Couch grass boo boo?

[Kaiya]

I have a tiny patch of couch in my allotment - probably about 1-2 square metres. I spent a while attacking it, got a fair amount out (didn't seem very dense) but then ran out of time. I sowed carrots in the area - will the couch grass 'strangle' the root veg or is it more a case of competition?

[Two_Sheds]

The couch will completely overrun and smother the carrots, sadly

Never mind, you still have time to sow more (in clean ground )

[gojiberry]

Depends on how much you left in the ground. I think I read somewhere that it can grow 300ft in a week (seems a lot). I know from experience that even the smallest piece will grow.

Ian

[Kaiya]

Blargh...I feared this would be the case Not sure where it's come from as it wasn't there last year.

I removed this much (for scale green squares are 15cm wide):

which seemed to be over half of it, but it's sprung up again. It looks so intermittent and innocent looking...

[Aberdeenplotter]

Better to try to dig out as much as you can and then plant spuds in that area. With spuds, you are constantly moving the soil by digging, taking out trenches, backfilling the trenches, earthing up the spuds a few times as they grow and finally harvesting the spuds. That's a series of effective assaults on the couch which coupled with the top growth depriving all weeds not just the couch of light should result in eradication of the problem at the end of the process.

[mrbadexample]

Or try growing turnips there - they are supposed to suppress the couch grass. No idea if it actually works or not though.

[Two_Sheds]

My neighbour has planted a plot full of spuds for 2 years now. The couch grass hasn't abated one bit

(he does keep rotavating it, prior to planting the spuds)

[Aberdeenplotter]

(he does keep rotavating it, prior to planting the spuds)

And in doing so multiplying his problem 10 fold.

[di]

Or try growing turnips there - they are supposed to suppress the couch grass. No idea if it actually works or not though.

I have been meaning to try this for at least three years now, just growing around the borders of some of the beds. Perhaps this will be the year! I shall let you know if it worked.

[Two_Sheds]

And in doing so multiplying his problem 10 fold.

Well you tell him

because I can't

[Aberdeenplotter]

There's nane sae blind as them that winnae see. Let me know if you need that translated. . It does become difficult when folks won't accept good advice that will undoubtedly save them trouble later but you have clearly tried and failed.

[Loudbarker1]

Time for a radical approach: cover the area with black plastic or weed supressant membrane for a year. You could plant spuds through it if you want to.

[Kaiya]

Ironically spuds were planted in this area last year, although they weren't very successful so probably weren't much of an assault on the couch! I do plan to do the cardboard mulch this autumn as it will be potatoes next year, so that may help with any I don't get out. I'm sad to be killing my potential carrot seedlings though! If anything they are probably no more than chitted seeds at this point - I'm going to try and keep the soil they are in when I dig it up, and broadcast it back. Probably a waste of time but better than them ending up 6 inches down!

[zazen999]

Personally, I'd leave them and let them grow and just pull it out when they are a little bigger. I had terrible couch grass my first year of growing and although the couch grass did grow around my carrots - it didn't kill them and I had the best carrots ever from that plot.

[Two_Sheds]

^ there you go then Kaiya