Spray around hedge.

MeTheMan

Hello. We planted a hedge near a year ago. It hasn't done much since. We need to cut them back to encourage spread. Anyway, was told that if there was no leaves that I could spray the grass around them to kill it of before cutting them back. Is this correct? Spray with roundup? If not what can I do to control the grass/growth around them. The are too close together for strimmer. Done by hand a few times last year and by the time I had the 200+ meters done I nearly had to start at the beginning again.

Also is it OK the spray around trees?

Thanks for any advice.

Lumen

Bark/woodchip mulch over cardboard.

First year is supposed to be slow, roots should be developing.

This winter I've deep mulched about 200 new shrubs and trees, plus a few sections of beds, and used 5 bulk bags at cost of maybe €250.

Haven't figured out where to get the cardboard from yet.

This approach is less risky than spraying and should give better moisture control and long term soil quality.

I have moved to the methods mentioned above a well. Trying to get away from using herbicides and other chemicals in gardens I look after. Roundup will be banned eventually.

If you don't have the money at the moment and have to spray cut the top third off a 2 litre drinks bottle and put the lance through it. Stuff something around the lance and lid and use tape to hold it. You need a fan nozzle on the sprayer so the spray goes to the edge of the bottle. This will stop drift getting on the hedge.

It can be done without just needs to very calm.

Lumen

I suppose you could try a grass-specific herbicide, e.g clethodim (Centurion MAX?) or propyzamide.

Are these available/permitted for non-farming use?

Obvs you'd need to check that it's safe for your hedge.

Squiggle

MeTheMan wrote: »

Hello. We planted a hedge near a year ago. It hasn't done much since. We need to cut them back to encourage spread. Anyway, was told that if there was no leaves that I could spray the grass around them to kill it of before cutting them back. Is this correct? Spray with roundup? If not what can I do to control the grass/growth around them. The are too close together for strimmer. Done by hand a few times last year and by the time I had the 200+ meters done I nearly had to start at the beginning again.

Also is it OK the spray around trees?

Thanks for any advice.

I've never had any problem spraying around the base of hedge plants with Round up /Gallup or Touchdown and I've always done it until the hedge plants became established. It's the only practical way if you have 200 metres.

MeTheMan

Have a sprayer here so will try the top of a bottle on it. Might just do 10 meters and see how I get on. They need cut down. Would I be better spray 1st and cut after or cut 1st?

Thanks for the replies.

Lumen

This is useful.

Lumen

FWIW on this subject I got a quote for some biodegradable matting for weed control...

http://greenfix.co.uk/product/mulchmat-type-10/

...£220 for 30m x 1.2m roll! Plus £15 shipping.

The claim is that "Mulchmats provide weed control and mulching typically for at least 3 years".

I guess you'd need about 200mm of woodchip mulch over that period, which is 6m3, which would work out about the same price.

I can see the attraction of spraying!

MeTheMan

Currently laying down left over black rap. Slow but better then spraying I think. Can cut the rap out in a few years when hedge is established. Hopefully will do the job.

Lumen

Found this stuff online today.

https://www.goodwins.ie/products/hessian-roll-burlap-jute-900mm-x-100mtr-0027194.html?categoryId=55

Might give it a go around the hedge. At about €1.14/sqm it seems good value.

macraignil

Lumen wrote: »

Found this stuff online today.

https://www.goodwins.ie/products/hessian-roll-burlap-jute-900mm-x-100mtr-0027194.html?categoryId=55

Might give it a go around the hedge. At about €1.14/sqm it seems good value.

I don't think that material when I have seen it before cuts out all of the light so you could get weeds still growing underneath. At this time of year it might even warm them up and encourage them to grow faster. Why not just use recycled cardboard with some mulch material on top to keep it from blowing away and looking better?

Lumen

macraignil wrote: »

I don't think that material when I have seen it before cuts out all of the light so you could get weeds still growing underneath. At this time of year it might even warm them up and encourage them to grow faster. Why not just use recycled cardboard with some mulch material on top to keep it from blowing away and looking better?

Yeah, I'm working away with cardboard and mulch for the moment. Managed to get all the trees done with a bit left over for the hedge, but I've about 100m of hedge left to do so I'll need to find a source of clean cardboard for the rest.

macraignil

Lumen wrote: »

Yeah, I'm working away with cardboard and mulch for the moment. Managed to get all the trees done with a bit left over for the hedge, but I've about 100m of hedge left to do so I'll need to find a source of clean cardboard for the rest.

Any local food business would likely produce loads of cardboard they would normally be sending for recycling so might be worth asking if you could take some if there are any restaurants or shops nearby. Used to work in a catering unit at a college and would have sent nearly that area of cardboard to the compacter most days.