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  • A Little Weed Problem

    I've got a little annual weed problem in the polytunnel, which means i need to apply something to combat it very carefully. No matter how regularly I hoe, dig, pick etc I can't seem to control it. Can anyone recommend a good weed killer which would allow me to treat a 5 foot by 5 foot area of the tunnel? I've got garlic growing alongside so need to be particularly careful.

    ~
    Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
    ~ Mary Kay Ash

  • #2
    Sorry jenny, no idea as I don't have a poly tunnel, but I just wanted to pop my head in and say Hi!
    Shortie

    "There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

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    • #3
      What type of weed is it? You say annual, but is it only one sort or lots of different ones?

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      • #4
        Lovely to see you, Jennie!

        With regard to annual weeds, can they not be hoed/handweeded?

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        • #5
          What weed is it Jennie? I can't think of one that needs weedkiller (as opposed to hand-weeding ...)
          All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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          • #6
            Lovely to hear from old friends! Sorry, yes I should have said that it is an annual weed and must be a form of chick weed (it looks like ordinary chickweed) and is very aggressive. It forms a dense mat growing to about 12" high and this year throttled the beans it was growing around. I suppose you could describe the area as damp and cool, so probably ideal conditions.

            I've tried hoeing, pulling, weeding carefully, etc. all to no avail. I have an alkaline soil and I've read that chick weed is more agressive in such soil and that organic compost doesn't help It has been getting worse each year but this year is definately the worst and despite the weeding etc. the little blighters are coming up again! I'm loathe to leave the area fallow in case they just take over.

            Any further thoughts?
            ~
            Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
            ~ Mary Kay Ash

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            • #7
              It's a little sod, isn't it? I have chickweed too. It grows and seeds itself in only about 6 weeks, and it's self-pollinating, so by the time you've noticed it, it's already produced the next generation. http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/orga...weed.php?id=16

              Can you let some chickens or guinea pigs in to eat it ?(they both like it... and I'm trying to think "organic").

              Otherwise, weedkillers are mentioned here: Chickweed, recognition and eradication
              Last edited by Two_Sheds; 02-10-2009, 06:35 PM.
              All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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              • #8
                You could let a chicken loose! However, you won't have any garlic left either!
                (Lovely to hear from you again btw.)
                Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

                www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - Spring

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                • #9
                  Thanks Two Sheds for the links. They describe chickweed as prostrate - mine was actually growing up the beans! Perhaps I've got a new variety I do like to be organic so I think I'll just keep pulling and weeding. I like the idea of guinea pigs - but like a chicken I think might run amok!

                  Nice to hear from you too Flum.
                  ~
                  Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
                  ~ Mary Kay Ash

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by JennieAtkinson View Post
                    I like the idea of guinea pigs - but like a chicken I think might run amok!
                    Yes, it would need to be penned. I have mine in a moveable ark, but for smaller spaces just any open-bottomed pen would do. They won't dig out, like rabbits
                    All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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