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Garden overgrown with weeds

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  • 05-08-2019 1:12pm
    #1
    cintec
    Registered Users Posts: 705 ✭✭✭


    Need some advice as i'm a complete novice. My parents back garden is completely overgrown and is mostly weeds.
    what is the best way to get rid of them? can I use a weed killer or would I need to trim it down and then apply a weed killer.

    They also have a dog so need guidance if using weed killer how long the dog needs to be kept inside.


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    #2
    Fann Linn
    Registered Users Posts: 7,787 ✭✭✭Fann Linn


    cintec wrote: »
    Need some advice as i'm a complete novice. My parents back garden is completely overgrown and is mostly weeds.
    what is the best way to get rid of them? can I use a weed killer or would I need to trim it down and then apply a weed killer.

    They also have a dog so need guidance if using weed killer how long the dog needs to be kept inside.

    If ye want to destroy everything use Roundup. And yes, keep the dog in.


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    #3
    cintec
    Registered Users Posts: 705 ✭✭✭cintec


    Fann Linn wrote: »
    If ye want to destroy everything use Roundup. And yes, keep the dog in.

    thanks for you reply 2 questions.
    Do I need to cut any of it back or will the roundup kill it regardless?

    How long after applying roundup is it safe to let the dog out?


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    #4
    crossmolinalad
    Registered Users Posts: 837 ✭✭✭crossmolinalad


    Don't know how big the garden is but here we had the same problem
    We took some gloves and pulled it al out roots included
    Took us just one Sunday afternoon to do it
    Now doing the same once a month for just one hour


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    #5
    cintec
    Registered Users Posts: 705 ✭✭✭cintec


    crossmolinalad wrote: »
    Don't know how big the garden is but here we had the same problem
    We took some gloves and pulled it al out roots included
    Took us just one Sunday afternoon to do it
    Now doing the same once a month for just one hour

    roughly 40ft at a guess.


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    #6
    vicwatson
    Registered Users Posts: 28,403 ✭✭✭✭vicwatson


    Wear a face mask if using roundup or any glyphosate as it’s carcinogenic

    Don’t not cut the leaves in advance as glyphosate works be being absorbed thought the leaves and down into the root system

    Read the instructions carefully in advance of use


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    #7
    macraignil
    Registered Users Posts: 3,442 ✭✭✭macraignil


    cintec wrote: »
    Need some advice as i'm a complete novice. My parents back garden is completely overgrown and is mostly weeds.
    what is the best way to get rid of them? can I use a weed killer or would I need to trim it down and then apply a weed killer.

    They also have a dog so need guidance if using weed killer how long the dog needs to be kept inside.


    You mention that the garden is mostly weeds so that would imply there are some plants that are not weeds. If you spray the entire garden with glyphosate you will also kill plants that might not be weeds. If I was renovating an overgrown garden I would simply dig out all of the weeds and see what mature plants are worth keeping. Even the plants that were deliberately planted in the garden might need to be trimmed back and have diseased or damaged growth cut off but if you just go and spray the entire area you will need to find something new to plant over the entire area. Once everything is killed by the weed killer chemicals it is some of the most problematic weeds that will usually be the quickest to recolonise the bare ground so by keeping some of the established plants alive you could make the entire job of tidying the area up easier in the longer term.


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    #8
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    You say garden, do you mean just the lawn or does that include beds, borders etc?


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    #9
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,495 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    yeah, i was wondering the same - and the notion of killing eveything might be attractive, less so since you'd still be left with a ton of work to replace what you killed, be it lawn or whatever else you replaced it with.


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    #10
    cintec
    Registered Users Posts: 705 ✭✭✭cintec


    macraignil wrote: »
    You mention that the garden is mostly weeds so that would imply there are some plants that are not weeds.
    no plants just weeds and grass
    Harry Palmr wrote: »
    You say garden, do you mean just the lawn or does that include beds, borders etc?

    I don't know how to answer the question I guess just a lawn as no plants or flowers have been planted.


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    #11
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    Well you did say you were a complete novice! :D Sounds like just a lawn.


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    #12
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,434 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    If it was a lawn the easiest thing might be to just find the lawn. Any chance of a pic? If there are massive weeds like thistles and docks see if you can pull them up, then cut it all down and mow it, and you might find you have something resembling a lawn.


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    #13
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    Yep be interesting to see the actual state of it. I always think frequent mowing is the best route to a low weed lawn but then that's not pollinator friendly. Oh the decisions!


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    #14
    bobbyss
    Registered Users Posts: 5,222 ✭✭✭bobbyss


    looksee wrote:
    If it was a lawn the easiest thing might be to just find the lawn. Any chance of a pic? If there are massive weeds like thistles and docks see if you can pull them up, then cut it all down and mow it, and you might find you have something resembling a lawn.


    Yes. That's what I would go for. Getting down and dirty with a trowel and taking by the root as much as you can. See what you are left with. If I looked closely at my lawn I am 100% sure it wouldn't t be all grass. But I am happy with it.

    Weeding is also good exercise and I find it therapeutic. It's great to be out in the garden in the fresh air. Forget all your troubles.


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