Weed control...

Hi all,

I have a rather impressive collection of nettles/doc under a Hawthorne hedge and a beech hedge.

I'm in the process of pulling them up for the 3rd time this year but can I spray something (like glysophate) that will kill off the weeds but not damage the hedge itself? The reason I mention glysophate is that I think it kills EVERYTHING

Seen those granule type weed suppressants but would rather spray something if possible.

Cheers once again...

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Hi Paul

Shame you cant leave them for the wildlife but yes you can spray but just make sure it does not drift onto the hedge leaves , its inert once it goes on the soil so no worry with the soil and roots of the hedge.

Spruce

 

The good news is that Nettles only grow where the soil is rich, so its a good sign Docs grow where Nettles grow (so you can rub them on when you get stung )

I would put Glyphosate on the nettles. It will work best on re-growth (young, active growth rather than mature growth). Don't get it on anything that you want to keep (e.g. the hedge) but as Spruce says it doesn't persist, and will not be taken up by the hedge roots, once it hits the ground.

You can get Roundup Gel, a bit like roll-on deodorant, which makes it easier to apply to specific leaves, compared to using a sprayer. Bit expensive, but might be worth considering if you have fiddly bits that you can't safely spray.

 

Cheers for the info guys

I know the soil is very fertile as its prime Norfolk farm land... Great for our spring barley which is currently going mental, but alas it's also a bit too good for the nettles!!

If I get some on the leaves of the beech and Hawthorne is that the beginning of the end for my hedge??

Ta muchly

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You can wash it off, but that might not be sufficient, so "yes" is the closest answer to your question.

 

Oh well... Even if the hedges in question are about 8ft tall and quite mature? I guess I'm looking for an easy miracle cure! Ha

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Yes. Glyphosate has been as successful as it has because it translocates (after spraying onto the leaves) down to the roots, over some period of time, and once there interferes with plant-specific chemistry crucial to the plant. There are a few plants that it is not / not very effective on but, sadly, they are ones you would want to be rid of, rather than wanting to keep.

There are some selective-weedkillers - for example things that you can put on your lawn and it kills all the weeds, but NOT the grass

None that I know of that kill everything EXCEPT Beech and Hawthorne

Then there is Genetic Engineering about which plenty of people, UK-side at least, have got quite concerned about. Perhaps you could replace your hedge with one genetically engineered not to be killed by Roundup

If t'were me then once the base of the hedge had been cleared (laboriously, by hand, probably) I would put some woven [that's important] weed suppressing membrane down - I would cut slits to accommodate the stem of each plant, that would keep the moisture in which the hedge would like, and foil the weeds' attempts at growing. Bit of a palaver initially, but largely a sit-back-and-enjoy-it solution thereafter

 

Ha thanks for the reply! Looks like the battle with the nettles will continue!!

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