"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Spamlet wrote:
"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.

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.

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.

S


wrong. Trees get severely retarded if they have to compete with weeds when
their root systems are small.

I planted two hornbeam section. One was a new hedge planted in cleared
ground with a bit of fertilizer. 6 ft tall after 3 years. Another section
was rough planted in an existing hedge: 9 years and barely 5ft.

qed

There is no point in arguing with you, but if anyone sensible is following
this, then they should know that fast growth - especially when assisted with
fertilisers - is weak and sappy growth. You can read about this in numerous
publications and of particular relevance are Oliver Rackham's excellent
books on trees, woodland and countryside history and management. But you
will know this anyway from trying to find decent timber in the shops.
Forestry stuff is sappy and soft: old growth stuff is strong and hard
wearing - which is why so many conservation organisations are having to
fight to save old growth forests.

Hornbeam is normally a fairly slow-growing and dense wood which gives out a
lot of energy for its volume. If you simply want a barrier and are not
concerned about the quality of the wood then it is probably fine to use a
bit of fertiliser, but if you want a strong specimen tree, slow growth gives
you more rings per inch and a sturdier tree.

And trees get a lot more severely retarded by grazing than by anything
else - which is why the Caledonian pine forest is suffering, and one of the
reasons they have tried to reintroduce wolves into parts of the US where new
growth never gets the chance without the predators to keep the grazing
animals on the move.

S