Couch grass
Hi. I'm a newbie and have had my plot for a month. The previous tenant had let it go so the front end was covered in thistles and other nasties and the rear 2/3 is couch grass.
I've managed to get the front third cleared (using Roundup and manual labour) and have cut the couch grass down to about 1 foot high. My question is what is best now?
I have a load of weedproof membrane and my plan was to use some Roundup on the couch, rotavate and then cover with the fabric until spring.
Any thoughts??
And how do you tell when couch grass is dead?! It's yellow and dry at the moment but still seems to be going strong.......
There is only one way, and that involves hard work.
You must fork it over and remove every last trace of root.
Rotovating will only make ten weeds from every one that currently exists.
Couch grass will survive under the weed membrane for many months until it starts to rot down, instead probably spreading sideways to your "front third".
That's Ok if you don't want to grow anything there for a year or more and can dig some trenches between your 1st & 2nd thirds to insert some corruated iron or such like to stop the spread.
After recent rain the ground should be easier to work, but the job total will still be bloody hard work!!!
The effort will most definetely be worth it.
I`ve had my plot for 3 seasons now, when I first took it on it had been plowed and the couch grass had just been buried, I have dug and pulled out the grass every season since and sometime during the season but all you need in that little bit left in and it will re grow , it has got less over the year but I still have quite a bit. I have put membrane down this will help keep the annual weeds down but not couch grass. I will just keep on digging and pulling out.
good luck
Tanya