On Sat, 9 Apr 2011 Janet wrote:

However the best use for
bracken that I have found is to add it to the compost heap, which I have
done, on and off, for some forty years.

me too, it has a high potash content.

Dead bracken is also a wonderful weed-suppressing, humus improving
surface mulch for strawberry and potato beds; if frost threatens the
emerging leaves you can just shuffle it over the haulms like a duvet. No
need to take it off later, they grow through it. It's also a slug
deterrent; they hate crawling over it. (No danger of the bracken seeding
into your garden)

I hadn't thought of that. My wife is forever trying to find suitable
slug suppressants. Unfortunately we don't have much bracken growing
close by where we live now otherwise I'd try that. But thanks for the
tip - I'll store it away for later use!

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK
http://rance.org.uk

"harry" wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 11:26 pm, "Kathy" wrote:
"harry" wrote in message

...
On Apr 5, 2:26 pm, Pam Moore wrote:





On Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:43:27 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

The question of how to get rid of this comes up frequently on
Gardeners Question time (Radio).
It amazes me how ignorant these so-called "experts" come up with crap
about mowing and FK what else.

The answer is simple.
Go out and buy "Asulox".
Spray in July (there is little/no apparent effect).
Next year, no bracken grows.

Simples. What's wrong with these dopey pillocks?
It's been out for twenty years to my knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asulox

Have you never heard the word "organic"?
The "dopey pillcks" on GQT to whom you refer try to give organic
solutions to problems.
Given this dodgy chemical you advise and Chris's pulling method, I
know which I'd use, but of course not if I had a hillside of it. Then
I'd call in professionals.

Pam in Bristol

Organic ********. If agriculture was organic the world would be
starving.
Organic foods are for dopey middle class women with nothing else to
worry about.
Get a life. Without herbicides/insecticides most of the world would be
dead. I expect you want to ban modern medicine and drugs unless they
are organic?
Get in the real world, nitwit.
The "professionals" would use asulox.

Gosh Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person. Being abusive
doesn't win you any arguments, it just gets you disregarded.

--
Kathy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I see you must be one of those people who disregard unpalatable truth.

&BTW I was not the first o get abusive. (Discounting the TV
celebrities that seem to be worshipped around here by some) That was
certain of the woman round here. At least female names. They get very
shrill when proved wrong.

I've been following this thread with some interest,.

Oh BTW Harry you "threw the first stone" back on 5 April.

I remain impartial in the debate.:-)

Bill

On Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:09:43 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"harry" wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 11:26 pm, "Kathy" wrote:
"harry" wrote in message

...
On Apr 5, 2:26 pm, Pam Moore wrote:





On Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:43:27 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

The question of how to get rid of this comes up frequently on
Gardeners Question time (Radio).
It amazes me how ignorant these so-called "experts" come up with crap
about mowing and FK what else.

The answer is simple.
Go out and buy "Asulox".
Spray in July (there is little/no apparent effect).
Next year, no bracken grows.

Simples. What's wrong with these dopey pillocks?
It's been out for twenty years to my knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asulox

Have you never heard the word "organic"?
The "dopey pillcks" on GQT to whom you refer try to give organic
solutions to problems.
Given this dodgy chemical you advise and Chris's pulling method, I
know which I'd use, but of course not if I had a hillside of it. Then
I'd call in professionals.

Pam in Bristol

Organic ********. If agriculture was organic the world would be
starving.
Organic foods are for dopey middle class women with nothing else to
worry about.
Get a life. Without herbicides/insecticides most of the world would be
dead. I expect you want to ban modern medicine and drugs unless they
are organic?
Get in the real world, nitwit.
The "professionals" would use asulox.

Gosh Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person. Being abusive
doesn't win you any arguments, it just gets you disregarded.

--
Kathy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I see you must be one of those people who disregard unpalatable truth.

&BTW I was not the first o get abusive. (Discounting the TV
celebrities that seem to be worshipped around here by some) That was
certain of the woman round here. At least female names. They get very
shrill when proved wrong.

