Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In article ,
says...
Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.


Transplant some turf from a less noticeable area? The poisoned bit will
recover eventually.

Rob Morley wrote:
In article ,
says...
Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.


Transplant some turf from a less noticeable area?

Or from the lawn in front of the Council Offices?


--
Ian White

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last

Roundup. At this time of year it could take two weeks or more to show
effect; IMHO, once you've noticed the symptom, it's curtains --
particularly for grass. Oddly enough, it seems that buttercups can
recover after a period of looking very jaundiced.

week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.

In my area (Derry, N. Ireland) the council uses young hooligan
lookalikes on quads for weed spraying; IMHO a danger to more than weeds
and lawns.

Jon C.

In article . com,
writes:
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last

Roundup. At this time of year it could take two weeks or more to show
effect; IMHO, once you've noticed the symptom, it's curtains --
particularly for grass. Oddly enough, it seems that buttercups can
recover after a period of looking very jaundiced.

This lawn area didn't have any weeds, and is some type of very
fine grass (it doesn't get walked on). I've managed to keep it
looking very nice through the summer, until the council buggered
it up.

I did use glyphosphate IIRC on a lawn (different house) where
there was no grass and it had all been overtaken by some weed
which the selective weedkillers wouldn't touch. Weeds would
happily grow again within a couple of months, but grass took a
year before it would start growing there.

week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.

In my area (Derry, N. Ireland) the council uses young hooligan
lookalikes on quads for weed spraying; IMHO a danger to more than weeds
and lawns.

Ah -- I saw a quad driving up the pavements, probably a couple
of weeks ago. I wondered what it was doing but would not have been
able to see any spraying from where I was.

I think I'll be on the phone to the council tomorrow.

--
Andrew Gabriel

On 11 Sep 2005 15:15:28 GMT, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:

Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.


Andrew, I would suggest taking some photos immediately and then
speaking to the highways dept. at the council in terms of some
compensation - especially as this is a fine grade lawn and is not
going to be cheap to fix. You can't just get any old grade of
replacement turf because the colours and species are unlikely to
match.

Unfortunately I don't have a high expectation that they have a proper
mechanism to address this kind of issue in terms of paying you the
fair market rate to fix it. Simple logic would suggest obtain two
quotes for a proper fix and send them the bill. However, as one TV
scifi once had as a famous line - "We are not programmed to respond in
that area" - i.e. not commercially minded.

Then you are faced with how much time do you want to spend on
recovering something from them.

Perhaps a call to the local press to see if they are short of a human
vs. big brother story, if it becomes necessary?


--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

In article ,
am says...
snip

Perhaps a call to the local press to see if they are short of a human
vs. big brother story, if it becomes necessary?

If Big Brother had been watching the audience would have seen the
careless spraying incident and voted him out of the house :-)

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?

I very much doubt it. Try u.r.g.


Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.

Telephone them and explain, nicely - they have untold millions
of people giving them ear-ache straight off. They will probably
be using a contractor, and are insured in any case. Say what's
happened, e-mail pics/get someone to come around for a look.
You're best off turfing for a quick fix. Select an appropriate
turf to blend in with existing.

In article ,
Andy Hall writes:
On 11 Sep 2005 15:15:28 GMT, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:

Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.

Andrew, I would suggest taking some photos immediately and then

Yes, I already did that.

speaking to the highways dept. at the council in terms of some

I'll start by asking them what it was they sprayed.
If it was Glyphosphate, I will try contacting Monsanto and
asking their advice on de-toxifying the ground. I know from
past experience grass won't grow again for around a year.
(I wonder if they do a GM-modified lawn grass seed? ;-)

compensation - especially as this is a fine grade lawn and is not
going to be cheap to fix. You can't just get any old grade of
replacement turf because the colours and species are unlikely to
match.

For patching after I raked out the moss last year, I used B&Q's
fine (no course/rye) grass seed, which blended in OK. It's really
too late in the year to seed grass now, and in any case, based on
my past experience, it won't grow in that area for a year.
Turf might have the same problem unless some depth of topsoil is
replaced first.

Unfortunately I don't have a high expectation that they have a proper
mechanism to address this kind of issue in terms of paying you the
fair market rate to fix it. Simple logic would suggest obtain two
quotes for a proper fix and send them the bill. However, as one TV
scifi once had as a famous line - "We are not programmed to respond in
that area" - i.e. not commercially minded.

I might also suggest they get their parks department to fix it,
which would probably be the cheapest option for them, if I could
trust them to do a good job.

Then you are faced with how much time do you want to spend on
recovering something from them.

Perhaps a call to the local press to see if they are short of a human
vs. big brother story, if it becomes necessary?

Yes. The more I think about this, the more it's ****ing me off.
I am one of the increasingly few people in the road who try to
maintain a front garden. Could just give up and concrete it all
over like nearly everyone else has.

--
Andrew Gabriel

On 11 Sep 2005 19:25:23 GMT, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:



I might also suggest they get their parks department to fix it,
which would probably be the cheapest option for them, if I could
trust them to do a good job.

They don't really have a good track record up to this point, do they?

I wouldn't invite that, because then you lose control over what
happens. far better to pick your own contractor and deal with it on
a purely financial basis.

Do they use a 3rd party subcontractor for doing the path weeding by
any chance? I think that I'd ask that question as well to see who is
supposed to take responsibility. I would imagine that a
subcontractor would have to take responsibility to indemnify the local
authority for any cock ups they make and have insurance to cover it.
That could be an angle


Then you are faced with how much time do you want to spend on
recovering something from them.

