Don't Wintersong, I have budding none-gardeners next to me and I recently cut down a 6ft branch of bramble as far as my loppers would reach over the hedge. I have nightmares about their garden reaching that state
I already asked the council if I could turn the strip between us into an insect-friendly plot. They said as it was council land and as my neighbours are council tennants it was their responsibility.
Anyway, after that response last year I stopped mowing it, but the dandelions etc. are driving me nuts so yet again I'll start mowing it unless they do. Oooh I just saw a pig flying past!
Thanks guys for the responses, even the non-constructive ones.
Wintersong, If you must know, my mother is far too weak (illnesses) to even attempt any type of gardening, and I have had far more important concerns than her garden.
Anyhow guys and girls, ill be having a go at it next week with the petrol power tool with bush cutter attachment, cut it down to about a foot, spray with weed killer after a week, then dig or pull out??
Again, if I may ask :
How long would the weed killer take to do its job you reckon??
Burn the cut bits - Our garden was like that and the bonfire lasted 4 days. make sure the neighbours know though.
Spray and leave for about 2 weeks then spray again, you should then begin to see a difference. then dig pile up the roots and then burn again. Remember bramble roots keep coming unless dug up/killed.
OK, Tony, I understand where you're coming from, mine looked like that when I started last summer. I have ME/CFS, so what I can do is limited. How I tackle it is:
1 Buy decent gloves. Mine are the gold leaf tough touch ones, and, apart from the seams are bramble-proof. You will need them as brambles, even when dead, are bloody lethal.
2. Doesn't really matter what you use to chop it down, I have trusty loppers and secatuers for chopping up the brambles, green bits go in the council green bin, dead woody bits go in dustbin incinerator type thing (aldi, £20 ish). Chop down all stuff to about 6 ins/1ft.
3. Dig out brambles. They only go down a spade and a half, so aren't difficult to do. If you have any other weeds, like bindweed, these are a different matter.
4. Anything that dares poke it's head up after a week, use roundup or something similar. Keep spraying, it will eventually get the message and turn it's roots up and die.
5. For both yours and your Mums' sake, once that's done, put down weed supressing membrane, and cover with something like pea gravel. It will look a lot nicer, I'm sure I'd be depressed looking out at that lot, and pea gravel might not be every one's choice, it's better, far better than what's there now. The council can and do fine people (even if you own the house) for letting their gardens get out of hand, it only takes the next door neighbour one phone call to the council/councillor and they can get stroppy with your Mum - I wouldn't want that for anyone, especially not my Mum.
To answer your question, weedkiller takes between 4 and 6 weeks, and it needs to be dry for at least 4 hours after you spray it on, maybe more. If you want instant improvement, go the gloves and loppers route, if you're lazy and/or have the time and money, then go down the weedkillers route.
Brambles only go down a spade and a half, so are quite easy to dig out, BUT, the tiniest bit of root will re-grow.
Once you've done it, please use the weed membrane and pea gravel, and then you won't have to do it again in a couple of years. And a couple of years after that.
Your Mum should also be a lot happier and won't be nagging you to do something about that wilderness. Very depressing.
There's some very good advice from our wise friends above, another thought, but not necessarily a better one! Once youv'e got it down to ground level and sprayed it again with sbk or the like.cover with builders black membrane for season.This will cause the millions of dormant seeds to germinate and suffocate and save you years of weeding them out.It doesn't mean that because you,ve "eradicated" the big visible stuff, perhaps with their roots, that the soil is now sterile and lifeless.Remember as an example that Poppy seeds found in 3 thousand year old Egyptian tombs burst into life when given the chance! The black polythene trick I've found also appeals to worms which proliferate under its embrace and bring with them all their benefits, whilst some strategically placed small mounds of slug pellets, about 5 or six feet apart stay protected for some time under its cover and will help eradicate the problems you will otherwise have with them!...........Oooooogh the joys of gardening! good luck.By the way when youv'e finished this lot!!!! you may have to reconsider the smiley name we know you by!
Excellent advice guys and girls. Very grateful for your time.
I've now ordered some loppers and gloves just incase I cant get the petrol garden tool to work, which is very much looking that way. I'm sure they will come in handy anyway
Ill def get some membrane for the garden, and more than likely, cover with cover with pea gravel as Mummy Muddy Paws has mentioned.
Hi FatTony, it's very good advice above. It's tough coping with your own stuff and helping your mum when you can & as you say you have more important things to cope with. It may well be less time consuming if you try to keep up to date, doing a little and more often. If you mum lives locally it's easier than if she lives further away, but tough nonetheless. OK so I know this is a gardening site but - weedkiller the lot, polythene/weed proof membrane will help as above and then could you use (said very quietly) artificial turf? It will remain green and will be nicer to look at for your mum & you could then plant up a pot with something colourful for your mum to look at. Does Help the aged or other local charities have any ideas to help you? A local college that does horticultural courses, may have a student that would like to have a project, The loppers and gloves are great, but don't forget to cover yourself too, decent footwear, long trousers and long sleeved shirt. (sorry if that sounds patronising its not meant to be) I tend to think of brambles as natures barbed wire, so beware - with growth that long especially I always wear glasses when I'm gardening and a hat with a brim. Tetanus jab? You may well have rats moving through there, so gloves are essential to protect youself from weils disease, but you may also have hedgehogs there too. Do you have any friends of family to help your mum? Good luck. Would like to know how you get on.
Posts
Don't Wintersong, I have budding none-gardeners next to me and I recently cut down a 6ft branch of bramble as far as my loppers would reach over the hedge. I have nightmares about their garden reaching that state
I already asked the council if I could turn the strip between us into an insect-friendly plot. They said as it was council land and as my neighbours are council tennants it was their responsibility.
Anyway, after that response last year I stopped mowing it, but the dandelions etc. are driving me nuts so yet again I'll start mowing it unless they do. Oooh I just saw a pig flying past!
Thanks guys for the responses, even the non-constructive ones.
Wintersong, If you must know, my mother is far too weak (illnesses) to even attempt any type of gardening, and I have had far more important concerns than her garden.
Anyhow guys and girls, ill be having a go at it next week with the petrol power tool with bush cutter attachment, cut it down to about a foot, spray with weed killer after a week, then dig or pull out??
Again, if I may ask :
How long would the weed killer take to do its job you reckon??
And how far would I have to dig down?
Thanks again guys
Burn the cut bits - Our garden was like that and the bonfire lasted 4 days. make sure the neighbours know though.
Spray and leave for about 2 weeks then spray again, you should then begin to see a difference. then dig pile up the roots and then burn again. Remember bramble roots keep coming unless dug up/killed.
Glyphosate takes about three weeks.
Ryton Gardens near Coventry have perfected various techniques in ground clearance.
Once its clear you could cover it in black plastic. not pretty but it keeps it under control.
OK, Tony, I understand where you're coming from, mine looked like that when I started last summer. I have ME/CFS, so what I can do is limited. How I tackle it is:
1 Buy decent gloves. Mine are the gold leaf tough touch ones, and, apart from the seams are bramble-proof. You will need them as brambles, even when dead, are bloody lethal.
2. Doesn't really matter what you use to chop it down, I have trusty loppers and secatuers for chopping up the brambles, green bits go in the council green bin, dead woody bits go in dustbin incinerator type thing (aldi, £20 ish). Chop down all stuff to about 6 ins/1ft.
3. Dig out brambles. They only go down a spade and a half, so aren't difficult to do. If you have any other weeds, like bindweed, these are a different matter.
4. Anything that dares poke it's head up after a week, use roundup or something similar. Keep spraying, it will eventually get the message and turn it's roots up and die.
