Two questions. First, what is best for getting rid of a tough shrub root
adjacent to bathroom wall that refuses to be cut or yanked out? I was told
creosote would poison it to death but apparently creosote has become another
thing the nanny state says shops are not allowed to sell us.

Secondly, I have cleared the wilderness alongside the hard standing at the
bottom of my garden and I now just want to know the best way to kill off any
remaining weeds in the soil around it. Is there anything not too anti-social
that I can zap the soil with before I decide what to plant in it, or is it
simply a matter of weeding the soil from time to time until the weeds stop
coming through?

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Jeffrey Prest
http://wageringwar.blogspot.com/

jeffrey PREST hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS]fsnet.co.uk wrote in message
...
Two questions. First, what is best for getting rid of a tough shrub root
adjacent to bathroom wall that refuses to be cut or yanked out? I was told
creosote would poison it to death but apparently creosote has become
another
thing the nanny state says shops are not allowed to sell us.

Secondly, I have cleared the wilderness alongside the hard standing at the
bottom of my garden and I now just want to know the best way to kill off
any
remaining weeds in the soil around it. Is there anything not too
anti-social
that I can zap the soil with before I decide what to plant in it, or is it
simply a matter of weeding the soil from time to time until the weeds stop
coming through?

Any suggestions gratefully received.
Dig the root out. Try using a keyhole type saw to cut the root after you
have exposed it. Turn your garden dirt over and rake out the weeds. Repeat
this and then use a compost/mulch cover to retard weeds. The weeds that pop
through just pull'em up.

In article , jeffrey PREST
hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS] writes
Secondly, I have cleared the wilderness alongside the hard standing at the
bottom of my garden and I now just want to know the best way to kill off any
remaining weeds in the soil around it. Is there anything not too anti-social
that I can zap the soil with before I decide what to plant in it, or is it
simply a matter of weeding the soil from time to time until the weeds stop
coming through?

How long have you been in the house?
If it's just a short time, then there may be some nice plants in your
wilderness that would be worth saving. And it's a bad time, now, to
clear things, as the birds will all be nesting.

When we moved into our wilderness, we tried to do things a bit at a time
so we could replace old habitat with new without creating an interim
desert. It took about 3 years to get the soil 'clean' by the hand
weeding method. By clean, I mean that the weeds now appear in ones and
twos rather than by the carpet.

We have an acquaintance, however, who just sprays glyphosate everywhere
to create a desert which then takes a few years to plant up and
establish - but even using this method the weed seeds left in the soil
still germinate!!

The choice is yours.
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

"jeffrey PREST" hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS]fsnet.co.uk wrote in
:

Secondly, I have cleared the wilderness alongside the hard standing at
the bottom of my garden and I now just want to know the best way to
kill off any remaining weeds in the soil around it. Is there anything
not too anti-social that I can zap the soil with before I decide what
to plant in it, or is it simply a matter of weeding the soil from time
to time until the weeds stop coming through?


I suggest a layer of newspapers or cardboard topped off with compost (if
you are planning to plant later this year) or bark chips if you think it
might be a year or so.

The paper/card creates a layer that will deter most weeds to get through,
and the mulch on top stops it blowing away and gives a nice neat appearance
and is light and soft so you can easily pull out any weeds that seed into
it.

(you can use lawn mowings and shredded bits of hedge instead if you are not
bothered about it looking like a young compost heap for a few weeks before
everything goes brown).

The newspaper/card rots down over time and adds organic matter to the
soil so you can just plant through it/on top of it, though if you are
planting shallow-rooted or hungry things it's worth giving them a few
dressings of pelleted chicken manure or something to give them a good start
as card is not very nutritious!

If it's going to be a shrub border permanently, you might want to use weed
mulch fabric instead of cardboard with bark chippings - it lasts longer,
but you can just cut slits to plant through. It can be a bit of a pain to
to remove if you just want a temporary solution though.

Victoria

"jeffrey PREST" hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS]fsnet.co.uk wrote in message ...
Two questions. First, what is best for getting rid of a tough shrub root
adjacent to bathroom wall that refuses to be cut or yanked out?

If you aren't frightneed by violent chemicals, try to get hold of a
stump killer containing ammonium sulphamate ("Amcide" or "Root Out").
Other solutions involve drilling the top and putting in crystals of
various types, or even copper nails.

Oh look: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ree_stumps.asp

Or you could just chop it off at ground level, and chop off any shoots
that come up for a year or so. That should deal with it, unless you
are unlucky enough to get honey fungus.


I now just want to know the best way to kill off any
remaining weeds in the soil around it.

Most soil-acting weedkillers can get into water courses, and probably
won't do much for dormant seeds. A comon one is DICHLOBENIL, a
benzonitrile, but it's pretty nasty stuff. Glyphosphate and Roundup
are contact weedkillers, not what you are asking for, but less harmful
as they are destroyed in the soil.

