Grass around beech hedge

Shefwedfan

So I have a beech hedge which I originally planted about 2 years ago, it was hit soon after with the bad snow and then the really dry summer so a good few died. I have topped up but the grass growing around the trees is incredible.



I have spent ages before pulling it but as soon as I do it is back up stronger than ever, any idea of a spray I could use to kill the grass but not the trees?


Some of them is full of nettles etc.....it is about 200m of trees so not a small job to pull grass



Thanks

krissovo

I spray roundup at the base of my beach hedge the last few years. As long as you do not get the leaves its been perfectly fine.

Shefwedfan

krissovo wrote: »

I spray roundup at the base of my beach hedge the last few years. As long as you do not get the leaves its been perfectly fine.

My sprasyer head is a bit all over the place, did you buy a specific one?

magicbastarder

can you cut the grass and then mulch it with cardboard or newspaper? might look a little unsightly at first though.

krissovo

Shefwedfan wrote: »

My sprasyer head is a bit all over the place, did you buy a specific one?

Just a generic backpack sprayer from the coop stores. When the spray goes wonky I have to clean the head

Shefwedfan

krissovo wrote: »

Just a generic backpack sprayer from the coop stores. When the spray goes wonky I have to clean the head

I have a Solo 425P so I think I just need a new lance as it seems to spray all over the place, would be afraid it would hit trees

cuculainn

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I have a Solo 425P so I think I just need a new lance as it seems to spray all over the place, would be afraid it would hit trees

It's my understanding that roundup will not kill anything that is woody.....ie trees. Obviously don't deliberately spay the leaves but some stray spray won't kill the beech hedge

Lumen

cuculainn wrote: »

It's my understanding that roundup will not kill anything that is woody.....ie trees. Obviously don't deliberately spay the leaves but some stray spray won't kill the beech hedge

That's half true. It won't get absorbed through the bark itself unless it's damaged, but it will get absorbed through leaves of a hedge or tree and cause damage or kill by translocating to the roots.

You will absolutely kill a hedge by spraying the leaves.

Hocus Focus

Spray carefully, and when the grass dies back spread grass cuttings around the base of the hedge whenever you cut the grass. Keeps the weeds down and feeds the hedge.

Shefwedfan

Hocus Focus wrote: »

Spray carefully, and when the grass dies back spread grass cuttings around the base of the hedge whenever you cut the grass. Keeps the weeds down and feeds the hedge.

I did it already, sprayed as careful as I could be, wife was laughing at me

Going to invest in new set of connection for sprayer as I think the one I have is a bit all over the place....

Thanks for advice