chris French wrote:
In message , Spamlet
writes

"Lawrence" wrote in message
...
This summer I've been trying to get rid of nettles and thistles prior to
planting trees on my 1.5 acre field. I have been using "Roundup"
which I
bought as a cheap end of line at a local garden centre (£2.99 for the
usual £10.99 bottles). I now need to stock up on some more or something
equally as good. It must be able to kill nettles and thistles but
must be
able to be sprayed safely around trees without harming them. I know
there
are some who doubt that roundup biodegrades but I am willing to believe
the manufacturer unless someone comes up with proof positive.
So now the question. In researching cheaper sources, I've come
across the
problem that there are a number of different variants of roundup.
The CG
form seems to have 120g/litre of glyphosate, the ultimate form
360g/litre
and the brush and shrub(? has 480g/litre but is it that simple? I've
also
read that you ought to add ammonium sulphate if you are using hard(ish)
water to dilute it!
If it is to be roundup, which form?
Where is the cheapest place to get it?
I see that Amazon has the CG at £14.06 per litre but I hear that
agricultural supplies firms sell it in 5 litre bottles.
Any advice appreciated.

Lawrence

Borrow some pigs: they soon get rid of everything... but...

Lots of trees in our town have been killed by the council obsession with
killing everything that grows around them - and ringbarking them with
strimmers for good measure. Those that aren't killed outright suffer and
drop their leaves instead, and are then accused of being diseased and
so are
chainsawed before they get the chance to recover.

Except for a few trees like yew and rhododendron - which poison just
about
everything -, most get along fine with the right things growing beneath
them, and this helps maintain the soil structure, biota, moisture and
microclimate on which they depend.

They will, once big enough.

And my experience - at least with 'shed grade' Roundup -, is that it just
turns weeds a nasty brown colour and then they just grow back from the
roots.

Depends on the weeds, somethings, do need more than one application.


use at higher strength, that's all.

Domestic weedkiller is Elfin Safety strength. Useless.
2-10 times that strength is effective. nettles are easy. Brambles are
not.

Others are in between


Actually, I would just plant your trees in with the nettles and thistles:
this will hide them from the rabbits and deer to some extent and give
them a
chance to get rooted before the top gets browsed off. Remember: the HARD
thing, is STOPPING land reverting to woodland. Large numbers of
conservation volunteers spend most of their time trying to stop woodland
from forming on what they want to keep as grassland. If you just
fenced out
your 1.5 acres from deer and rabbits you would soon have a wood.


Yes, and no.

If you are planting trees then just leaving them to battle it out with
the weeds isn't the best course, a significant number will probably lose
the battle.

yep. Or at least be severely retarded.