"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
On 23/06/2012 15:01, sweetheart wrote:

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message




I have cleared acres of stinging nettle and brambles with glyphosate
followed after it is tinder dry with a slash and burn. Doesn't look pretty
with scorched earth but it gets the job done. The you can pick off any
seedlings as they come up against the dark earth.


I have been trying to get this effect - but not succeeded .




Dunno what you are doing then. I allow nettles to grow in the wilder parts
of my garden as butterfly habitat. Seldom more than 8' high.

I suggest I have good soil. The kind that grows without even needing
coaxing.



You don't give any indication of the scale.

The majority of the problem is in an area around 100 feet across x 12 feet
deep at the back of the garden - but as I said, it is encroaching on the
rest now. The nettles are so lethel (?) that I cant even get into it at
the moment. Thats why I started earlier before they got a growing hold again
but it doesnt seem to have worked and the weeds are growing better than
ever. Sounds daft but its not a joking matter for me.



A few square metres to an
acre I would use a hit of generic B&Q glyphosate (the stuff you buy as
concentrate and dilute to use) with a wand sprayer or backpack.

I will try and have another go at it when the weather comes in dry again.
Thanks.

In article , "sweetheart" says...

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article , "sweetheart" says...

I have been using roundup and weedol even tried the 24 hr fast acting
stuff
but its all useless.

Are you following the dilution and application rates accurately?

yes, in fact I have even tried using a stronger solution.


I have tried smothering the ground with thick carpet but they grow
through.

What kind of time frame?

The carpet has been on the garden two years. It did supress some smaller
weeds and twitch grass but mostly they have just pushed their way through
in the summer. It was a thick carpet too. I really couldnt believe it.

Frankly neither do I.

IME thick carpet does not degrade that fast, and IME nettle shoots do
not have that japanese knotweed ability to penetrate a solid barrier.

Janet.

On 23/06/2012 20:03, sweetheart wrote:

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article , "sweetheart"
says...

I have been using roundup and weedol even tried the 24 hr fast acting
stuff
but its all useless.

Are you following the dilution and application rates accurately?

yes, in fact I have even tried using a stronger solution.

It is there that you are going wrong. Paradoxically to get optimum kill
on perennial weeds with big root systems you want to slightly 10-20%
over dilute the glyphosate so that the time for final kill is longer.
That allows more time for the stuff to work its way down to the roots.

If you use it too strong you just burn the tops off without killing any
of the roots and it will quickly regenerate at this time of year. Wastes
chemicals and has exactly the opposite effect of what you intend.

I have tried smothering the ground with thick carpet but they grow
through.

What kind of time frame?

The carpet has been on the garden two years. It did supress some smaller
weeds and twitch grass but mostly they have just pushed their way
through in the summer. It was a thick carpet too. I really couldnt
believe it.

The commercial ground cover is even more useless.

Since it is stinging nettles and they grow apace in the summer, its
getting out of hand now, I need drastic action.

I'd suggest a scythe (dangerous to work with) or a sickle. I really
don't understand why you are struggling with nettles so much once you
hack them down any new growth is easily managed with glyphosate.

Horsetails, convolvulus and ground elder are much harder to eradicate.

On the plus side nettles are host to some very pretty butterfly larvae
which is why I do not completely eradicate them from my garden.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...

It is there that you are going wrong. Paradoxically to get optimum kill on
perennial weeds with big root systems you want to slightly 10-20% over
dilute the glyphosate so that the time for final kill is longer. That
allows more time for the stuff to work its way down to the roots.

If you use it too strong you just burn the tops off without killing any of
the roots and it will quickly regenerate at this time of year. Wastes
chemicals and has exactly the opposite effect of what you intend.

Ahh I Didn't Know That!!! Very timely advice Thank you!

--
--

http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/

In article , sweetheart
writes
although the
big paraffin-powered flame-thrower types are effective against
shallow-rooted weeds (great fun to use if you're a closet
pyromaniac!).


