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Advice required for weed killing

KLKL Posts: 115
in Problem solving
The soil area below my Rhododendron was covered in moss and grass so I gave it a bit of a weed, rake and turned the soil over so is it worth putting down weed killer to stop any further weed and grass growth or will that be bad for the Rhododendron’s ? Also should I add some new top soil ? 

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  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    KL said:
     I gave it a bit of a weed, rake and turned the soil over
    Rhododendrons have shallow roots.  I think you may have been too vicious.

    From where you are now, I think a good mulch with garden compost would be best.  If deep enough, that would inhibit any weed regrowth.
     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."
  • KLKL Posts: 115
    Ok, thanks I will do that. No it might look worse than it does in the picture as I simply raked around the base of the rhododendrons and turned over the area beside the grass with a fork keeping clear of the roots. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Gentle hoeing of the surface with a Dutch hoe followed by a good thick organic mulch should fit the trick. From then onwards just weeding as and when required. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    As @Dovefromabove says - weeding as often as you can is a better solution, by hand or with a small fork or hoe, but a good mulch will also help to suppress weeds. Just don't bury the main trunk of the rhodo.
    Apply after the soil's well moistened though. Anything will do - good compost, leaf mould etc, but bark is also ideal and sets your plants off too.  :)

    Weedkiller wouldn't be a good idea, but it also doesn't work if there's nothing for it to act on, so once you remove the weeds it wouldn't do any good anyway.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    As has been said, better to hoe gently or weed by hand and then add a good mulch to keep down weeds.

    Weedillers only work on actively growing pants but they have a nasty side effect - poisoning beneficial insects like bees, ladybirds, hoverflies as well as beasties that live below soil, according t articles I've read recently.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • KLKL Posts: 115
    That’s the mulch in place and looks mulch better 😂🙈. Thanks for the advice. 
  • KLKL Posts: 115

    I watered thoroughly before adding the mulch , should I water over the top of the mulch now it’s in place or leave it dry ? 
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Leave it alone your job is finished .
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    You should get rain.  Rhododendrons need plentyof water when flowering or putting on new leaf.  But when the leaves are mature they are very drought resistant.

    A word anti-hoeing.  Rhododendrons have VERY shallow roots.  You don't want to interfere with those.  Mulching should be enough.

    Looks like a good job.  Well done.
     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."
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