Invasive Plant (garden)

[Harbo]

I've been struggling for the past couple of years to eradicate a rampant climbing shrub I planted about 5 years ago.
I cannot remember what it's called but it's not very attractive anyway producing tiny red flowers and lots of foliage!
It spreads by root suckers under other plants then shoots upwards through them until free air is reached then sprouts massive amounts of greenery which smoothers other the stuff!
I keep pulling it up but it always comes back - difficult to get every bit as its growing through other plants like my rose bed and hedge.
Can anybody recommend some sort of selective killer that will finish it off?

Rod

 

[devonwoody]

There are some experts here. http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/

Hope it is not the Jap stuff, I have heard buyers sometimes get refused a mortgage if found by a surveyor.

 

[thomvic]

Glyphosate is the answer. Round-up is a popular brand but there are many others. You apply by spray or brush onto as much of the foliage as you can get at and in a few weeks it will kill the plant - roots an' all, no matter how long. A strong solution will kill trees - even tree stumps if applied to freshly cut or drilled timber! If it is a very rampant plant it is worthwhile making several applications over a couple of weeks. It will take 4 - 6 weeks for the plant to die off.
What you have is not "the Jap stuff." Japanese Knotweed is not a climber. Despite it's reputation, it too can be killed with several applications of glyphosate.
Make sure that you do not get the chemical onto the foliage of plants you want to keep - only a small amount can be fatal. Once glyphosate comes into contact with the soil it becomes inert so you don't have to worry about poisoning the ground.

Richard

 

[Harbo]

Definitely not Japanese Knotweed - I've come across that a number of times building roads!

Will give Roundup a go.

Rod

 

[mancsteve1]

As thomvic suggested glysophate is the answer and add some washing up liquid to mix, this makes it stick to the plant better.

 

[woodbloke]

As thomvic suggested glysophate is the answer and add some washing up liquid to mix, this makes it stick to the plant better.

That's a good tip. I was using some SBK weedkiller the other evening to destroy something coming through the fence at the back of the garden...the weedkiller seemed to be running off the leaves - Rob

 

[Phil Pascoe]

As thomvic suggested glysophate is the answer and add some washing up liquid to mix, this makes it stick to the plant better.

That's a good tip. I was using some SBK weedkiller the other evening to destroy something coming through the fence at the back of the garden...the weedkiller seemed to be running off the leaves - Rob

Napalm! Definately!

 

[MrA]

If you can get a small syringe, inject it right into the stem of the plant at various intervals, the washing up liquid mix is also good but injection every couple of weeks is guaranteed. Its how Japanese knotweed is dealt with. Make sure to burn thoroughly once it's died right back.

 

[Jonzjob]

"I've come across that a number of times building roads!"

That's one cleaver plant and I didn't not ever heard of one wot's a road buiilder :shock: :shock: :shock:

OK, I'l get me hat, still to hot for a coat

Be careful with the roundup/ glysophate stuff. It ain't as inocent as that, I never tell lies, Monsanto reckon!

 

[mancsteve1]

Yes jonzjob if its green it'll kill it!!

If you could only get hold of Spasor Biactive (Industrial strength Glysophate much better than Garden Centre product)

 

[Harbo]

I suppose I asked for that

There was a time that just about every new job we started we came across it and it cost a fortune to get rid of it.
We had to remove it and all the soil in its vicinity up to a depth of 1m - all taken to specialist tips!

Rod

 

[dedee]

if your plant has growing tips fill a jam jar with the weedkiller and stuff as much of the growing tips in the liquid as possible, cover the top as best as possible to stop rain water diluting it. This works well for bindweed.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

For most purposes all this injecting and drowning is over the top. A light spraying with a decent glyphosate product (eg Roundup Bi-active) is all that is required. It takes a lot less than you might think. Spraying till it runs off is not needed.

The exception are plants with waxy cuticle or silicones like horsestails; here bashing them about a bit to bruise the plant before spraying helps - thrashing with a garden cane works well, even if it makes the neighbours think you've lost the plot

Although glyphosate degrades in soil (albeit not as quickly as the manufacturers would like you to believe), it does not if it gets into watercourses directly or by being washed off hard surfaces, so mind where you spray it.

 

[RogerS]

And don't waste your money buying ready-mized RoundUp. Stump up and buy the concentrated stuff...go to a farmers' supplier.

 

[devonwoody]

Amazon offers on the stuff can be competitive

 

[RogerS]

Amazon offers on the stuff can be competitive

Yes maybe but I usually try elsewhere first to see if I can find similar prices and support them instead. Amazon are too big and they pay little in corporation tax (if anything at all).

For instance, PrestoClassical are pretty good for classical CDs.

 

[devonwoody]

Amazon offers on the stuff can be competitive

Yes maybe but I usually try elsewhere first to see if I can find similar prices and support them instead. Amazon are too big and they pay little in corporation tax (if anything at all).

For instance, PrestoClassical are pretty good for classical CDs.

Roger, we have not had a good economical discussion for a while. :wink:

If we can all buy that weed killer product at 50% cheaper and a company does not pay corporation tax ( in this instance Luxembourg registered) who is the loser.

A government will only go and waste that CT collected on some kwango or something.

 

[misterfish]

I bought a 5 litre container of Rosate 36 - a generic equivalent of Roundup but cheaper. It works as well as Roundup but is cheaper.

As for Amazon, a lot of the stuff they sell is for other companies where they act as the shop window and do all the sales administration etc.

Misterfish