Oh I do so agree

You need a long leg and stout shoe though so you can bash out the flames
if they get a bit carried away on the grass though of course the idea is
to just pass over the weeds and not cremate them.

It's whizzo on dandelion clocks and if you have to go near the back of a
large compost heap where there 'might' be rats
--
Janet Tweedy

"sweetheart" hotmail.com wrote in
:


"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Sat, 23 Jun 2012 08:38:05 +0100, Martin Brown wrote:

They are a complete waste of time and money unless you are an
Organic(TM) freak and subscribe to the all chemicals are bad scam.
Double irony is that burning weeds *will* make dioxins.

You don't burn the plants with a weed burner though you just waft the
flame
over them enough to cause a visble change in colour and/or wilt. The
heat damages the cell structure and the top growth dies. Depending on
the plant that may or may not be enough to kill it.

The small gas cannister "walking stick" things are fine for small
weeds between paving or in gravel but not so good for big weeds or
large well vegitated areas.

Glyphosate is considered "safe" though the stronger concentrates have
been removed from retail sale. They are still available from agri
merchants etc.
Cheap generic "Weed killer" you get from a shed will have as much
water (cheap) and as little active ingredient (expensive) in it that
they think they can get away with. Look at the lables...

I have been using roundup and weedol even tried the 24 hr fast acting
stuff but its all useless.

I started off with nettles a couple of feet high across the back and
was trying to get at them early b ut now they are 10ft high and have
started to "march" across the lawn as the get bigger and more
widespread.

Nothing has worked. I know putting a bonfire on the ground clears it
for a time ( and then they start again.

I have tried smothering the ground with thick carpet but they grow
through.

This isn't a few dandelions in the patio - so what is there that will
work? And the green wellie chemical free brigade can come and hike in
my stinging nettles and see how they like it, if they want to object -
I am pro anything that will do the job.


The nettles have most likely been in seed and the seed has blown in the
wind all over the place. They will grow again. When they grow it is VITAL
not to let them seed again. Hoe(not the best idea yet),Dab or spray with
glyphosate when you see any new ones. I think I am right in saying that
some nettles also grow from underground root system so just keep on top
of them with the chemical attack. You will kill the root system, but the
seeds are viable for 20+ years, so next year you can hoe them out in the
knowledge that the root system is dead.

Martin Brown within this thread has suggested over diluting the
glyphosate 10-20%, and I agree, but up to 50%.
Overdosing by my experience is a waste of money and time. I have done it
too!

Baz

In article ,
says...

In article , sweetheart
writes
although the
big paraffin-powered flame-thrower types are effective against
shallow-rooted weeds (great fun to use if you're a closet
pyromaniac!).


Oh I do so agree

You need a long leg and stout shoe though so you can bash out the flames
if they get a bit carried away on the grass though of course the idea is
to just pass over the weeds and not cremate them.

It's whizzo on dandelion clocks and if you have to go near the back of a
large compost heap where there 'might' be rats

I learnt the hard way, to always have a bucket of water on hand before I
fire up the flame gun :-)

Janet B.

In article ,
lid says...

I agree with Chris that the strong likelihood is that Sweetheart is
doing something wrong.

I suspect Sweetheart's insurmountable, multiple problems are the price
paid for gardening in deep shade under a bridge.

Janet

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
Virtually everyone on this NG is in agreement that glyphosate,
correctly applied, will kill most weeds, including deep rooted ones.
The obvious exception is yourself, which suggests you're doing
something wrong.

How do you apply the glyphosate? By watering-can or by spray? I ask,
because the dilutions required are different, the spray requiring a
significantly higher concentration. Are you by any chance making it up
at watering-can strength and then spraying it on, although even then I
would have expected some effect.

I am using a watering can. I do not have a sprayer . I followed the
instructions on the pack.

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
lid says...

