How to kill/remove roots

Squall Leonhart

The bed at the bottom of my garden has all manner of scrub growing in it, from the previous owner.

One of the things growing is a mint plant/bush. It seems to have a hundred stems, fibrous, woody, maybe a centimetre thick. I cut it back to the ground last year and thought that'd slow it, but it was twice as big this year, huge thing.

I tried grabbing bunches of it and pulling from the ground, but it's well stuck in. I've now got it cut back to the ground again. How do I kill this thing or remove it all?

I'm not averse to drowning it in some chemical if it removes it, but I have two dogs and don't think it'd be a wise move to have poisons around them!

Any advice?

Squall Leonhart

Squall Leonhart

Also other side had a crab apple bush thing which was quite dense, I've cut it all back. Need to try get rid of this as well.

lottpaul

Am a bit puzzled by what you mean as a mint plant/bush. Mint is very invasive but doesn't have stems up to a cm thick etc. I think you may have vinca of some sort, but difficult to tell. To really rid the bed of a very invasive plant you need to use a chemical of some sort - glyphosate would be the most common - Roundup, Gallup etc. No need to drown the place in it Follow the instructions. You might need to let it regrow a little first to give the weedkiller a surface to act on. Just keep the dogs away while applying and for a few hours afterwards and it should be ok.
For trees and bushes it's enough to dig up the roots. They won't sprout again.