I've been following this thread with some interest,.

Oh BTW Harry you "threw the first stone" back on 5 April.

I remain impartial in the debate.:-)

Bill

Time to get a well-designed newsreader, perhaps? I don't *really*
think you got Kathy mixed up with Harry, or that Harry said "Gosh
Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person" to himself (though
he needs to); but that's what the above exchange looks like. I use one
called Agent: it set me back a once-and-for-all payment of USD29, but
I think there's a perfectly good free version -- I don't know if you
can keep the free one for life, but it must be a good way to try out
the system.

--
Mike.

On Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:34:21 +0100, Mike Lyle
wrote:

On Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:09:43 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"harry" wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 11:26 pm, "Kathy" wrote:
"harry" wrote in message

...
On Apr 5, 2:26 pm, Pam Moore wrote:





On Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:43:27 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

The question of how to get rid of this comes up frequently on
Gardeners Question time (Radio).
It amazes me how ignorant these so-called "experts" come up with crap
about mowing and FK what else.

The answer is simple.
Go out and buy "Asulox".
Spray in July (there is little/no apparent effect).
Next year, no bracken grows.

Simples. What's wrong with these dopey pillocks?
It's been out for twenty years to my knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asulox

Have you never heard the word "organic"?
The "dopey pillcks" on GQT to whom you refer try to give organic
solutions to problems.
Given this dodgy chemical you advise and Chris's pulling method, I
know which I'd use, but of course not if I had a hillside of it. Then
I'd call in professionals.

Pam in Bristol

Organic ********. If agriculture was organic the world would be
starving.
Organic foods are for dopey middle class women with nothing else to
worry about.
Get a life. Without herbicides/insecticides most of the world would be
dead. I expect you want to ban modern medicine and drugs unless they
are organic?
Get in the real world, nitwit.
The "professionals" would use asulox.

Gosh Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person. Being abusive
doesn't win you any arguments, it just gets you disregarded.

--
Kathy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I see you must be one of those people who disregard unpalatable truth.

&BTW I was not the first o get abusive. (Discounting the TV
celebrities that seem to be worshipped around here by some) That was
certain of the woman round here. At least female names. They get very
shrill when proved wrong.

I've been following this thread with some interest,.

Oh BTW Harry you "threw the first stone" back on 5 April.

I remain impartial in the debate.:-)

Bill

Time to get a well-designed newsreader, perhaps? I don't *really*
think you got Kathy mixed up with Harry, or that Harry said "Gosh
Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person" to himself (though
he needs to); but that's what the above exchange looks like. I use one
called Agent: it set me back a once-and-for-all payment of USD29, but
I think there's a perfectly good free version -- I don't know if you
can keep the free one for life, but it must be a good way to try out
the system.

Forte have now withdrawn the "Free Agent" newsreader - I don't know if
it's still available somewhere to download. But the price of Agent is,
I think, really worth it. FWIW the last version of the freebie was
3.something. The main product is now on version 6.

David Rance wrote:
I think there are two groups in this discussion. Those who are
horticulturists and have only a little bracken to contend with, and
agriculturists who have acres of the stuff. The trouble is, each is
arguing from their own point of view.

Do you think? I was under the impression there was a group of people of
assorted backgrounds, and one great big fat troll.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:09:43 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"harry" wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 11:26 pm, "Kathy" wrote:
"harry" wrote in message

...
On Apr 5, 2:26 pm, Pam Moore wrote:





On Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:43:27 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

The question of how to get rid of this comes up frequently on
Gardeners Question time (Radio).
It amazes me how ignorant these so-called "experts" come up with crap
about mowing and FK what else.

The answer is simple.
Go out and buy "Asulox".
Spray in July (there is little/no apparent effect).
Next year, no bracken grows.

Simples. What's wrong with these dopey pillocks?
It's been out for twenty years to my knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asulox

Have you never heard the word "organic"?
The "dopey pillcks" on GQT to whom you refer try to give organic
solutions to problems.
Given this dodgy chemical you advise and Chris's pulling method, I
know which I'd use, but of course not if I had a hillside of it. Then
I'd call in professionals.

