Three questions for the green digitted here...
I have a strip of land behind my garage . It's the width of the garden, about 36 ft and about 7ft deep before it ends in a fence and becomes a field owned by Network Rail. I don't do anything with this bit as there are the 8 ft stumps of two big Manchester Poplars. If they hadn't been there I would have built the garage 6 feet longer. I can access this land through a well secured door in the back wall of the garage.
1....The area has become very over grown this year, possibly due to the horses having gone from the field and more vegetation spreading seeds around. There are some monster, vicious brambles which I would like to remove. I can cut them down to the ground easily enough....no fruit, sadly.
Q....Will something like Roundup kill the roots or do I need to dig them out ? They're very persistent.
2...The fence is nearly 90 yrs old and is really solid metal, spiked. It belongs to the field owners. Trouble is, there's a Sycamore or two which have seeded right underneath the bottom metal rail. I don't want them to grow to any size and I keep lopping them every year. I've tried covering the remaining bit at ground level with black plastic but it never lasts. I've tried Sodium Chloride and engine oil but the things just laugh at any treatment. Impossible to dig out 'cos of the fence. Any ideas.
3....The tree stump behind the workshop has become covered in a small leaf Ivy from next door. The top of the tree is level with the roof of the building. Why does the Ivy reach out to try and get a grip on the roof ? How does it know it's there ? It's a couple of feet away ! I don't expect an answer to this.......just idle thoughts !
I trimmed the Ivy back today and sprayed the whole area with Sodium Chloride using my pump spray and wand. I gave the first few feet of the field a dose as well. The brambles do perform some use in providing a sort of anti-prowler barrier but they also push themselves into the fabric of the place...which can't be good.
Any ideas ?
Ted
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Used engine oil works on Ivy, its slowly dying back with each service
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NaCL seems very effective, as long as it doesn't rain for a few days after application (could be a problem in your locality).
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I had major ivy problems over two lengths of about 50 yards each of 10 ft. high dry stone wall. It looked really pretty, and I wouldn’t have started on it if it had not become apparent that stuff had died in it and was smelling and attracting flies.
Once I’d got rid of the ivy, the amount of damage it had done was apparent. I will never let ivy grow unchecked anywhere ever again.
Step 1 was going along the base of the wall and cutting through every ivy stem going into the dirt.
Step 2 was after waiting a month and finding the stem relating to every piece of ivy which had remained green and cutting it.
Step 3 was pretty much sweeping it up over a period of 6 months and then giving the odd green bit the dregs of the weed killer after I’d finished the path. Ultimately it all dried up and fell off.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Fri 19 Oct 12 at 00:37
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>> Sodium Chloride or Sodium Chlorate?
The poison, not the salt....always get the name mixed up...but I know what I'm using.
Saving the salt for winter !
I'll try that brushwood stuff, Les. The biggest of the sycamores is only a small clump of stems growing from ground level...biggest is about 1" in diameter so easy to trim back. I just don't want a full blown tree growing when I'm too decrepit to get to it for trimming.
I hate ivy..next door was an ivy enthusiast.....it got right up into the gutter at the front, ruined all the fencing between our houses and tried to force it's way through the landing window frame. They moved and the new folk hated it too...that gave me a chance to get rid of it all. I had to use my chainsaw to just rip the 6ft fence panels apart with the ivy attached. We got it all out in the end. It left dozens of patches of little ' fronds ' on the white rendering and the brickwork below. I found the best method was to torch them all with a blowlamp and use a wire brush. The pebbledash was re-painted and the brickwork was freshened up with shellac.
I'm not too bothered about the ivy behind the garage as long as it doesn't start getting a hold.
Thanks all.
Ted
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>> Sodium Chlorate?
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In September 2009, wholesale of sodium chlorate weedkiller was banned in all EU countries[, but consumers were allowed to use and store the product until May 2010.
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Do tell, what had died in it?
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>> Do tell, what had died in it?
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Shergar ? :)
Last edited by: pmh on Fri 19 Oct 12 at 08:18
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>>Do tell, what had died in it?
Several birds and what looked like a rabbit. However, it was too high up to actually have been a rabbit, but goodness knows what it was.
The flies were the pain.
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I've successfully used SBK Brushwood Killer in similar situations.
tinyurl.com/8pocn3m
Regarding sycamores, I had two felled which had a trunk diameter of about two feet and the stumps were quickly killed by SBK.
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>> I've successfully used SBK Brushwood Killer in similar situations.
>> tinyurl.com/8pocn3m
The instructions on my bottle say .............
Hardwood saplings ~ Mix 40ml SBK in 500ml of paraffin or any light oil (an even mixture of unused engine oil and paraffin will do). Spray as a spot treatment.
Tree stumps ~ Mix 40ml of SBK in 500ml of paraffin. Apply as soon as possible after cutting. (I drill holes or make saw cuts to expose fresh wood.) Paint or spray cut surfaces.
I don't suppose they're allowed to recommend the use of paraffin or oil any more.
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From my experiences..........
Glyphosate (Roundup) is very effective against brambles; it is best applied to 'soft' growth, fairly early in the season and it is translocated to the roots. A further application or two may be required on any regrowth that occurs from bits that have, say, been sheltered under foliage and not received a full dose first-time round.
Sycamores are weeds (pah!) and I have very easily killed young trees (up to 6" trunk) by sawing them, drilling a few holes in the cut surface, and filling them with glyphosate.
Ivy is more difficult to kill because of the waxy surface of the leaves which make it difficult for absorption of chemicals. Again, it is best to spray young growth, and you have to be prepared to spray several more times.
It is ten years since I retired from the chemical industry but, as far as I know, glyphosate is still the most effective translocated herbicide. Sodium chlorate is a residual herbicide and will remain in the soil for some time; don't use it if you plan on growing anything else on that particular patch of land.
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RootOut will kill trees.. and lots more..
Cut a strip of bark off round teh trees.. apply RootOut per instructions..
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>> I've successfully used SBK Brushwood Killer in similar situations.
>> tinyurl.com/8pocn3m
With tree stumps. make sure you follow the instructions and apply in autumn/winter, as the sap has stopped rising and will take the poison down to the roots. Works a treat.
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I bought a trigger spray of SBK to try, as it worked well I bought a bottle of the stuff. At even twice the recommended concentration it doesn't do anything.
I got it from a garden centre. I'm wondering if it had been emptied and re-filled with water.
Anyone know if there's a simple test?
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What were you using it on? It only works on broad leaved plants. It won't kill grass or conifers
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>>What were you using it on?
Predominantly ivy, also brambles and nettles. As I said, I'd bought a a trigger spray of the stuff to see if it was effective - it was, so I bought a larger amount.
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.
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>> Anyone know if there's a simple test?
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Try drinking it.
If you die, it will kill weeds.
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When I had a sycamore tree felled the guy carved a little channel around the edge of the newly cut surface and then covered the whole face with rock salt. Did the trick.
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Three for the gardeners.... - Zero
