[Jacob-list] Round-Up

[gordon johnston]

Hi Neal and everyone
We have never used weedkillers of any kind before but we are just about at the point of deciding to do so in two situations, so the current discussion is of great interest.  All the hints and tips are good.

We are gradually encircling our smallholding here in Scotland (UK) with hedges, but we have lost a lot of the plants to weed competition.  The main culprit is couch grass (I don't know if you call it the same thing over there - we have lots of local names for it. It spreads by almost indestructible runners ).  Our hedgeplant supplier has recommended Round-Up as having the least environmental impact.

The other situation is within our pastures where creeping thistles are gradually , well, creeping in from the wildlife refuges around the edges, spear thistles appear in fairly large numbers (but can readily be removed in June), and stinging nettles are appearing in clumps in the kind of place we can't easily get to to dig them out (if we had nothing better to do !)
Neal, would you recommend your 'cut them down and apply Round-Up to the remains' method for the creeping thistle and nettles ?   When is the best time to apply it and does it need to be repeated ?  Would you apply it with a paintbrush ?   Can you tell me the chemicals in Round-Up please and what it breaks down to ?
We do not wish to use any chemical which will persist in the soil or be a danger to our animals and poultry or to wildlife, so anything more lethal than Round-Up is out.
Our sheep do eat thistles, with great relish (and care !) , especially the spear type, also nettles, but we wish they didn't as they damage their mouths and make them susceptible to orf if we don't get there in time with a sealant spray to cover the scratches.  Thistles in particular must bring up plenty of minerals from the depths  so in spite of their problems they must be good for the sheep.      Even though you say Round-Up is so safe I would prefer to treat each paddock separately and close it off for a while.  How long does it take for the plants to die ?  How soon after using it could you resow any bare patches?
And finally, would you use Round-Up near your vegetable growing area ?

Gillian, the Japanese Knotweed is trying to take over our country and the only way to beat it seems to be to dig out every last tiny bit of root, as you say.  Even laying concrete over it doesn't seem to be a 100% success.  Then there's Giant Hogweed, which causes blistering of the skin in sunlight - people plant it even though it's an illegal alien, because it's so striking but then find their entire neighbourhood has been taken over !   The other thing which  is taking over here in Scotland, at least in the wetter west, is Rhododendron - beautiful for the tourists but hell to try to grow anything else nearby.  I'm delighted to say we have none of them and I think the couch, thistles and nettles are only a problem as we have not used chemicals on them and do not have enough energy left to dig them all out by hand.

Juliet



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