5. For both yours and your Mums' sake, once that's done, put down weed supressing membrane, and cover with something like pea gravel. It will look a lot nicer, I'm sure I'd be depressed looking out at that lot, and pea gravel might not be every one's choice, it's better, far better than what's there now. The council can and do fine people (even if you own the house) for letting their gardens get out of hand, it only takes the next door neighbour one phone call to the council/councillor and they can get stroppy with your Mum - I wouldn't want that for anyone, especially not my Mum.
To answer your question, weedkiller takes between 4 and 6 weeks, and it needs to be dry for at least 4 hours after you spray it on, maybe more. If you want instant improvement, go the gloves and loppers route, if you're lazy and/or have the time and money, then go down the weedkillers route.
Brambles only go down a spade and a half, so are quite easy to dig out, BUT, the tiniest bit of root will re-grow.
Once you've done it, please use the weed membrane and pea gravel, and then you won't have to do it again in a couple of years. And a couple of years after that.
Your Mum should also be a lot happier and won't be nagging you to do something about that wilderness. Very depressing.
There's some very good advice from our wise friends above, another thought, but not necessarily a better one! Once youv'e got it down to ground level and sprayed it again with sbk or the like.cover with builders black membrane for season.This will cause the millions of dormant seeds to germinate and suffocate and save you years of weeding them out.It doesn't mean that because you,ve "eradicated" the big visible stuff, perhaps with their roots, that the soil is now sterile and lifeless.Remember as an example that Poppy seeds found in 3 thousand year old Egyptian tombs burst into life when given the chance! The black polythene trick I've found also appeals to worms which proliferate under its embrace and bring with them all their benefits, whilst some strategically placed small mounds of slug pellets, about 5 or six feet apart stay protected for some time under its cover and will help eradicate the problems you will otherwise have with them!...........Oooooogh the joys of gardening! good luck.By the way when youv'e finished this lot!!!! you may have to reconsider the smiley name we know you by!
Excellent advice guys and girls. Very grateful for your time.
I've now ordered some loppers and gloves just incase I cant get the petrol garden tool to work, which is very much looking that way. I'm sure they will come in handy anyway
Ill def get some membrane for the garden, and more than likely, cover with cover with pea gravel as Mummy Muddy Paws has mentioned.
Ill post updated pictures as I go a long.
Thanks again guys. Very grateful.
Hi fat tony,
all this advice is good, but why do you wait for two years to pass
before you tend your mothers garden?
If you are to busy, pay a gardener to do it.
and your mum will get some company.
And as big ed said, a bit of regular toil is good for the figure
and the soul.
Hi Patty, That's one of the main reasons I've choose to do it myself.
I fully expect to be at least a stone light in the next couple of weeks.
As for your first question, it probably hasnt been as long as 2 years, I have no idea when it was done last as I didnt do it.
Tony
Hi FatTony, it's very good advice above. It's tough coping with your own stuff and helping your mum when you can & as you say you have more important things to cope with. It may well be less time consuming if you try to keep up to date, doing a little and more often. If you mum lives locally it's easier than if she lives further away, but tough nonetheless. OK so I know this is a gardening site but - weedkiller the lot, polythene/weed proof membrane will help as above and then could you use (said very quietly) artificial turf? It will remain green and will be nicer to look at for your mum & you could then plant up a pot with something colourful for your mum to look at. Does Help the aged or other local charities have any ideas to help you? A local college that does horticultural courses, may have a student that would like to have a project, The loppers and gloves are great, but don't forget to cover yourself too, decent footwear, long trousers and long sleeved shirt. (sorry if that sounds patronising its not meant to be) I tend to think of brambles as natures barbed wire, so beware - with growth that long especially I always wear glasses when I'm gardening and a hat with a brim. Tetanus jab? You may well have rats moving through there, so gloves are essential to protect youself from weils disease, but you may also have hedgehogs there too. Do you have any friends of family to help your mum? Good luck. Would like to know how you get on.