Electric mower / trimmer?

[Winston]

(...)

That's what friends do, yes?

Nah. Our relationship is outside the parameters of the problem. I hesitate to drift the thread further by mentioning the many, many times she has fed me and SWMBO and provided many tools and materials to me personally, gratis. She also housed me and SWMBO while our current house was undergoing remodel. I owe her, not the other way around.

Nah. She spent a *lot* of time out there with both weed-whackers. Made some progress but obviously requires a different tool in order to make the same kind of progress I experienced with the gas powered brush cutter. She is smart and active but just needs a tool that she can understand and use productively.

**********Old Fogy Story Alert**********

I once rented a bobtail truck. They first gave me one with (badly adjusted) air-over-oil brakes as a joke. No matter how gently I whispered to that brake pedal, the rear end of that sucker would lock up and screech. Probably worked great with a significant load. I brought it back inside of about 7 minutes 'cause I imagined what the (empty)500+ mile trip back to the yard was going to be like!

The 'tool' would have done the job just fine. The replacement bobtail did the job just fine (and safely and quietly too).

Was I lazy, dumb, demanding, 'high maintenance'? I have been all four, at times. Not this time, though.

Heh! I won't mention that to SWMBO. :)

Easy is good!

She cleaned up after me when I knocked the weeds over the first time. She tried herbicide several times, she used the weed whackers a lot. She will shortly try another herbicide suggested in this forum.

Yup. Rototilling has been suggested before and it is a good idea. Is there a way to handle these monster weeds without having to do that? Perhaps the suggested herbicide will be the ticket. If it kills the seeds, we may be All Done. That'd be nice.

I'm going to get us tee shirts with opposing arrows: "I'm as bad as that one!"

As loud as the noise is (believe me the brush cutter *is* painfully loud) she prefers a tool that she can understand and use without help. I can relate.

I heard all the ideas. I appreciate the time and thoughts of all those generous folks who contributed to the solution. We are gonna triumph over the monster plants and learn what does and does not work, in the process.

That'd be rather cold and shallow after all she's done for me and SWMBO, don't you think? What kind of friend would I be, then?

Woo! Didn't mean to rile you, Hank! :)

--Winston

[Ed Pawlowski]

I did not read all of the post here, but, I can draw one simple conclusion. In spite of what you say, she is not all that smart. Cutting something that grows back is not a solution, no matter how good the tool.

The smart solution is to eliminate them with the proper herbicide or by manually pulling the roots out. That is the only way to get a permanent solution.

[Nate Nagel]

Is it pokeweed you're fighting? I would just dig up the roots and be vigilant for little shoots in the future (and make sure that you pull them out roots and all.) I've been fighting them ever since I moved into this house, and have finally gotten to the point where it's under control. It's an awful, awful plant and grows twice as fast as any non-viney plant in my experience.

I personally don't want to use a chemical solution because the pokeweed might be growing up through a fern, trillium, or something else interesting...

nate

[Hustlin' Hank]

[Winston]

I see.

Without the whole story?

You missed the part where she tried several applications of a previously effective herbicide and will shortly test another herbicide that is rumored effective against this kind of plant?

There's an echo in here!

:)

First prize would be to find a way to kill the seeds. She's working on that.

--Winston

[Winston]

(...)

Nup. Rather than a low growing bush, these are 'all stalk'. They grow over 4' tall without branches for the first couple feet. If bamboo only grew to 1/4" to 3/8" diameter and had a smooth exterior and a central fibrous core, that'd be a good description.

Note to self: Need a very narrow shovel.

We need to genesplice weeds with tomatoes so I can plant in the morning and have a salad at dinner.

Thanks for your thoughts, Nate.

--Winston

[Winston]

Did you miss the part where she made several applications of a previously effective herbicide? I still agree that tilling is a good idea, but we need a way to prevent further germination. That's why I'm optimistic about the alternative herbicide.

