Most of the people on this forum are really helpful and polite Vinni, they give their advice freely and with a good heart, but they do not respond very well to people who are extremely abrupt, use bad language or have no intention of taking on board the very good advice that they give. Nut, Bob and Ceres gave you excellent advice if you follow it I'm sure you will find that your weed problem is controlled.
Well, you know best - we obviously know nothing - some of the best gardeners on this forum have given you the benefit of upwards of 150 years of experience but you have derided it.
To explain it very simply - if you use weedkillers at too high a dose you will kill off the foliage but the roots don't die and the plants regrow - as it seems you have found.
If you use the weedkiller as instructed on the packet and then wait for it to take effect the foliage will absorb the weedkiller and slowly pass it back to the roots - in about three weeks not only will the foliage have died, but the roots will be dead also and the plants will not regrow.
However, if the area has been neglected for some time there will be seeds in the soil that will continue to germinate for some time so the area will need treating repeatedly. Also weed seeds from surrounding areas will be blown in on the wind, so you will never be totally free from the need to treat the area from time to time.
Even using a weed suppressant membrane and mulching with gravel, bark, pebbles etc will not remove the need for 'gardening' as weed seeds will blow into the mulch and grow there.
Now do you see why you've been told to follow the instructions on the packet?
Weedkiller is not like medication.
Medication is to make something better but if you 'overdose' it can kill you.
Weedkiller is intended to kill weeds - that is what it is made to do and the instructions on the pack tell you how to achieve that - what would be the point of an overdose?
I think the people who tried to help you deserve an apology
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hear hear Dove. A lovely, polite response. Some of us are truly grateful for the advice we get in this forum. We can all learn something new everyday. I for one would like to thank all the regular contributors for their experience and knowhow.
Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
Weedkiller becomes inert once it hits the soil, so when you destroy one plant another waits to germinate in the soil & take its place. These are called Pioneer Species, because they can grow almost anywhere & are the first to colonise an area. Prepare to be in it for the long term. I dig out my weeds, not all of them though, some are pretty & are excellent for pollinators. Always follow manufacturers guidelines, they have undergone extensive testing so that you don't have to! Good luck with it. x
think the person posing the question might as well dig everything up then cement over it and turn it into a space for his car if he hates gardening that much. No point killing off the wildlife as well. if I hates gardening that much I wouldn't bother buying a house, I'd buy a flat/apartment, much less stress all round !!!!
Posts
Hi - I'd like some helpful advice - please give me some & then I'll ignore it/argue that it's wrong
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In the sticks near Peterborough
nut - no pleasing some folk - as we frequently discover !
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Most of the people on this forum are really helpful and polite Vinni, they give their advice freely and with a good heart, but they do not respond very well to people who are extremely abrupt, use bad language or have no intention of taking on board the very good advice that they give. Nut, Bob and Ceres gave you excellent advice if you follow it I'm sure you will find that your weed problem is controlled.
Well, you know best - we obviously know nothing - some of the best gardeners on this forum have given you the benefit of upwards of 150 years of experience but you have derided it.
To explain it very simply - if you use weedkillers at too high a dose you will kill off the foliage but the roots don't die and the plants regrow - as it seems you have found.
If you use the weedkiller as instructed on the packet and then wait for it to take effect the foliage will absorb the weedkiller and slowly pass it back to the roots - in about three weeks not only will the foliage have died, but the roots will be dead also and the plants will not regrow.
However, if the area has been neglected for some time there will be seeds in the soil that will continue to germinate for some time so the area will need treating repeatedly. Also weed seeds from surrounding areas will be blown in on the wind, so you will never be totally free from the need to treat the area from time to time.
If you really want to be able to ignore any need for gardening activity then artificial grass is a sensible solution - not sarcasm. It's available at Homebase http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/garden/plants-seeds-and-bulbs/turf-and-artificial-grass
Even using a weed suppressant membrane and mulching with gravel, bark, pebbles etc will not remove the need for 'gardening' as weed seeds will blow into the mulch and grow there.
Now do you see why you've been told to follow the instructions on the packet?
Weedkiller is not like medication.
Medication is to make something better but if you 'overdose' it can kill you.
Weedkiller is intended to kill weeds - that is what it is made to do and the instructions on the pack tell you how to achieve that - what would be the point of an overdose?
I think the people who tried to help you deserve an apology
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hear hear Dove. A lovely, polite response. Some of us are truly grateful for the advice we get in this forum. We can all learn something new everyday. I for one would like to thank all the regular contributors for their experience and knowhow.
Weedkiller becomes inert once it hits the soil, so when you destroy one plant another waits to germinate in the soil & take its place. These are called Pioneer Species, because they can grow almost anywhere & are the first to colonise an area. Prepare to be in it for the long term. I dig out my weeds, not all of them though, some are pretty & are excellent for pollinators. Always follow manufacturers guidelines, they have undergone extensive testing so that you don't have to! Good luck with it.
x
Forgive my mistake Edd, I don't use chemicals. I believed the modern ones do, however I'll do some research for future reference!
think the person posing the question might as well dig everything up then cement over it and turn it into a space for his car if he hates gardening that much. No point killing off the wildlife as well. if I hates gardening that much I wouldn't bother buying a house, I'd buy a flat/apartment, much less stress all round !!!!