Weeds!

17 years ago

Late last year I planted a new hosta/shade-perennial bed - it's rather large and I only got mulch down on part of the bed before snow fell. Now I am paying for it... it's being overrun by weeds - mostly crabgrass and dandelions. Normally I would just dig them out, but this is a really large bed and there are just so many weeds. My question is - can I use Round-up or some kind of weed killer that won't kill all my plants and save a lot of time and effort or am I better off just digging up all the weeds?? Thanks!

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Comments (4)

Janice
17 years ago
Or--if you can mow them down and cover the area with about 8-11 page layers of newsprint
or a single layer of cardboard, water it well, and dump your mulch over it! You can cut out holes
where you need to plant after you've done the project!

I know many have had successes with Roundup--but me, personally--I fear the impact it MAY have on
the worm population which will 'do the work' of dragging layered enrichments down into the soil below
and making it especailly nice to dig in, eventually!

Just my opinion, mind you--not meant to offend users of Round-up--a preference really.
I've done the 'lasagna beds' as described and so far, it's working great for me!!! Even, this year
I've seen an improvement of what I did two years ago!

The first year, I layered the newspaper and some cardboard and then last year, I topped it off with
composted cow manure and in the Fall I piled on the leaves from the yard. NICE!!! Now, in the Fall,
I plan on doing the compost and the leaves again! Show be an even greater bed to work in next Spring,
and the hosta and other plants are LOVING it!!!
amhodge
17 years ago
Hey-J, I have read your discussion on Lasagna gardening over the past couple of years, I have one question....have you had an issue with slugs. I have wanted to use the newspapers forever, but have alway been afraid as I thought that I would be making a home for the slugs and pill bugs. Could you please let me know if this has been a problem.
Thanks,
Maggie
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Janice
17 years ago
Hi Maggie!! I had not thought about the issue of slugs, but now that you mention it--I have no
damage to my hosta out front, in this area, but in the back whereI have not done this method,
from the beginning, tons of damage, because we were out-of-state at the beginning of slug season
and I had not thought to do anything about them, probably because I have not noticed the typical
damage they do in that area!!

I think most damage, in the back, may be due to cutworms, anyway, though I have come across a slug or two!!

I will definitely be thinking about and watching for slugs in that area, now! I've done NOTHING to prevent or
bait the slugs out front, in this bed we're discussing! Hmmmm
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
17 years ago
yes .. round up or the generic ... 2 and 5/8 oz per gallon or a 2% solution ...

use your own pump tank .... THIS IS NOT FRENCH PERFUME ... we dont want to make a mist that floats in the wind ...

practice on the driveway with your tank and plain water ...

VERY LOW PRESSURE.... and adjust the nozzle until you get big drops.. which gravity pulls to the earth ...

NO atomizing of the spray .. that is what will drift...

VERY LOW PRESSURE ....

spray ... on the first weekend ...

spray again the next Saturday ... so you can make sure you got everything..

then cover the next day with mulch ..

i go through hundreds of gals per season ...

ken

ps: note the VERY LOW PRESSURE