Couch grass

[eastkentspur]

what's the best way to wipe it out?

a) when it's growing in my onion bed
b) when it's growing in a bed i plan to plant in
c) when it's growing in an area that i may leave til next year

[zazen999]

Dig it out when you see it or smother it with card for a year and then dig it out when you see it.

[Jeanied]

a) pull out what you can with a small fork / by hand from your onion bed, avoiding disturbing the onions. You will have to keep reminding the grass that it is not wanted till you harvest the onions.
b) dig over the bed you plan to plant in, pulling out all the pieces of root with every spade / fork full. Be as thorough you can.
c) cover the unused plot with cardboard / black plastic for as long as you can. Then repeat part b) otherwise you will still be doing part a) in a few years time.

[mogs]

I've read in a couple of books that you can prevent couchgrass in a specific area by planting marigolds around the edges, something about the chemicals that marigolds expel from their roots kills off the couchgrass.

I had quite a bit of couchgrass when I took over the plot, especially where my onions were planted - tried the marigold trick and only the odd blade came through all season - mind I did dig it well, so who's to say whether it was actually the marigolds?? May be worth a try though

[Pies]

if you want to use chemicals, glyposhate is effective spay once then wait for any regrowth and spray again,this should kill it.Obviously don't use where you have plants

Apparently growing turnips will kill couch,but ive not tried that

[Two_Sheds]

you can prevent couchgrass in a specific area by planting marigolds around the edges

I've tried that, it doesn't work unfortunately

glyposhate is effective

It's OK for the top growth and some of the roots, but it doesn't kill it all.

I used it repeatedly last year on a stubborn patch of couch, bramble and perennial nettle (in desperation) ... I still have it coming back now

I also have couch growing in from my neighbour's patch. What I've done there is plant comfrey all along the edge as a barrier. It really helps, and I'm going to have lots of lovely comfrey tea this year too

[stupot]

I'm glad you mention comfrey on the border of your plot TS because I was thinking about doing that today.

[Lazgaot]

1) Quite difficult, pull it out as you see it
2) Use a fork, not a spade, to dig it all out. Use the fork so you can loosen the soil thoroughly and take out long lengths of the root systems. A spade will only chop up the roots as you dig.
3) Cover the area with a layer of manure, then cardboard and more manure. In a years time you'll have a lovely bed ready to plant.

[vegnut]

Did read something somewhere in the past decade or two about turnips blocking couch grass. Probably a load of old twaddle, but if someone knows anything, please spill the beans. I would love to know if this works or not.

[Dane End Dolly]

I am constantly digging the rotten stuff out, I am intrigued about comfrey, i have never grown it before so will be checking it out

[DaveJ]

I tend to just roll up my sleeves and dig it out.

[Two_Sheds]

I am intrigued about comfrey, i have never grown it before so will be checking it out

I got my first root cuttings from eBay for about a quid each: since then I have taken my own root cuttings and now must have about 25 clumps of it, forming an impenetrable barrier (I hope) against next door's couch grass

[Storming Norman]

Last year when I took on my plot with brambles, couch grass and bindweed I sprayed with glyphosate then dosed it again with the same - but watered on with a watering can m- about 2 weeks later. This did the trick on the couch grass. It did not do that much on the other 2 but it did weaken them enough to allow me to dig the majority out.

I think that all the options are important in this fight - the chemicals just allows you to get on top of the problem - then the weakened weeds are much easier to manage afterwards, whichever method you want to use longer term.

With the onion bed - could you put down a thick mulch of newspaper in the gaps to gain some control and then remove it properly when they are pulled? This could be fiddly but I cannot see how you can dig deep enough in the circumstances to make much difference right now.