Friendships require thoughtfulness, respect and work. Minus those things, you are just left with exploitation. Are Homer Simpson and Ned Flanders friends? No.

I've got a friend who is an independent contractor. He loaned me a belt sander about 10 years ago and I toasted it trying to take the finish down on an oiled chopping block. I took the tool in for a rebuild, then I bought a brand new sander of the same model and gave that to my friend and apologized for breaking his sander. (I still use the rebuilt tool.)

Note that he didn't have to call wondering what happened to his sander. He got an apology and a new sander.

Since then, I've worked on some of his projects. He's worked on some of my projects. Somehow the subject of paying each other never came up, because we are friends.

Of course we can be "just friends". Don't be silly.

[KLS]

You described these weeds as fibrous plants in a much earlier post that I am too lazy to go back and find. I have to tell you that I believe I have these same weeds here in western New York and no idea what the hell they are (they're not pokeweed). I want you to know that I agree that they are just about indestructible. We tried weed whacking ours (which fortunately are more or less hidden behind the garage) to no avail, and I just don't have the energy to dig them out, which is what I think is what has to be done (I am also not a RoundUp fan, especially because I have three dogs who go through that area).

Again, I think digging these plants out is the best bet, and I may try it myself later this season when the weather cools down. But I also think it's important to replace them with something else, and grass won't do it. I'm thinking of something like ribbon grass, which is similarly invasive, but a lot more attractive. So, after the next good rain some time in October, I may be out there with my shovel.

[salty]

Roundup won't hurt your dogs. It completely biodegrdes VERY quickly, and is approved for and used in agriculture on areas used for food crops.

[Winston]

Yup. I really don't want to inadvertently distribute live weed seeds. That's how the invasion started, I think. If this herbicide knocks out the plants and seeds, my friend will be a happy person.

I wish you luck!

I'll be interested in why this weed has such a powerful hold on the ground. Perhaps it has a really long taproot?

--Winston

[SteveBell]

Weed killers will have little effect on the seeds. Use a pre-emergent control instead. I hear corn meal works, if you want something non-toxic.

[Winston]

This just in: My friend plans to use Amaze pre-emergent.

Things are looking up!

Thanks!

--Winston

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yes, I'm rather intelligent.

Evidently, she did not use the proper harbicide or proper application. She would do well to consult a professional or the local colege ag deparment or similar service.

It may be possible to pick many of the seeds on the plant or to treat them with a pre-emergent solution. See above about consulting a pro.

[salty]

Seeds and roots just under the surface can be "damaged" with the application of heat. I have a propane burner for that purpose. Clear away the vegetation and then scorch the soil. Surprisingly effective.

[Winston]

(...)

Oh Boy!

A use for my new propane burner!

Thanks!

--Winston

[salty]

Just be careful! After you finish scorching, it's a REALLY good idea to throughly soak the ground. There can be debris smoldering just below the surface that won't be obvious right away...

[Winston]

I agree.

Safety first.

--Winston

[Winston]

Mike and all-

I mounted that bladed trimmer head to the GrassHog just now. It was a real project involving heavy modifications. I tested it and it looks like a good approach.

--Winston

[TimR]

What if you tied a thin rope to a bundle of the stalks, wrapped it around your car bumper, and jerked them out by the roots?

(all my other ideas have been suggested already. Except the ones that involve explosives or automatic weapons, and I'm getting the idea those aren't going to be acceptable.)

Or. Freeze them with liquid nitrogen?

[Winston]

(...)

I like your "git'er done" attitude! You are saying that the tool should cost less than $89.99?

That is food for thought and I thank you.

I have 'hot rodded' a weed whacker and I'm anxious for my friend to try it out:

In test, it chopped through some dense roots pretty easily so I'm optimistic.

Yup. She won't even let me mow them down with a gas brush cutter. Oh Well.

Now you are talking!

Where did I put that large Dewar?

--Winston