Pam in Bristol

Organic ********. If agriculture was organic the world would be
starving.
Organic foods are for dopey middle class women with nothing else to
worry about.
Get a life. Without herbicides/insecticides most of the world would be
dead. I expect you want to ban modern medicine and drugs unless they
are organic?
Get in the real world, nitwit.
The "professionals" would use asulox.

Gosh Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person. Being abusive
doesn't win you any arguments, it just gets you disregarded.

--
Kathy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I see you must be one of those people who disregard unpalatable truth.

&BTW I was not the first o get abusive. (Discounting the TV
celebrities that seem to be worshipped around here by some) That was
certain of the woman round here. At least female names. They get very
shrill when proved wrong.

I've been following this thread with some interest,.

Oh BTW Harry you "threw the first stone" back on 5 April.

I remain impartial in the debate.:-)

Bill

Time to get a well-designed newsreader, perhaps? I don't *really*
think you got Kathy mixed up with Harry,

I certainly did not! I was replying directly to Harry's posting.

Bill

On Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:33:22 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:09:43 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"harry" wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 11:26 pm, "Kathy" wrote:
"harry" wrote in message

...
On Apr 5, 2:26 pm, Pam Moore wrote:





On Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:43:27 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

The question of how to get rid of this comes up frequently on
Gardeners Question time (Radio).
It amazes me how ignorant these so-called "experts" come up with crap
about mowing and FK what else.

The answer is simple.
Go out and buy "Asulox".
Spray in July (there is little/no apparent effect).
Next year, no bracken grows.

Simples. What's wrong with these dopey pillocks?
It's been out for twenty years to my knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asulox

Have you never heard the word "organic"?
The "dopey pillcks" on GQT to whom you refer try to give organic
solutions to problems.
Given this dodgy chemical you advise and Chris's pulling method, I
know which I'd use, but of course not if I had a hillside of it. Then
I'd call in professionals.

Pam in Bristol

Organic ********. If agriculture was organic the world would be
starving.
Organic foods are for dopey middle class women with nothing else to
worry about.
Get a life. Without herbicides/insecticides most of the world would be
dead. I expect you want to ban modern medicine and drugs unless they
are organic?
Get in the real world, nitwit.
The "professionals" would use asulox.

Gosh Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person. Being abusive
doesn't win you any arguments, it just gets you disregarded.

--
Kathy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I see you must be one of those people who disregard unpalatable truth.

&BTW I was not the first o get abusive. (Discounting the TV
celebrities that seem to be worshipped around here by some) That was
certain of the woman round here. At least female names. They get very
shrill when proved wrong.

I've been following this thread with some interest,.

Oh BTW Harry you "threw the first stone" back on 5 April.

I remain impartial in the debate.:-)

Bill

Time to get a well-designed newsreader, perhaps? I don't *really*
think you got Kathy mixed up with Harry,

I certainly did not! I was replying directly to Harry's posting.

Yes, I worked it out at once, and I imagine everybody else did, too.
But your newsreader marked both Kathy's and Harry's as the same
message by using the same number of "" things.

--
Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:33:22 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
. ..
On Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:09:43 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"harry" wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 11:26 pm, "Kathy" wrote:
"harry" wrote in message

...
On Apr 5, 2:26 pm, Pam Moore wrote:





On Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:43:27 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

The question of how to get rid of this comes up frequently on
Gardeners Question time (Radio).
It amazes me how ignorant these so-called "experts" come up with
crap
about mowing and FK what else.

The answer is simple.
Go out and buy "Asulox".
Spray in July (there is little/no apparent effect).
Next year, no bracken grows.

Simples. What's wrong with these dopey pillocks?
It's been out for twenty years to my knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asulox

Have you never heard the word "organic"?
The "dopey pillcks" on GQT to whom you refer try to give organic
solutions to problems.
Given this dodgy chemical you advise and Chris's pulling method, I
know which I'd use, but of course not if I had a hillside of it.
Then
I'd call in professionals.

