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Clearing nettles

but haven't been able to find it in usual shops.   I liked this as it was effective but didn't kill the grass too and leave bare earth.   Is it no longer available?

 

 

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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,064

    All sorts of herbicides for domestic use have been withdrawn from the market as the producers don't want to spend the necessary money on tests required for a license.

    Nettles are actually quite easy to pull up, especially after rain so try doing that instead but have a small trowel or fork handy to deal with any stubborn roots as they will grow again.

    Nettles are actually a good indictaor that your soil is fertile and make excellent compost or even a liquid feed if you steep them in buckets of water for a week or so then dilute the resulting soup.   before adding them to teh compost heap, leave them on athe lawn or a path to dry out for a few days so they are properly dead.   Best to do this with all perennial weeds.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Was it SBK brush wood killer?  Bit extreme for nettles, but you can still get this from Amazon ( * I think * ).  Any glyphosate-based weedkiller should get rid of them.  However, it will also kill grass (as does SBK), so you would need to be careful.  Think you just need a still, dry day, then you won't get much overspray.  The alternative is to do what obelixx has suggested, and very carefully dig them out - make sure you're wearing decent gloves and thick sleeves, though, you don't want to get stung by the blighters.

  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,352

    I think it probably is SBK as suggested by MMP above. I bought some last year to use on brambles. Was going to use it on some bamboo until I  noticed it said it would not kill grass (I assumed bamboo is a form of grass & I would therefore be wasting my time).

    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • If you can leave a patch of nettles the butterflies will asy "thank you" and lay their eggs.image Even nettles have their uses.

  • DorisduckDorisduck Posts: 22

    You need not be over concerned for the butterflies Wonderboy as we  have masses of nettles around the place and would never be able to clear them all.  Just wanting to use a bit more of the garden for the chickens really.  Have bought some Russian Comfrey as I saw some on the side of the road and it was buzzing with bees.  It is meant to be pretty invasive so am hoping that it will challenge some of the nettles for territory and provide additional benefits for wildlife in some of the patches.  Also, we were delighted to see a large area of Soapwort on another patch of 'wasteground' last year so have moved some and am going to try to pot some more up and pass it on to friends with wild areas of garden.  

  • DorisduckDorisduck Posts: 22

    Mummy Muddy Paws, thank you for giving the correct name of the product, I will see if I can find any.  I am sure that it does not kill grass though which is why I found it so useful.  Very sparing with any chemicals but the nettles are quite a problem.  Thanks.

  • Dorisduck, I've just had a quick look on Amazon, it's still available from there, from about £7 for the ready-to-use stuff (this doesn't have very good reviews though), the dilute-it-yourself stuff is from about £8.  Ya pays ya money and takes ya choice.

    I'd go for the stuff you dilute yourself, it's better value, you can always mix it up and use an old bathroom or kitchen sprayer (but for god's sake write what it is on the bottle, otherwise you'll try to clean your bath with it!!).

  • DorisduckDorisduck Posts: 22

    Thanks Mummy Muddy Paws, will definitely go for the dilute it yourself one, thanks.  I will make sure that the container and mister are empty, washed out and put away or thrown away after use.   Been looking for other stockists but can only see Amazon & Ebay, no actual srores so will have to buy on-line.  Thanks.

  • DorisduckDorisduck Posts: 22

    Stores !

  • BluebootsBlueboots Posts: 100

    Over the past two years I've got rid of a lot of chest high nettles by spraying with glyphosate. It was a large area so digging it all out wasn't really practical. Glyphosate does kill grass, but I was desperate and the garden was a mess so I didn't much care.I was careful to spray on calm days and it was very effective.

    I started off with a largish spray container and graduated to a backpack - much easier to handle. Safer too, the strap linkage on the first container broke and the whole thing fell on the back of my leg. Had it hit my foot I think it would have broken it.

    It does take a while for the nettles to start looking sick though - give it three weeks before you think the stuff hasn't worked.

     

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