Help for a neighbour please

The garden next door has been neglected for 20 years since the guy who did it passed away and his partner had no interest. A new family has moved into one of the flats and the garden has been cleared of all the brambles above ground that were growing.

Problem is the roots are still alive and still sprouting. My neighbour (new to gardening) has been cutting these off as they grow - but I think she is fighting a loosing battle and they need to be either dug up or use weedkiller.

I have been looking at the Roundup tree stump and bramble killer but it needs to be sprayed onto the leaves to work down into the roots and disintegrates upon contact with the soil which is what she would need as she has 3 young children. Is there any other that could be watered onto the soil to kill these roots or will she have to dig them all up (bearing in mind this will be a massive job as they have been there for 20 years)

I don't think I can convince her to let them grow again and spray them - unless that's the only way. Whatever is watered in needs to be child/animal friendly and quickly disappear as she wants to grow grass there.

I have no knowledge of weedkillers other than Roundup for the grass - that did the job getting rid of all the clover - or Verdone that doesn't kill clover but will do the dasies/dandelions etc.

S

 

Sorry Sumbody, after 20 years of neglect, there 'ain't no quick fix as Loofah says,
Jenny

 

I know this is going to be a big job - bless her - she thought there would be a near perfect lawn growing under all those brambles, wouldn't believe me when I tried to explain that the darkness of the brambles would have killed most of it. The men that came in and cleared it chopped everything down (there were some roses/hydrangeas before as the guy who used to tend it did so daily, in 3 parts, flowers, grass and further up veggies - they were self-sufficient and used to blanch and freeze) leaving twigs and weeds still growing - she has been out there relentlessly with her hoe. Don't think she believed me either about the roots and the grow-back - until now.

S

 

Just a quick update - as suspected it is not an option to let any of these weeds/brambles grow back to spray the leaves - so she is going to dig them out as they sprout. (Rather her than me on a 40ft square +++ area )

On a better note, the Roundup stuff gets rid of ground elder - I thought it needed to be dug up and have been doing so for years to keep on top of it - so this is a bonus for me at least. Next visit to B & Q I will be getting some and having a go for sure.

Thanks again for your advice.

S

 

I've used salt to kill brambles, cut the head off and apply some salt may have to be done a few times, do on dry days

 

Maybe after the first 10 sq ft she'll come round to your way of thinking. Or even the first 1 sq ft!

 

Roundup kills everything, including grass. Verdone is selective and is meant to leave grass alone.

 

You are absolutely right Clueless - checked the bottle and it's called Resolva not Roundup

S