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No weedkiller

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  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889

    I'm the most cynical person on the planet. I never accept what ANYONE says is right until I have satisfied myself of the evidence.

    Devon.
  • I have put the evidence before you Hostafan.

    So are you for spraying weedkiller on knotweed in any circumstance bearing in mind that knotweed killer is very potent, or are you agreeing with me that it would have more to the advantage of wild life if the council workforce had  just taken a spade and dug the offending plant up and disposed of it. 

     

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Willbara - Hosta is right. There's never 'just one stem' of knotweed. If it's not properly disposed of, it just spreads  (and spread very quickly) to the detriment of lots of wildlife.

    No one here on the forum particularly likes using weedkiller if they care about wildlife - of all types - but sometimes it's the best solution. Methods of clearing it have also improved, and the best one now is to inject the stems directly, and it's best done where there is reasonable growth. It's certainly the method most widely used up here. My ex husband's new garden was in serious danger from it when he moved in a few years ago, as there was an untamed area of council owned land next to it, rife with the stuff. Couple of visits, couple of  applications, and it's now gone. Good news for everyone. 

    I think it's slightly unfair to criticise someone so heavily just because they have a differing opinion about it. 

    If only some weedkiller application could be as effective with that r**dy Rhododendron which is decimating my beautiful country image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    In about 40 years of gardening, I have never used a weed killer. Fortunately, I never had to.

    But if I was faced with JKW, marestail , rhododendron or bracken, I wouldn't hesitate. These plants destroy habitats that the anti weedkillers are trying to save.

    As far as I'm concerned, hoiking out dandelions etc is part of gardening and using weed killer in such circumstances destroys the wildflowers that might pop up in your garden.  I would say that a good 60% of my garden is made up of wildflowers or self seeders ie  weeds that I like. The ones I don't like are pulled out or chopped to ground level - out of sight out of mind.

    In London. Keen but lazy.
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