My long Border Problem....
By lincslass
19 comments
A few weeks back I asked for advice about the troublesome St Johns Wort that was spreading and choking everything in my long border, it was an absolute nightmare, the more I cleared it out the more it spread….
You can see in the first photo how much of a mess it was, over last winter it went mad….
I’ve managed to dig most of it out, gosh it was so hard and took me hours…..
I bought a weedkiller that is supposed to kill the roots as well, making sure that a double dose went under the fencing into next doors garden otherwise I stand no chance of getting rid, if you could see what its like at the bottom of that particular garden you would know why I did that..
I raked it to break up the lumps, as you can see I’ve covered it with weed suppressant, I know it doesn’t look attractive but if it works I will be so pleased so can put up with that ……
Placed some plants in pots on it now so when they flower it will look a bit better……
22 Jul, 2024
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Comments
The border will look better now you've cleared it & put down the weed suppressant membrane! đź‘‹
22 Jul, 2024
Thanks Seaburn , I thought about spreading some mulch over to hide the black, then realised that was a daft idea as I don't really expect to kill it all in one go, will probably take a few applications of the weedkiller to eradicate the darn stuff, that means removing the suppressant,too much hassle so I'm going to keep adding pots ..
23 Jul, 2024
Thanks Balcony, I certainly hope so..
23 Jul, 2024
I had one in a pot Sue and haven't a clue why I bought it!
I got fed up with it so cut it right back intending to put it in the garden waste bin but the root ball was too large and couldn't get it out of the pot, so left it there.
It is now bigger than it was before!!
I don't like chucking out plants and if I had room for it in the front garden, could have gone there.
Isn't it great that everything is working properly now!
I am keeping my fingers crossed when I say this ! lol
23 Jul, 2024
Good job! You’ve had a really good go at getting rid. I do hope it will pay off. You will probably have to do it again in a few years I guess, but well done! These troublesome native plants eh?:)
23 Jul, 2024
Good job, well done, Sue! You’ve managed to make it look attractive afterwards too, your pots will be a pretty addition when those blooms appear!
23 Jul, 2024
Sue, I'm on 'catch-up' and have been looking at recent photos. Now I realise what you have been up to!
The weedkiller should keep it at bay and I have much admiration for all your hard work in clearing the border.
24 Jul, 2024
I'm glad you've been able to get rid of it Sue, and hope you've stopped it coming in from next door too.
I wonder if you'll cover the weed suppressor with chippings or bark or something, or will you be removing it one day ?
24 Jul, 2024
Rose I did have a Hypericum shrub which I actually did like, think it lasted for approx 20yrs then suddenly died, I never have replaced it, I don't like chucking things away if I can help it but that was choking everything else and was very unsightly so its a relief to get rid...
27 Jul, 2024
I have used the weedkiller on it twice so far Karen and I do think I will need to keep doing it along the bottom of the fencing or it will keep coming back through from next door, I'm also trying to rid myself of ivy which also comes through from next door....
27 Jul, 2024
Kate I had to have something there to distract my eyes from the black suppressant, it was very eye-catching every time I walked down the footpath....
27 Jul, 2024
Shirley it was hard going, I don't very often do a deep dig like that now, I just turn the top, nearly flipping well crippled me, I've now been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my spine and hips, I knew my joints were getting bad, but its suddenly speeded up, its not stopping me gardening though as I'm better when I'm moving around, just can't walk uphill or long distances, I try not to go upstairs too often as well, have to learn how to drive the mobility scooter that I bought for Derek but I'm not very brave..x
27 Jul, 2024
Hywel I am going to cover it when its flattened down a bit more, it was very lumpy when I dug it and is taking a lot of raking to break it down, because of that I have to keep rolling the covering away to give it another rake over, hoping by the time autumn comes I can cover it with bark, will look a lot better then and I can stand pots of bulbs between the shrubs.....
27 Jul, 2024
Sue, I am so sorry to learn of your O.A. diagnosis as I know this can be such a painful condition. You're going to have to learn to do the garden a little at a time. Easier said than done, as I well know! Take care. :o))
28 Jul, 2024
I hope you win in the end Linclass. My last neighbour had loads of the stuff in her garden, then she left & my new neighbour dug it all up, thank goodness, I have no more trouble with it:-). Sorry to hear about your arthritis. Just keep moving gently & as Shirley says, don’t over do it
Best wishes with both problems.
29 Jul, 2024
Thanks Shirley, I've probably had it for years really, you know what a stubborn beggar I am, I do pace myself more now, I shouldn't really tackle tough jobs like this one but they do say "use it or lose it don't they," and that mess was really getting at me.....xx
29 Jul, 2024
I will F' few, even if it means keep buying the strong weed killer for a while and having to keep rolling the covering back to apply more, my neighbour is ever so good to me but he's no gardener so he keeps strimming the darn stuff along the fenceline on his side which encourages it grow more, I'm going to have to educate him , lol....
29 Jul, 2024
Sue, I would have done exactly the same. Not a hope of gardening during the day today as it's 30 degrees out there! I shall stay in the cool of indoors.
30 Jul, 2024
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when needs must you must. Lets hope that helps solve your problem.
Good idea to put pretty tubs on it to break up the starkness.
22 Jul, 2024