The cheapest is sodium chlorate, which appears to work by blocking the
uptake of nitrates from the soil. it can have a long-lasting effect
(at least a couple of months). But it isn't what you call safe -
people have just got used to handling it, that's all. Like drain
cleaners.

Me, I've stopped using all chemicals, as farmers do more than thier
fair share in my view. The regular remark on here is to put an old
carpet over the soil to smother anythign that does try to come up. It
really works.

In article , Robert E A
Harvey writes
The regular remark on here is to put an old
carpet over the soil to smother anythign that does try to come up. It
really works.

For anything except bindweed, mares tail, japanese knotweed and a few
others (((((((((
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

The message
from (Robert E A Harvey) contains these words:

"jeffrey PREST" hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS]fsnet.co.uk wrote in
message ...
Two questions. First, what is best for getting rid of a tough shrub root
adjacent to bathroom wall that refuses to be cut or yanked out?

If you aren't frightneed by violent chemicals, try to get hold of a
stump killer containing ammonium sulphamate ("Amcide" or "Root Out").
Other solutions involve drilling the top and putting in crystals of
various types, or even copper nails.

Banging in copper nails only kills it - slowly. They won't help to
remove it. Boring a hole in the stump and pouring in a little sulphuric
acid will, though. (Battery acid will do)

Oh look: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ree_stumps.asp

Or you could just chop it off at ground level, and chop off any shoots
that come up for a year or so. That should deal with it, unless you
are unlucky enough to get honey fungus.

Or lucky - useful in Chinese-style cooking, and the young caps pickle nicely.

I now just want to know the best way to kill off any
remaining weeds in the soil around it.

Most soil-acting weedkillers can get into water courses, and probably
won't do much for dormant seeds. A comon one is DICHLOBENIL, a
benzonitrile, but it's pretty nasty stuff. Glyphosphate and Roundup
are contact weedkillers, not what you are asking for, but less harmful
as they are destroyed in the soil.

Have you thought of using a flamethrower? You can hire them easily
enough: they're like a big blowlamp-on-a-stick.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

In article , jeffrey PREST
hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS] writes
Secondly, I have cleared the wilderness alongside the hard standing at the
bottom of my garden and I now just want to know the best way to kill off any
remaining weeds in the soil around it. Is there anything not too anti-social
that I can zap the soil with before I decide what to plant in it, or is it
simply a matter of weeding the soil from time to time until the weeds stop
coming through?

How long have you been in the house?
If it's just a short time, then there may be some nice plants in your
wilderness that would be worth saving. And it's a bad time, now, to
clear things, as the birds will all be nesting.

When we moved into our wilderness, we tried to do things a bit at a time
so we could replace old habitat with new without creating an interim
desert. It took about 3 years to get the soil 'clean' by the hand
weeding method. By clean, I mean that the weeds now appear in ones and
twos rather than by the carpet.

We have an acquaintance, however, who just sprays glyphosate everywhere
to create a desert which then takes a few years to plant up and
establish - but even using this method the weed seeds left in the soil
still germinate!!

The choice is yours.
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

"jeffrey PREST" hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS]fsnet.co.uk wrote in
:

Secondly, I have cleared the wilderness alongside the hard standing at
the bottom of my garden and I now just want to know the best way to
kill off any remaining weeds in the soil around it. Is there anything
not too anti-social that I can zap the soil with before I decide what
to plant in it, or is it simply a matter of weeding the soil from time
to time until the weeds stop coming through?


I suggest a layer of newspapers or cardboard topped off with compost (if
you are planning to plant later this year) or bark chips if you think it
might be a year or so.

The paper/card creates a layer that will deter most weeds to get through,
and the mulch on top stops it blowing away and gives a nice neat appearance
and is light and soft so you can easily pull out any weeds that seed into
it.

(you can use lawn mowings and shredded bits of hedge instead if you are not
bothered about it looking like a young compost heap for a few weeks before
everything goes brown).

The newspaper/card rots down over time and adds organic matter to the
soil so you can just plant through it/on top of it, though if you are
planting shallow-rooted or hungry things it's worth giving them a few
dressings of pelleted chicken manure or something to give them a good start
as card is not very nutritious!

If it's going to be a shrub border permanently, you might want to use weed
mulch fabric instead of cardboard with bark chippings - it lasts longer,
but you can just cut slits to plant through. It can be a bit of a pain to
to remove if you just want a temporary solution though.

Victoria

"jeffrey PREST" hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS]fsnet.co.uk wrote in message ...
Two questions. First, what is best for getting rid of a tough shrub root
adjacent to bathroom wall that refuses to be cut or yanked out?

If you aren't frightneed by violent chemicals, try to get hold of a
stump killer containing ammonium sulphamate ("Amcide" or "Root Out").
Other solutions involve drilling the top and putting in crystals of
various types, or even copper nails.

Oh look: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ree_stumps.asp

Or you could just chop it off at ground level, and chop off any shoots
that come up for a year or so. That should deal with it, unless you
are unlucky enough to get honey fungus.


I now just want to know the best way to kill off any
remaining weeds in the soil around it.

