Unfortunately getting "most" of the couch grass out isn't enough, you risk infesting your raised beds with it. You could make a heap of the soil and see if the couch re-grows, and if not you could use the soil as a soil conditioner. Personally I wouldn't risk it.

can you throw a piece of black polythene over it for a while till all the seedlings die perhaps .

I would certainly use it - waste not want not. As soon as any couch appears it will be easy to get the root out as it won't have had time to establish. You'll have to be vigilant for the first year at least but where you live couch will be trying to seed into it anyway from the field edges. I would spread it but not dig it in and leave planting in those beds until lateish in the season or plant something like first earlies that you can clear round after a few months. And when you tip it on you;ll be able to sort out more roots as they appear on the surface. Or Nosey's polythene would work either.

(Might be in a minority of one here once again, but that's what I'd do. Just for fun look up Couch Grass Medicine on the net and see what you could use it for!)

no 2 sg lol its a very wasteful society already . we cant be called sheep baaaaaaaaa humbug lol x .

Hi, I agree with Steragram, no point in tipping it when it's perfectly useable soil, try putting it through a riddle with a half inch mesh, to find any bits of couch root, it should pass through easily enough, it's probably mostly leafmold minus the nutrients, but you can soon add those, I certainly wouldn't waste it, Derek.

Can I spread the soil out on the raised bed, then put black polythene over it ? If so, that sounds good, but can I take the polythene off next March ?
And I have a suitable riddle so somehow I'm going to use it.
Thanks for your replies.

yes you can and if you mark wear you plant seeds and do it in rows youl know what to pull up . don't waste it .

The grass won't grow much at all once the weather gets cold so leaving the plastic just over the winter probably won't get rid of much, it would have to be left to deprive the grown grass of light to kill it off. That's why I suggested first earlies because the grass will have had time to grow then and you can see where it is but it won't have run riot. You could even grow them through the plastic if you wanted.

Baaa Nosey!!

this true I agree sg

Minority of one here but get rid of it. What's the point of adding crap soil to good soil. You want to improve your soil, not make it worse. Can't believe people are suggesting you do such a thing.

theres a problem pass it on instead of sorting it out . great idea NOT .

People who refuse to listen to good advice deserve nothing.
I only give good advice.

My two penn'orth is that the soil probably isn't very good. 20 years under your old hedge would have drained it of most of its nutrients but...
If you need to bulk up the raised beds then you could mix the soil with well-rotted manure which would be better than sending it off to landfill. Depending on how much you have you might sound out your local tip to see if they have a separate garden waste area that takes soil. I know, for example, at Leicester City recycling doesn't allow soil in the green waste - it has to go in with builders' waste.

sounds good to me

'Scuse me for butting in, but I thought I'd let you know about progress here at the sharp end. The last root has just come out. There's a photo of it below taken 20 minutes ago.
Cancel photo, can't seem to paste it here. Will show it as a question. ( if it's possible !

No problems, get that soil down to the tip.

I get sick & tired of seeing these petty, childish arguments on a public forum. If you want to have a go at each other - please do. But keep it private.

I'll just add that I have had rubbish soil where I took out some privet and with lots of well rotted compost and some granular fertiliser it is improving all the time. Patience and TLC!

Sent you a PM Nosey.

or do lol xx

Hank, try posting pics from your profile either as individual photos or as part of a blog.

Agreed Diggin - the sniping above has gone on long enough and has nothing to do with Hank's perfectly legitimate question about re-using old soil. Take it outside folks - the sniping that is, not the soil!

Hush now you two, Least said soonest mended.