I've a 17m x 10m garden area to the north of my house that at this
time of year gets reduced sun. It's to be reworked and needs a major
weed kill to get started.

I've glosphated part of it but it only that which is getting adequate
sun has died back.

What can I use to get rid of grass and weeds quickly. Cultivation
won't be till next year and there's going to be earth moving anyway -
it's the latter I want to get on with before we get into really wet
weather!!

Rob

Rob G wrote in news:cdedb58a-a5fc-4fbc-8583-
:

I've a 17m x 10m garden area to the north of my house that at this
time of year gets reduced sun. It's to be reworked and needs a major
weed kill to get started.

I've glosphated part of it but it only that which is getting adequate
sun has died back.

What can I use to get rid of grass and weeds quickly. Cultivation
won't be till next year and there's going to be earth moving anyway -
it's the latter I want to get on with before we get into really wet
weather!!

Rob


Not really an answer but I would do the earth moving before using weed
killer. There will be weed seeds present in the soil and killing the weeds
you see now will not do any good. In fact the weeds can act as green
manure! The weed seeds will grow and there is little you can do about it,
just hoe them as you see them.
When you have done your landscaping(?) you will have weeds next spring,
whichever way you do it, and that is the time to use weedkiller.
You can plant in a weed bed if you mulch around them, choking off the
weeds.
You will never have a weed free garden. Whatever you do.

I hope this helps.
Baz

On 07/10/2012 11:41, Rob G wrote:
I've a 17m x 10m garden area to the north of my house that at this
time of year gets reduced sun. It's to be reworked and needs a major
weed kill to get started.

I've glosphated part of it but it only that which is getting adequate
sun has died back.

At this time of year you are on borrowed time. Most perennial weeds are
no longer growing actively and will probably survive glyphosate (or
practically any other weedkiller). Unless the plant is valuable in which
case spray drift from next door will kill it stone dead.

What can I use to get rid of grass and weeds quickly. Cultivation
won't be till next year and there's going to be earth moving anyway -
it's the latter I want to get on with before we get into really wet
weather!!

Basically at this time of year you are down to generic fast acting weed
killer. Paraquat would be ideal but ISTR it is banned now.

As soon as you do earthworks new light activated weed seeds will
germinate almost immediately. My advice is hit it with something now and
dig out as much of the roots as you can get. You really need to say
which weeds you are fighting to get better advice.

For horsetails the advice is "move house" or "small nuclear device".

Nettles are pretty easy with a strong fork and a bit of elbow grease.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Oct 7, 5:18*pm, Martin Brown
wrote:
On 07/10/2012 11:41, Rob G wrote:

I've a 17m x 10m garden area to the north of my house that at this
time of year gets reduced sun. *It's to be reworked and needs a major
weed kill to get started.

I've glosphated part of it but it only that which is getting adequate
sun has died back.

At this time of year you are on borrowed time. Most perennial weeds are
no longer growing actively and will probably survive glyphosate (or
practically any other weedkiller). Unless the plant is valuable in which
case spray drift from next door will kill it stone dead.



What can I use to get rid of grass and weeds quickly. *Cultivation
won't be till next year and there's going to be earth moving anyway -
it's the latter I want to get on with before we get into really wet
weather!!

Basically at this time of year you are down to generic fast acting weed
killer. Paraquat would be ideal but ISTR it is banned now.

As soon as you do earthworks new light activated weed seeds will
germinate almost immediately. My advice is hit it with something now and
dig out as much of the roots as you can get. You really need to say
which weeds you are fighting to get better advice.

For horsetails the advice is "move house" or "small nuclear device".

Nettles are pretty easy with a strong fork and a bit of elbow grease.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Thanks for your comments, guys. I take on board the points about weed
seeds :(

The area has a lot of grass which has been strimmed a couple of times
this year to keep it in check, and a lot of dandelions. There is
brambles and convolvulus but not at any problem level and nettles are
at a minimum.

I suppose having just mentioned strimming, one solution would be to
strim it all down hard, and then bring in the mini digger. There's a
lot of soil movement and a soakaway for rain water to be installed,
followed by general levelling and a polytunnel erection.

Rob

On 07/10/2012 23:23, Rob G wrote:

The area has a lot of grass which has been strimmed a couple of times
this year to keep it in check, and a lot of dandelions. There is

Dandelions are easy - 12" screwdriver and/or broadleaf selective
weedkiller will easily remove them. Don't let them set seed!

brambles and convolvulus but not at any problem level and nettles are
at a minimum.

Brambles are easy unless there is a lot of them as in wilderness of
waist high brambles and nettles with convolvulus growing through it.

Any convolvulus is a problem level. You really need to hit that hard
with glyphosate and then try to get every last bit of root out. You will
fail but don't whatever you do rotivate with that in the ground or every
piece larger than 6mm will be a new plant!

Grass is exquisitely sensitive to glyphosate so it should die off now.

I suppose having just mentioned strimming, one solution would be to
strim it all down hard, and then bring in the mini digger. There's a

Not worth it. Turning the soil over will probably kill most lawn turf
anyway (but not the annoying weed couch grass).

lot of soil movement and a soakaway for rain water to be installed,
followed by general levelling and a polytunnel erection.

Pity you didn't hit it with glyphosate a bit earlier...


--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Monday, October 8, 2012 9:25:09 AM UTC+1, Martin Brown wrote:
On 07/10/2012 23:23, Rob G wrote:



The area has a lot of grass which has been strimmed a couple of times

this year to keep it in check, and a lot of dandelions. There is



Dandelions are easy - 12" screwdriver and/or broadleaf selective

weedkiller will easily remove them. Don't let them set seed!



brambles and convolvulus but not at any problem level and nettles are

at a minimum.



Brambles are easy unless there is a lot of them as in wilderness of

waist high brambles and nettles with convolvulus growing through it.



Any convolvulus is a problem level. You really need to hit that hard

with glyphosate and then try to get every last bit of root out. You will

fail but don't whatever you do rotivate with that in the ground or every

piece larger than 6mm will be a new plant!



Grass is exquisitely sensitive to glyphosate so it should die off now.



I suppose having just mentioned strimming, one solution would be to

strim it all down hard, and then bring in the mini digger. There's a



Not worth it. Turning the soil over will probably kill most lawn turf

anyway (but not the annoying weed couch grass).

I did that last winter in my garden, 10x5m, had a lot of moss. After that I've added some bags of compost and sown grass then manually picked the weeds.

Don't spend money on digger, turn over the turf and add a layer of compost, the thicker the better.


DanP

On Oct 8, 12:47*pm, wrote:
On Monday, October 8, 2012 9:25:09 AM UTC+1, Martin Brown wrote:
On 07/10/2012 23:23, Rob G wrote:

The area has a lot of grass which has been strimmed a couple of times

this year to keep it in check, and a lot of dandelions. *There is

Dandelions are easy - 12" screwdriver and/or broadleaf selective

weedkiller will easily remove them. Don't let them set seed!

brambles and convolvulus but not at any problem level and nettles are

at a minimum.

Brambles are easy unless there is a lot of them as in wilderness of

waist high brambles and nettles with convolvulus growing through it.

Any convolvulus is a problem level. You really need to hit that hard

with glyphosate and then try to get every last bit of root out. You will

fail but don't whatever you do rotivate with that in the ground or every

piece larger than 6mm will be a new plant!

Grass is exquisitely sensitive to glyphosate so it should die off now.

I suppose having just mentioned strimming, one solution would be to

strim it all down hard, and then bring in the mini digger. *There's a

Not worth it. Turning the soil over will probably kill most lawn turf

anyway (but not the annoying weed couch grass).

I did that last winter in my garden, 10x5m, had a lot of moss. After that I've added some bags of compost and sown grass then manually picked the weeds.

Don't spend money on digger, turn over the turf and add a layer of compost, the thicker the better.

DanP

Yes - it should have been done earlier. There's an est. 6 cub metre
mound of good earth in the middle of the ground, and a soakaway to be
dug. Hence the digger.

Rob