Most soil-acting weedkillers can get into water courses, and probably
won't do much for dormant seeds. A comon one is DICHLOBENIL, a
benzonitrile, but it's pretty nasty stuff. Glyphosphate and Roundup
are contact weedkillers, not what you are asking for, but less harmful
as they are destroyed in the soil.

The cheapest is sodium chlorate, which appears to work by blocking the
uptake of nitrates from the soil. it can have a long-lasting effect
(at least a couple of months). But it isn't what you call safe -
people have just got used to handling it, that's all. Like drain
cleaners.

Me, I've stopped using all chemicals, as farmers do more than thier
fair share in my view. The regular remark on here is to put an old
carpet over the soil to smother anythign that does try to come up. It
really works.

In article , Robert E A
Harvey writes
The regular remark on here is to put an old
carpet over the soil to smother anythign that does try to come up. It
really works.

For anything except bindweed, mares tail, japanese knotweed and a few
others (((((((((
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

In article , jeffrey PREST
hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS] writes
Secondly, I have cleared the wilderness alongside the hard standing at the
bottom of my garden and I now just want to know the best way to kill off any
remaining weeds in the soil around it. Is there anything not too anti-social
that I can zap the soil with before I decide what to plant in it, or is it
simply a matter of weeding the soil from time to time until the weeds stop
coming through?

How long have you been in the house?
If it's just a short time, then there may be some nice plants in your
wilderness that would be worth saving. And it's a bad time, now, to
clear things, as the birds will all be nesting.

When we moved into our wilderness, we tried to do things a bit at a time
so we could replace old habitat with new without creating an interim
desert. It took about 3 years to get the soil 'clean' by the hand
weeding method. By clean, I mean that the weeds now appear in ones and
twos rather than by the carpet.

We have an acquaintance, however, who just sprays glyphosate everywhere
to create a desert which then takes a few years to plant up and
establish - but even using this method the weed seeds left in the soil
still germinate!!

The choice is yours.
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

"jeffrey PREST" hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS]fsnet.co.uk wrote in
:

Secondly, I have cleared the wilderness alongside the hard standing at
the bottom of my garden and I now just want to know the best way to
kill off any remaining weeds in the soil around it. Is there anything
not too anti-social that I can zap the soil with before I decide what
to plant in it, or is it simply a matter of weeding the soil from time
to time until the weeds stop coming through?


I suggest a layer of newspapers or cardboard topped off with compost (if
you are planning to plant later this year) or bark chips if you think it
might be a year or so.

The paper/card creates a layer that will deter most weeds to get through,
and the mulch on top stops it blowing away and gives a nice neat appearance
and is light and soft so you can easily pull out any weeds that seed into
it.

(you can use lawn mowings and shredded bits of hedge instead if you are not
bothered about it looking like a young compost heap for a few weeks before
everything goes brown).

The newspaper/card rots down over time and adds organic matter to the
soil so you can just plant through it/on top of it, though if you are
planting shallow-rooted or hungry things it's worth giving them a few
dressings of pelleted chicken manure or something to give them a good start
as card is not very nutritious!

If it's going to be a shrub border permanently, you might want to use weed
mulch fabric instead of cardboard with bark chippings - it lasts longer,
but you can just cut slits to plant through. It can be a bit of a pain to
to remove if you just want a temporary solution though.

Victoria

"jeffrey PREST" hack@saw01961.[REMOVE THIS]fsnet.co.uk wrote in message ...
Two questions. First, what is best for getting rid of a tough shrub root
adjacent to bathroom wall that refuses to be cut or yanked out?

If you aren't frightneed by violent chemicals, try to get hold of a
stump killer containing ammonium sulphamate ("Amcide" or "Root Out").
Other solutions involve drilling the top and putting in crystals of
various types, or even copper nails.

Oh look: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ree_stumps.asp

Or you could just chop it off at ground level, and chop off any shoots
that come up for a year or so. That should deal with it, unless you
are unlucky enough to get honey fungus.


I now just want to know the best way to kill off any
remaining weeds in the soil around it.

Most soil-acting weedkillers can get into water courses, and probably
won't do much for dormant seeds. A comon one is DICHLOBENIL, a
benzonitrile, but it's pretty nasty stuff. Glyphosphate and Roundup
are contact weedkillers, not what you are asking for, but less harmful
as they are destroyed in the soil.

The cheapest is sodium chlorate, which appears to work by blocking the
uptake of nitrates from the soil. it can have a long-lasting effect
(at least a couple of months). But it isn't what you call safe -
people have just got used to handling it, that's all. Like drain
cleaners.

Me, I've stopped using all chemicals, as farmers do more than thier
fair share in my view. The regular remark on here is to put an old
carpet over the soil to smother anythign that does try to come up. It
really works.

In article , Robert E A
Harvey writes
The regular remark on here is to put an old
carpet over the soil to smother anythign that does try to come up. It
really works.

For anything except bindweed, mares tail, japanese knotweed and a few
others (((((((((
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see