My garlic bed has been invaded by couch grass from next doors
field/garden. Given that the garlic is growing strongly, how best can I
get rid of the couch. I can not dig deeply to get all the roots out, nor
can I risk spraying with glyophosphate, especially as there is sometimes
stock in the field from where it came.

I spent the afternoon digging out as much as I could, but given the
growing plants I know I've not really done a good job.

Anyone any ideas?


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

"Roger Tonkin" wrote ..

My garlic bed has been invaded by couch grass from next doors
field/garden. Given that the garlic is growing strongly, how best can I
get rid of the couch. I can not dig deeply to get all the roots out, nor
can I risk spraying with glyophosphate, especially as there is sometimes
stock in the field from where it came.

I spent the afternoon digging out as much as I could, but given the
growing plants I know I've not really done a good job.

Anyone any ideas?


Fore the time being, whilst your garlic is growing, just pull it out as soon
as any shows itself. After that use glyphosate, it's the only way to get rid
of it properly IME. Then sink a barrier against your fence to stop it coming
in again.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:48:56 -0000, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

My garlic bed has been invaded by couch grass from next doors
field/garden. Given that the garlic is growing strongly, how best can I
get rid of the couch. I can not dig deeply to get all the roots out, nor
can I risk spraying with glyophosphate, especially as there is sometimes
stock in the field from where it came.

I spent the afternoon digging out as much as I could, but given the
growing plants I know I've not really done a good job.

Anyone any ideas?

First thing is that couch grass isn't that deep rooted - usually about
4", rarely more than 6" deep. If the ground is well dug - i.e. the
soil is relatively loose - then it's often possible to pull it up
gently.

It's susceptible to glyphosate. Suggest you get hold of a little hand
trigger sprayer (around a quid in Wilkinson) and a 2-litre plastic pop
bottle from which you cut the tapered bit at the top and the nobbly
bit at the bottom to give yourself a nice tube. Place the tube over a
clump of couch grass and push down so it's touching ground. Insert
nozzle of spray device into top end of tube and spray the couch grass
inside it. Wait about 10 minutes or so for spray to dry. Remove tube,
repeat elsewhere.

This stops any spray drift onto your garlic or other plants you want
to keep and also into next door's stock area. Once glyphosate's dry
it's safe and, of course, being systemic, it will work its way down to
the roots and you should see the couch dying back within a couple of
weeks. For added effect, avoid a windy day and preferably choose a
sunny one.

Then consider some sort of barrier between you and next door - only
needs to be a vertical something going about 8" deep.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay.

On Mar 16, 10:58*pm, Jake wrote:
On Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:48:56 -0000, Roger Tonkin

wrote:
My garlic bed has been invaded by couch grass from next doors
field/garden. Given that the garlic is growing strongly, how best can I
get rid of the couch. I can not dig deeply to get all the roots out, nor
can I risk spraying with glyophosphate, especially as there is sometimes
stock in the field from where it came.

I spent the afternoon digging out as much as I could, but given the
growing plants I know I've not really done a good job.

Anyone any ideas?

First thing is that couch grass isn't that deep rooted - usually about
4", rarely more than 6" deep. If the ground is well dug - i.e. the
soil is relatively loose - *then it's often possible to pull it up
gently.

It's susceptible to glyphosate. Suggest you get hold of a little hand
trigger sprayer (around a quid in Wilkinson) and a 2-litre plastic pop
bottle from which you cut the tapered bit at the top and the nobbly
bit at the bottom to give yourself a nice tube. Place the tube over a
clump of couch grass and push down so it's touching ground. Insert
nozzle of spray device into top end of tube and spray the couch grass
inside it. Wait about 10 minutes or so for spray to dry. Remove tube,
repeat elsewhere.

This stops any spray drift onto your garlic or other plants you want
to keep and also into next door's stock area. Once glyphosate's dry
it's safe and, of course, being systemic, it will work its way down to
the roots and you should see the couch dying back within a couple of
weeks. For added effect, avoid a windy day and preferably choose a
sunny one.

Then consider some sort of barrier between you and next door - only
needs to be a vertical something going about 8" deep.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay.

I'll go with most of what you say Jake
I wouldn't advise spraying in sunshine, I find spray works better if
you spray in the evening when the leaves can stay wet longer and the
chemical has longer to be absorbed into the plant.
David

In article ,
Martin wrote:
On Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:58:09 +0000, Jake
wrote:

First thing is that couch grass isn't that deep rooted - usually about
4", rarely more than 6" deep. If the ground is well dug - i.e. the
soil is relatively loose - then it's often possible to pull it up
gently.

In the sandy soil where we live couch grass goes down up to 12" deep
It can't be pulled up by hand.

