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Large planted patch overgrown with weeds

rkjackson10zg94t6w2rkjackson10zg94t6w2 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
I have an approximately 6m x 4m planted area, however this has become severely overgrown with weeds, as I have been unable to keep on top of this. 

I want to clear the weeds and replace with turf for a lower maintenance area. However, I want to keep some young trees and shrubs already planted within this area.

What would be the best, easiest and low cost way to clear the weeds? Leaving it in a suitable condition for turf. I'd welcome any other ideas on what to do with this area also which would be low maintenance and relatively low cost to do.

Thanks 

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    We really need to know which types of weeds you have as some will require different removal methods or treatments to others.  Could you upload a few photos of the area?
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • rkjackson10zg94t6w2rkjackson10zg94t6w2 Posts: 3
    here are a couple of photos of the area, if you can decipher the weeds from the sea of green! 
    Thanks for your response Bob 
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    The main problems I see are buttercups and docks.   I would strim them down or cut them down with shears.Make sure you do not strim near to the tree bark or you will kill the trees you want to keep.  Even a rotary mower run over it would do.  Get the dock seed heads off separately and soon if you can.  They will then start to regrow. At that point protect anything you want to keep with a plastic bag, and on a calm sunny day, spray the lot with glyphosate. That will translocate down in to the dock roots and kill them. The alternative is to fork the entire area over, removing every trace of root, and then turf or seed in the autumn. 
  • rkjackson10zg94t6w2rkjackson10zg94t6w2 Posts: 3
    That's is great fidgetbones. Thanks for that information. The glyphosate sounds like a good plan. 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I agree, the dock roots are the main things you need to get rid of and glyphosate will deal with those if you follow @fidgetbones advice.  After chopping back and waiting for a fair bit of regrowth, then spraying, wait until the weeds have gone completely brown (usually 2 weeks or so) before removing the dead remains as it takes time for the glyphosate to get down and kill the roots.  Glyphosate is only taken in by leaves and will have no effect on the stumps of chopped-back weeds, so you need to wait until leaves are regrowing strongly for it to work effectively.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Posts: 635
    ...and if you prefer not to use glyphosate, you could carpet it, wait a couple of months, then deal with the weeds that survived the carpet.
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