Perhaps a call to the local press to see if they are short of a human
vs. big brother story, if it becomes necessary?

Yes. The more I think about this, the more it's ****ing me off.

I think I would be as well. It's not so much the cost but the
invasion of privacy and careless disregard for your space and
property.


I am one of the increasingly few people in the road who try to
maintain a front garden. Could just give up and concrete it all
over like nearly everyone else has.

If it was otherwise regularly abused and became an uphill struggle to
maintain, then fine. For a one-off and stupidity, then I wouldn't
give up.


--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
.. .
Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.

--
Andrew Gabriel

================
How big is the damaged area? If it's only a small area then it's possible
you've been been visited by a lazy dog fox with a bad aim.

Cic.

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
.. .

I'll start by asking them what it was they sprayed.
If it was Glyphosphate, I will try contacting Monsanto and
asking their advice on de-toxifying the ground. I know from
past experience grass won't grow again for around a year.

There's some confusion here. The whole point about Roundup/Glyphosate is
that it *doesn't* poison the ground - it's absorbed through the foliage of
plants and poisons them, but not the soil.

That's why, for example, people growing trees commercially can spray round
their trunks with Roundup, and why cereal and oil-seed-rape growers often
spray entire crops with roundup late in the season, without impacting their
ability to drill a new crop a few weeks later.

It's true that if you spray-off a lawn, then weeds come back first, but it's
not because the soil's toxic, just that the weeds spread by a different
mechanism to grass.

Rake it all over, and sow some more grass (with something to fire it up a
bit as well), I would.

Of course, it might not be glyphosate they're using.

Cheers,

Will

Andy Hall wrote:

Then you are faced with how much time do you want to spend on
recovering something from them.

Perhaps a call to the local press to see if they are short of a human
vs. big brother story, if it becomes necessary?

Most local authorities have an official complaints proceedure under their
ISO9000 policy - once started has to be completed.

Go for it - they caused the damage - they should put it right.

Dave

On 11 Sep 2005 15:15:28 GMT, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:

Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.

While cutting the grass verge, the council dented my father's car with
their mowing machine. He eventually got compensation about 6 months
later without involving any lawyers. They'll probably pay up but it
might take some time!

Mr F.

Will Dean wrote:
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
.. .

I'll start by asking them what it was they sprayed.
If it was Glyphosphate, I will try contacting Monsanto and
asking their advice on de-toxifying the ground. I know from
past experience grass won't grow again for around a year.

There's some confusion here. The whole point about Roundup/Glyphosate is
that it *doesn't* poison the ground - it's absorbed through the foliage of
plants and poisons them, but not the soil.

That's why, for example, people growing trees commercially can spray round
their trunks with Roundup, and why cereal and oil-seed-rape growers often
spray entire crops with roundup late in the season, without impacting their
ability to drill a new crop a few weeks later.

It's true that if you spray-off a lawn, then weeds come back first, but it's
not because the soil's toxic, just that the weeds spread by a different
mechanism to grass.


As someone said, it might not be glyphosphate; if I was weedkilling
paths, I'd use 'Pathclear'; that kills growing plants and also does
something to the soild that inhibits seed germination. Used to use
symazine (sp.?) as an active ingredient.

Best regards,

Jon C.

In article .com,
writes:

As someone said, it might not be glyphosphate; if I was weedkilling
paths, I'd use 'Pathclear'; that kills growing plants and also does
something to the soild that inhibits seed germination. Used to use
symazine (sp.?) as an active ingredient.

Well, I've phoned and asked what it was, and I'm waiting for
a call back, which didn't happen today. They'll be getting
a reminder call tomorrow.

--
Andrew Gabriel

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
.. .
In article ,
Andy Hall writes:
On 11 Sep 2005 15:15:28 GMT, (Andrew
Gabriel) wrote:

Council appear to have sprayed a jet of some weed and grass killer
across my lawn when killing the weeds on the footpath. I don't suppose
there's any antidote, particularly now it shows up quite clearly?
Probably happened a couple of weeks ago -- I noticed an area last
week which wasn't very green and watered it. By this week, it's
very clear from the pattern of the dead area exactly what's happened,
a dead spray shaped area with a sharp cutoff caused by the gate post.
Also, it's dying at the same rate as the weeds on the pavement.


snip

For patching after I raked out the moss last year, I used B&Q's
fine (no course/rye) grass seed, which blended in OK. It's really
too late in the year to seed grass now,[...]

Dunno about that. I was either listening to GQT or watching GW a week or so
ago & they said it was the perfect time to sow grass seed or patch up lawns
with it.

I found a bag of grass seed whilst I was clearing up the shed about a week
and a half ago and liberally sprinkled it over the bare patch of "lawn" in
"the dead corner" and it's all coming up nicely now. The rain that we
apparently had whilst I was away helped...

[...] and in any case, based on
my past experience, it won't grow in that area for a year.
Turf might have the same problem unless some depth of topsoil is
replaced first.


Something a bit odd there if it was glyphosate - it only kills stuff on
contact & the point is that the area can be resown very quickly afterwards.
Rake the affected area out very thoroughly though to remove any dead matter.

They could have sprayed with something else, but I'd have thought that the
low toxicity of glyphosate based products would have made them a prime
contender for spraying in public areas.

snip

--

Richard Sampson

mail me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk