Allotment Paths

[dexterdoglancashire]

When I dug out my lottie a couple of years ago, I made raised beds then, due to lack of cash, just laid down some bark chippings as paths inbetween. This hasn't been a problem until this year when the number of (I call them) Mare's tails, but think they are Horse tails - the christmas tree weed - have totally taken over my paths.
To try to kill them off (I know I have to dig 'em out) I've covered my paths with black plastic.
Does anyone have any ideas what to do next? I'd really like to get them sorted over autumn/winter so that I'm not faced with the same problem next year.

[jacob marley]

there used to be on the Radio in the midlands a DJ whose answer to any gardening problem was concrete it and paint it green this springs to mind....jacob

[rustylady]

Try glyphosate

[Herbie]

Cover with weed surpressing membrane and put carpet off cuts over the top. Ive used carpet on the plot and seems to be working very well. Managed to get a stack of off cuts from a carpet fitter which was really handy. Some nice hessian axminster

[Paulottie]

Hi Bernie,

It is 'mare's tail'....or 'Horse's Ar*e' in my household cos it is that difficult to shift!! it goes down 30' or more! trouble is it will be soon in the raised beds.

I think Rusty Lady is right...weedkiller don't like it but 'needs must' You need to rough it up a bit to break waxy coating eg rubbing between bricks. Whenever you see it pull it up as it has inefficient leaves and you can starve it out.

I totally dislike the use of carpet.... grows in, rots and leaves a weave that is impossible to dig out.

[NOG]

scrape the bark lay down card and cover with the bark and any chippings.

[Alice]

There's no point in trying to dig it out, DDL. Don't kill yourself trying. The roots go all the way to Australia.
Wet it with soapy water then spray it with glyphaphate (the soapy water helps the glyphosphate to stick on as the leaves are very waxy and it just runs off) then cover it with membrane, cardboard or anything to exclude light - but I wouldn't use carpet. Dear knows what's in there to leech into the ground, and a lot of allotments sites don't allow it now. Anything that does appear just hoe it's head off.
PaulW advocates Deeproot as a solution. I thought it had been withdrawn from the market - but maybe I'm wrong. You could check and see. Good luck with the menace.

[Fluorescent green]

Hi

I just mow my paths, works for me.

FG

[kevnsue]

Hi,i find this helps on my allotment,it also seems to have kept the slugs at bay.
If anybody in leicestershire needs any pm me.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I've put black plastic down and will cover it with chippings later. At least I can't see it now. Reckon it must be Horse tail - the ********* weed! Im feeling much happier. Ta!