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Clearing Nettles in Bluebells
Hampshire Steve
Posts: 17
Hiya
Have around half an acre of rough ground filled with lovely bluebells ....and loads of nettles.
What is the simplest most effective way to get rid of them? I do not wish to damage the bluebells - would a selective weedkiller such as Vitax SBK Brushwood Killer do the job? If so what concentration?
All advice welcomed and as you may gather I am not an expert gardener ....so if there is a better way please let me know?
Many thanks
Steve
0
Posts
Hi Steve. I would wait until the bluebells have died back before applying any weedkiller. SBK is indeed selective but it is only grass it will not effect and I'm not certain whether it would ignore the bluebells.
Thats is a problem, I amsure I heard that Bluebells are 'Protected' and are not to be picked etc..
You can alwas make 'Nettle beer' Trying to remove nettles in that quantity is a bit of a thorny sunject, I got stung by them last week pulling a few and wearing gloves too...
I have bought a mini weed burner that I have yet to test, but worried about the ajacent plants etc..
Wait till the bluebell leaves have died back and then strim or mow the area. The nettles will regrow, cut them off again. You should notice that the next regrowth is weaker. Cut again. After about 4 cuts there should be a significant difference in the number and size of nettles. Done often enough it starves the roots of food supplies and is easy to repeat in subsequent years if there is any sign of recovery. This method doesn't harm the grass, but if there are other plants present you could use a weed slasher and just pull the nettles nearest to other plants. The nettles are very easy to cut if you can get them young.
I have found the best gloves to wear are washing up gloves: they may look silly, but they are nice and flexible, thick enough to protect your fingers and have good long cuffs for your wrists.
Agree with Tetley and Buttercup, forget the death sprays. Nettles don't survive in mown grass. (Or mown anything else)
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hiya
Thanks for replies - very useful and I think I will strim/mow once the flowers are gone and try to manage that way.
Tetley: Thanks for your comments and you must be psychic - have just created a large wildlife pond which is filling as I type - this is the next project if you have any expert advice!
Hi Steve
I've just been pulling out nettles this morning! With long 'gauntlet' style leather gloves as they always sting you somewhere up the arms!
I try not to use chemicals, and just pull them out around the back of the hedge and mow down low in the grass. It does seem to work/weaken them like some of the other members have mentioned. Try and strim or mow before they flower and set seed.
With your new pond....it'll prob. go pea green at some point soon but don't worry, about 6 weeks later it'll clear. Add a mix of tall rushes and some trailing plants in the pond and make sure wildlife can crawl out (ie a gradual slope somewhere), and add a log pile and leafy plants next to it for the frogs to hide in. Pond plants with the U.K. Flag on seem to last well thru our winters / are hardy. And the bees seem to love water mint and forget me nots.
Good luck!