The phrase “nanny state” refers to women employed as nannies to care for the children of others, rather strict and controlling putting safety and “ nanny knows best” first rather than the female grandparents whose attitude is more doting and indulgent. I am the second sort of nanny and I would never dream of telling my grandchildren what to do. I spoil them dreadfully in every way that I can, not a noticeable characteristic of this or any other government.
I do use glyphosate but only on the very large shingle driveways and patio
What is so different about the eco system under a driveway? Doesn't that need thinking about as well as lawns?
But I'm glad it's a shingle driveway, at least it will drain. Mine has a base of "clean muck", topped by hoggin , with a topping of shingle to stop the hoggin treading in.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I do use glyphosate but only on the very large shingle driveways and patio
What is so different about the eco system under a driveway? Doesn't that need thinking about as well as lawns?
But I'm glad it's a shingle driveway, at least it will drain. Mine has a base of "clean muck", topped by hoggin , with a topping of shingle to stop the hoggin treading in.
Glyphosate is neutralised on soil contact so does not hard underlying eco systems
There ain't much living under my driveway I can assure you! A good 8" of hardcore, then hoggin and shingle all heavily compacted with appropriate machinery and then cars driving over. Also no water courses or drains for any residual chemicals (although glyhosate shouldn't be a problem in this respect - see @Hostafan1 's comment) to drift or leach into. There are, however, drains and wildlife water sources (bird baths etc) in the back garden so I rarely use chemicals out the back.
If I allowed the weeds to grow on the drive in the same way I 'allow' them to grow in the grass then it would (eventually) provide many sources of nectar and pollen for insects - but there is a limit as to quite how unkempt I'll allow things to be!
We have a large shingle driveway because we are downhill and get a lot of run off from the road and need a permeable surface to avoid flooding in heavy rain storms (I wish!). It really does work. I wish more people would consider shingle instead of block or other solid paving.
On the downside though, shingle over hoggin is an excellent medium for the germination of seeds!
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
It would seem there are restrictions on the use of Glyphosate in Texas. Don't know if original poster wanted to mix this with something else. What a thought!
It is set to be banned here in 2025. Weeds and wild flowers will become part of our gardens in our lawns due to drought and also in our paths and drives. Perhaps a well manicured garden will be a thing of the past.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
The newer batches of weedkiller haven't had glyphosate in them for a year or two. Until I redid my drive last year, I had to resort to weedkiller as it [the remaining gravel] was so compacted I could only hand weed small sections easily. The newer stuff stinks, but it worked well enough.
What I couldn't understand about the OP was the post saying the grass needed cut twice a week - "I pulled at least 2000 weeds last summer, grass needs cutting 2x per week in summer ." If there's no grass why does it need cutting so often? How is it growing so fast? I can only assume what was growing wasn't really 'grass' in the accepted sense. If it's green, just go with it would be my advice. It's the old maxim of right plant right place, but what do I know
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl If it is any consolation I found those comments rather odd too but maybe I don't understand the climate. Grass doesn't grow if it is hot and dry and I have never counted weeds. Perhaps the whole lawn was Poa annua.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Posts
But I'm glad it's a shingle driveway, at least it will drain. Mine has a base of "clean muck", topped by hoggin , with a topping of shingle to stop the hoggin treading in.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
There are, however, drains and wildlife water sources (bird baths etc) in the back garden so I rarely use chemicals out the back.
If I allowed the weeds to grow on the drive in the same way I 'allow' them to grow in the grass then it would (eventually) provide many sources of nectar and pollen for insects - but there is a limit as to quite how unkempt I'll allow things to be!
We have a large shingle driveway because we are downhill and get a lot of run off from the road and need a permeable surface to avoid flooding in heavy rain storms (I wish!). It really does work. I wish more people would consider shingle instead of block or other solid paving.
On the downside though, shingle over hoggin is an excellent medium for the germination of seeds!
It is set to be banned here in 2025. Weeds and wild flowers will become part of our gardens in our lawns due to drought and also in our paths and drives. Perhaps a well manicured garden will be a thing of the past.
Until I redid my drive last year, I had to resort to weedkiller as it [the remaining gravel] was so compacted I could only hand weed small sections easily. The newer stuff stinks, but it worked well enough.
What I couldn't understand about the OP was the post saying the grass needed cut twice a week - "I pulled at least 2000 weeds last summer, grass needs cutting 2x per week in summer ."
If there's no grass why does it need cutting so often? How is it growing so fast? I can only assume what was growing wasn't really 'grass' in the accepted sense. If it's green, just go with it would be my advice.
It's the old maxim of right plant right place, but what do I know
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."