Well, my soil is sandy, and I side with Jake. It spreads with
relatively shallow roots (often just 2" down), and only goes down
when it establishes itself. Also, like ground elder but very unlike
bindweed, it tends not to regrow well from its deep roots. I often
get one regrowth from deep roots, but rarely two if I remove it at
the right time.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 03:03:57 -0700 (PDT), Dave Hill
wrote:


I'll go with most of what you say Jake
I wouldn't advise spraying in sunshine, I find spray works better if
you spray in the evening when the leaves can stay wet longer and the
chemical has longer to be absorbed into the plant.
David

I won't disagree with that, however the downside is that the bottle
tube needs to remain in place until the leaves have dried which might
be any amount of time in the cool of the evening. Plus, at this time
of the year, a dew often settles in the evening around here and will
dampen the leaves, making it difficult to work out whether it's safe
to remove the tube.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay.

In article ,
Martin wrote:

First thing is that couch grass isn't that deep rooted - usually about
4", rarely more than 6" deep. If the ground is well dug - i.e. the
soil is relatively loose - then it's often possible to pull it up
gently.

In the sandy soil where we live couch grass goes down up to 12" deep
It can't be pulled up by hand.

Well, my soil is sandy, and I side with Jake. It spreads with
relatively shallow roots (often just 2" down), and only goes down
when it establishes itself. Also, like ground elder but very unlike
bindweed, it tends not to regrow well from its deep roots. I often
get one regrowth from deep roots, but rarely two if I remove it at
the right time.

My wife renovates abandoned allotment plots, that are full of deep
rooted couch grass. She asked me to make the post.

Ah - hearsay :-) More seriously, that's precisely what I said.
The OP was asking about (presumably) recently invasive couch
grass, which is very rarely deep rooted.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Mar 17, 12:00*pm, wrote:
In article ,





Martin wrote:

First thing is that couch grass isn't that deep rooted - usually about
4", rarely more than 6" deep. If the ground is well dug - i.e. the
soil is relatively loose - *then it's often possible to pull it up
gently.

In the sandy soil where we live couch grass goes down up to 12" deep
It can't be pulled up by hand.

Well, my soil is sandy, and I side with Jake. *It spreads with
relatively shallow roots (often just 2" down), and only goes down
when it establishes itself. *Also, like ground elder but very unlike
bindweed, it tends not to regrow well from its deep roots. *I often
get one regrowth from deep roots, but rarely two if I remove it at
the right time.

My wife renovates *abandoned allotment plots, that are full of deep
rooted *couch grass. She asked me to make the post.

Ah - hearsay :-) *More seriously, that's precisely what I said.
The OP was asking about (presumably) recently invasive couch
grass, which is very rarely deep rooted.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -



Now then how about taking a different tack
Look at
Couch Grass - Uses and Benefits

http://www.health-care-tips.org/herb...ouch-grass.htm
Remember Sods Law
If you have a use for a plant then the plant will die out and vanish.

David

"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
My garlic bed has been invaded by couch grass from next doors
field/garden. Given that the garlic is growing strongly, how best can I
get rid of the couch. I can not dig deeply to get all the roots out, nor
can I risk spraying with glyophosphate, especially as there is sometimes
stock in the field from where it came.

I spent the afternoon digging out as much as I could, but given the
growing plants I know I've not really done a good job.

Anyone any ideas?


I think you've done all you can given the circumstances. I have couch grass
problems too, and as I want to be organic, I just have to do it the hard
way. I did manage to get rid of an infestation of ground elder by digging
it all out carefully root by root so it can be done.

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 05:33:05 -0700 (PDT), Dave Hill
wrote:



Now then how about taking a different tack
Look at
Couch Grass - Uses and Benefits

http://www.health-care-tips.org/herb...ouch-grass.htm
Remember Sods Law
If you have a use for a plant then the plant will die out and vanish.

David


The plant likes sandy, loamy and heavy soils for growth. The plant
choose acid, neutral and alkaline soils and can develop in very acid
and very alkaline soils. It requires dry moist or wet soil.

So that's everywhere then.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Saturday, 17 March 2012 22:22:43 UTC, Christina Websell wrote:
"Roger Tonkin"
wrote in message
...
My garlic bed has been invaded by couch grass from next doors
field/garden. Given that the garlic is growing strongly, how best can I
get rid of the couch. I can not dig deeply to get all the roots out, nor
can I risk spraying with glyophosphate, especially as there is sometimes
stock in the field from where it came.

I spent the afternoon digging out as much as I could, but given the
growing plants I know I've not really done a good job.

Anyone any ideas?


I think you've done all you can given the circumstances. I have couch grass
problems too, and as I want to be organic, I just have to do it the hard
way. I did manage to get rid of an infestation of ground elder by digging
it all out carefully root by root so it can be done.

Adding to a previous suggestion that it can sometimes be pulled from a loose well cultivated soil. This is a technique that can be used with some sucess against things like couch and ground elder. It works well if you put a heavy organic mulch on top of the area and let the weeds grow up into it, they can then be pulled easily - you need a couple of years to get really clean.
Now I've achieved a very friable humus rich layer over most of my borders even dandelions and docks so long as they're no more than a couple of years old can usually be pulled up intact.

Rod

HI Roger,

I found that the best method of dealing with such situations is not to spray, but paint the leaves with glyphosate. Just use an artists fan brush, problem solved!!


Uriel13