Clearing a flower bed
 

Hello there, I hope somebody can guide me. I'm something of a novice gardener so forgive me if this is a stupid question.

I have a flower bed that to my shame has been somewhat neglected. I've decided to rip it up and start again (as somebody once sang) and I mean start again. I hacked away at friend and foe alike on saturday. Scorched earth policy.

I want to make sure no roots make a comeback so I can the plant without concern. I've read about 'Round Up'. is that the way to go or is there a better way. I'm afraid I'm looking for the most hassle free option as I'm not dedicated enough to get on my knees with a trowel!

Can anyone give me some tips?

Thanks in advance - VM.

Roundup (a brand-name for glyphosate, which you can probably buy more cheaply under that name) kills plants that are in growth, by absorption through the leaves thereof, or sometimes by injection into a stump. It doesn't reliably kill woody plants, and you are going to have to dig out the stumps of those anyway, dead or alive. And some plants require reapplications of round-up, as it doesn't completely kill their roots first, or second, time. For some plants with over-winter root storage, this is a good time to apply round-up, but if you've hacked the tops off you may be stuffed.

Getting on your knees with a trowel and removing as many roots as you can is often, in the long run, the least-hassle option. Better done earlier in the season, than now, so then you can apply roundup to things that come back now.

The reality is that you will never remove everything, but it is best to get the real horrors under control by removing as much root as possible when the bed doesn't have desired plants in it.

Clearing a flower bed
 

"VEGETABLEMAN" wrote in message
...

Hello there, I hope somebody can guide me. I'm something of a novice
gardener so forgive me if this is a stupid question.

I have a flower bed that to my shame has been somewhat neglected. I've
decided to rip it up and start again (as somebody once sang) and I mean
start again. I hacked away at friend and foe alike on saturday. Scorched
earth policy.

I want to make sure no roots make a comeback so I can the plant without
concern. I've read about 'Round Up'. is that the way to go or is there a
better way. I'm afraid I'm looking for the most hassle free option as
I'm not dedicated enough to get on my knees with a trowel!

Can anyone give me some tips?

Thanks in advance - VM.




--
VEGETABLEMAN

Roundup is good stuff but it works best on plants that are growing strongly
with lots of green leaf, bit of elbow grease is probably the best way to
start, you can always treat any thing you miss with round up later


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

Thanks for the advice both of you. Looks like I have to get me hands dirty. Not that I could do much else in this weather.