you put across
yourself when required. They're getting a bit dilapidated now.
I don't care how much they cost if I can find a decent pair!
***********************

The message
from Welsh Witch contains these words:

....But how about secateurs
I have about ten pairs of secateurs all of which drive me up the pole one
way or another.

The best are Felco.They're not cheap, but have a lifetime guarantee.
Ideally, find a retailer which has some on display, so that you can try
them for size, and see which model best suits your hand (and usage).
Felco No 2, provided at garden I work in, suits my hand size fine (
medium to large in gloves).

http://www.ukoutdoorstore.co.uk/felco.html

The worst...you clip once then they lock...for every clip
you have to unlock them. If you're cutting down Hymalian Musk roses you
have to wear very thick gloves.

I find long-handled loppers or a pole saw preferable for hand-combat
with the giant roses.

Janet

On Tue, 15 Nov 2005 09:55:38 +0000, Janet Baraclough wrote:

The message
from Welsh Witch contains these words:

...But how about secateurs
I have about ten pairs of secateurs all of which drive me up the pole one
way or another.

The best are Felco.They're not cheap, but have a lifetime guarantee.
Ideally, find a retailer which has some on display, so that you can try
them for size, and see which model best suits your hand (and usage).
Felco No 2, provided at garden I work in, suits my hand size fine (
medium to large in gloves).

http://www.ukoutdoorstore.co.uk/felco.html

The worst...you clip once then they lock...for every clip
you have to unlock them. If you're cutting down Hymalian Musk roses you
have to wear very thick gloves.

I find long-handled loppers or a pole saw preferable for hand-combat
with the giant roses.

Janet
************************
Brilliant! Thanks a bunch. I've just been on the website they do look as
if they would do any job.
I have got a couple of pairs of loppers, but the make my arms ache like
hell and are not so manoeuverable as smaller hand tools. hanks again W
***********************

Janet Baraclough wrote:

The message .com
from "Cat(h)" contains these words:

The week end before last was exceptionally dry and sunny after a wet
period, here in the Eastern part ofthe Midlands of Ireland.
I therefore decided to treat my drive (compacted hardcore) and back
path (concrete slabs) with Pathclear to get rid of all weeds. 10 days
on, and I am practically taking the weeds' pulse for signs of
ill-health... How long does the stuff take to show results this time of
year? Is this a bad time of year to use it?

Did you read the packet first? :-) Some weedkillers are dependent
on temperature , because the plant needs to be in active growth to
disperse the chemical to the roots.

Are there any effective alternative treatments?

I use a flamegun on the drive ( pressurised parrafin)..it's cheaper,
and the results are no worse.

That kind of appeals to the pyromaniac in me... interesting, and
probably more environmentally friendly than Pathclear and less work
intensive than hand pulling.


Still on weeds, I took the hoe to the veg patch for what I figured
would be the last weeding session of the year. I did no different from
what I would do during the summer, but instead of withering, the weeds
I topped with the hoe just seem to have recovered... and re-taken root.
Is it because the sun is not about to bake them? Is it because it is
wetter now?

Both. Summer and winter weeding are two different kettles of fish.

Hmm... I learn...


Should I just forget about weeds till Spring?

No, but any you hoe off or pull out at this time of year, should be
removed (most can be composted) . It's worth getting on top of them now,
because if you leave them till spring they will grow away at huge speed
and make a lot more work than they would be now.

Very true. Although I'll admit I was hoping someone would say "Don't
worry about them, they won't grow in winter"... because week ends are
always busy as hell, and the daylight hours getting scarcer and
scarcer.


Thanks to all who responded!

Cat(h)
Herds twirl slow...