Pam in Bristol

Organic ********. If agriculture was organic the world would be
starving.
Organic foods are for dopey middle class women with nothing else to
worry about.
Get a life. Without herbicides/insecticides most of the world would be
dead. I expect you want to ban modern medicine and drugs unless they
are organic?
Get in the real world, nitwit.
The "professionals" would use asulox.

Gosh Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person. Being abusive
doesn't win you any arguments, it just gets you disregarded.

--
Kathy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I see you must be one of those people who disregard unpalatable truth.

&BTW I was not the first o get abusive. (Discounting the TV
celebrities that seem to be worshipped around here by some) That was
certain of the woman round here. At least female names. They get very
shrill when proved wrong.

I've been following this thread with some interest,.

Oh BTW Harry you "threw the first stone" back on 5 April.

I remain impartial in the debate.:-)

Bill

Time to get a well-designed newsreader, perhaps? I don't *really*
think you got Kathy mixed up with Harry,

I certainly did not! I was replying directly to Harry's posting.

Yes, I worked it out at once, and I imagine everybody else did, too.
But your newsreader marked both Kathy's and Harry's as the same
message by using the same number of "" things.

--
Mike.

I saw this but can't explain why it happened. I realise how confusing the
result has been.
All the rest of the quote has the etsc.

All this may have diverted peoples' attention from the real oint of my
posting - Harry was responsible for the first bit of abuse contrary to his
claim that he wasn't.

Bill

On Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:33:15 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:33:22 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:09:43 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:


"harry" wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 11:26 pm, "Kathy" wrote:
"harry" wrote in message

...
On Apr 5, 2:26 pm, Pam Moore wrote:





On Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:43:27 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

The question of how to get rid of this comes up frequently on
Gardeners Question time (Radio).
It amazes me how ignorant these so-called "experts" come up with
crap
about mowing and FK what else.

The answer is simple.
Go out and buy "Asulox".
Spray in July (there is little/no apparent effect).
Next year, no bracken grows.

Simples. What's wrong with these dopey pillocks?
It's been out for twenty years to my knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asulox

Have you never heard the word "organic"?
The "dopey pillcks" on GQT to whom you refer try to give organic
solutions to problems.
Given this dodgy chemical you advise and Chris's pulling method, I
know which I'd use, but of course not if I had a hillside of it.
Then
I'd call in professionals.

Pam in Bristol

Organic ********. If agriculture was organic the world would be
starving.
Organic foods are for dopey middle class women with nothing else to
worry about.
Get a life. Without herbicides/insecticides most of the world would be
dead. I expect you want to ban modern medicine and drugs unless they
are organic?
Get in the real world, nitwit.
The "professionals" would use asulox.

Gosh Harry, you really are one incredibly rude person. Being abusive
doesn't win you any arguments, it just gets you disregarded.

--
Kathy- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I see you must be one of those people who disregard unpalatable truth.

&BTW I was not the first o get abusive. (Discounting the TV
celebrities that seem to be worshipped around here by some) That was
certain of the woman round here. At least female names. They get very
shrill when proved wrong.

I've been following this thread with some interest,.

Oh BTW Harry you "threw the first stone" back on 5 April.

I remain impartial in the debate.:-)

Bill

Time to get a well-designed newsreader, perhaps? I don't *really*
think you got Kathy mixed up with Harry,

I certainly did not! I was replying directly to Harry's posting.

Yes, I worked it out at once, and I imagine everybody else did, too.
But your newsreader marked both Kathy's and Harry's as the same
message by using the same number of "" things.

--
Mike.

I saw this but can't explain why it happened. I realise how confusing the
result has been.
All the rest of the quote has the etsc.

I think it happens if one starts with the cursor in the "territory" of
the previous message -- depending on the software, maybe on the same
line as the sig. or something like that. I seem to remember it
happening to me sometimes with my previous newsreader.

All this may have diverted peoples' attention from the real oint of my
posting - Harry was responsible for the first bit of abuse contrary to his
claim that he wasn't.

Don't worry: I'm sure we all got that!

--
Mike.

Wow, I'm new here and the length of the quoted replies is off-putting in the extreme, so I won't add to the confusion.

I just wanted to find out the best way to tackle my 1/4 acre patch of bracken (which hasn't started showing yet). So far as I can see, there are three options:

1. Leave the bracken to act as a mulch/weed suppressant, and remove it in small areas only as and when I actually want to plant something.

2. Spray the bracken with Asulox/Asulam or get a professional in to do so.

3. Pull up the stalks by hand.

Can someone give me simple pros and cons for each option? I'm after knowledge here, not shouting matches.

Thanks.

On Apr 15, 2:26*pm, hellomabel
wrote:
Hi.

After the cold winter I left any dead or dying garden shrubs till the
warmer weather to see if they would recover of their own volition. Some
have, but others haven't, so I'm wondering how best to tackle the
sufferers or whether it's a wasted effort.

Conditions: slightly acid soil, northfacing garden in a valley in
Cornwall, damp climate.

1. A hardy fuchsia: big, no leaves, flowers or signs of green anywhere
yet, but there is white inside the twigs. My inclination is to leave it
till maybe June. Anything else I should do?

2. A gangly willow-leaved hebe: the leaves are shrivelling from the
bottom of the plant up. How will it cope with a drastic prune and feed?

3. A hydrangea: has never flowered in ten years (hydrangeas do well in
our area), but in previous years it produced leaves. This year very
little except a few tiny green shoots at the base. It sits in a dappled
shady shrub border under a large cherry tree. Drastic prune and feed?

4. Euphorbia mellifera: up to last year it used to be a very large,
healthy specimen in a giant pot outside the front door (up against the
front wall, with full sun). I forgot to wrap it in bubblewrap this
winter so I think the frost killed it - there are a few brown shoots, no
greenery showing. Would it be OK to plant another one in the same soil
or is it possible there's life in the old one still?

Sorry this is so long! Any tips much appreciated.

--
hellomabel

Wait until you're sure they're dead and cut off the dead bit or dig
up.
Always best to plant something different.
Hydrangeas need sun. Prob. why it hasn't flowered.
Your fuchia will be OK. Mine get killed off regularly but grow up
again from the ground.

Bear in mind, cold Winters may become the norm due to global warming.
Helps to cover the tender things over Winter. Sacking, plastic sheet,
straw, compost or the white furry stuff. Whatever you have.

Hydrangeas need sun. Prob. why it hasn't flowered.

Beg to differ. In my garden Mopheads are the one thing I can guarantee
will bloom like crazy against a north facing fence that gets no direct
sunlight at all.

Thanks for all your suggestions - much appreciated.


PS - why this thread seems to have migrated to the bracken one is a mystery to me. Perhaps a moderator could move it to the 'tackle dead or dying shrubs' one where it belongs? Thanks.

Thanks - all useful tips, and I'm pretty sure the cold winter and lack of protection over winter killed the euphorbia and maybe one or two of the others.

So far I've ditched the euphorbia (replacements are cheap and grow fast), left the fuchsia for now, and am thinking about giving the hebe a brutal prune and feed.

As to the hydrangea, you may be on to something there - shade and a lot of competition from other shrubs (and a big overhanging cherry tree) may be the problem. I had thought - obviously mistakenly - that hydrangeas liked a bit of dappled shade.

Thanks again.

Thanks for this. It may not be the shade (dappled) but the degree of competition (overhanging cherry tree, camellia close to it, assorted shrubs over the fence behind it). Plus I don't know if it's a mophead as I've never seen it flower - it just has what I think of as regular hydrangea leaves (fat, with serrated edges). I'm wondering if moving it might not be the best option, though whether now is the right time to do it is another question I would have.