I suspect Sweetheart's insurmountable, multiple problems are the price
paid for gardening in deep shade under a bridge.

No, its on the side of a valley and its a large garden and I am probably
paying the price for having neglected it for three years through being ill.

I am trying to get it under control now. I did have a gardener in to repair
fences and cut everything down last autemn and earlier in the spring. I
would call him back but I really do not feel able to ask him to tackle the
jungle at the back. Hence I need it under control before I ask him to
maintain it for me.

Then I wont have a problem.

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
news
In article , sweetheart
writes

It's whizzo on dandelion clocks and if you have to go near the back of a
large compost heap where there 'might' be rats

I have been told by my neighbour who keeps chickens that I have rats on the
back in this wild growth! I haven't seen any but I would reckon they know as
they have rats .I have seen the poison boxes they use when the gardener
fixed my fences.

The nettles here have always grown high. Its not a new thing for me. I just
cant seem to get on top of them. Cremating them would be good! I will
settle for trying another dose of weed killer.

Thanks

We have acquired a weed torch at a car boot yesterday.
The couple used to run a gardening business. They told us it runs on
petrol! It's definitely got petrol in it anyway!

Apart from looking very worn it's much like
http://www.mowermagic.co.uk/acatalog...me_Weeder.html

--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On 25/06/2012 09:24, sweetheart wrote:

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
Virtually everyone on this NG is in agreement that glyphosate,
correctly applied, will kill most weeds, including deep rooted ones.
The obvious exception is yourself, which suggests you're doing
something wrong.

How do you apply the glyphosate? By watering-can or by spray? I ask,
because the dilutions required are different, the spray requiring a
significantly higher concentration. Are you by any chance making it up
at watering-can strength and then spraying it on, although even then I
would have expected some effect.

I am using a watering can. I do not have a sprayer . I followed the
instructions on the pack.

That is probably why you are getting lousy results then. And I very much
doubt that you have followed the instructions correctly. Glyphosate is
extremely effective if used properly you have to be doing something
incredibly stupid to prevent it from working.

Against large scale 10' high nettles unless you are standing on a high
step ladder with your watering can you are going to waste most of the
glyphosate on the ground. You did wet the leaves with it didn't you?

Glyphosate is deactivated on contact with the ground so unless it hits
green plant material on the way down you are completely wasting your
time. Invest in a decent shoulder carried sprayer with a wand and then
you can hit them effectively. You have probably already wasted a lot
more than the cost of a cheap sprayer in weedkiller. eg

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Litre-Pressu...ref=pd_cp_lp_0

Or one from any of the sheds. Hozelock's is vastly overpriced. Don't use
too fine a spray or it will drift causing serious collateral damage.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

We have acquired a weed torch at a car boot yesterday.
The couple used to run a gardening business. They told us it runs on
petrol! It's definitely got petrol in it anyway!

Apart from looking very worn it's much like
http://www.mowermagic.co.uk/acatalog...me_Weeder.html


More like this perhaps, I run mine on a mix of 20% petrol 80% diesel. I
think its meant to run on paraffin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RMe6bh-zW8

I had a large nettle patch. Cleared it by cutting them down with the pole
hedge cutter, burning once dry, then just mowing the area regularly with a
rotary mower. I added a bit of grass seed in places and its now a reasonably
tidy bit of lawn. The nettles gave up after a seasons regular mowing.

Mike

On 25/06/2012 10:17, mogga wrote:
We have acquired a weed torch at a car boot yesterday.
The couple used to run a gardening business. They told us it runs on
petrol! It's definitely got petrol in it anyway!

Apart from looking very worn it's much like
http://www.mowermagic.co.uk/acatalog...me_Weeder.html

Be careful! Whilst it might run on petrol I would be very surprised if
it was designed to do so. Petrol is far too volatile. They are usually
intended for a paraffin fuel. See if you can find a makers mark and look
up the instructions online.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown