OT: Hand/Twist "Garden Tiller"

I need to remove a whole bunch of really annoying viney weeds which someone else planted in my flower beds (they may have been "cute" at one time) --now it's time for all of them to go. It's not very difficult to dig out a shovel full, but that leaves too much work still (I did that yesterday--spending too many minutes freeing the roots from the dirt. The roots seem to amass themselves in small areas.).

I was thinking of this tool, but am not confident it won't just bend when I twist it. There's another one out there too that I'm curious whether someone might recommend.

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Thank you for your help (and tolerance)!

Bill

Reply to
Bill
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I find that pulling roots and all is greatly aided if the ground is totally saturated with water.

Reply to
Leon

Boy that looks like work, and yes, I do understand about using a tool that may fail in the process..... I like the idea of wetting the area. I also like the old fashioned pitch fork with strong tines..... Usually the short one although one still needs to get down and dirty and take the weeds out. Is there room around the area to maneuver? Or is it in a tight spot? john

I need to remove a whole bunch of really annoying viney weeds which someone else planted in my flower beds (they may have been "cute" at one time) --now it's time for all of them to go. It's not very difficult to dig out a shovel full, but that leaves too much work still (I did that yesterday--spending too many minutes freeing the roots from the dirt. The roots seem to amass themselves in small areas.).

I was thinking of this tool, but am not confident it won't just bend when I twist it. There's another one out there too that I'm curious whether someone might recommend.

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Thank you for your help (and tolerance)!

Bill

Reply to
jloomis

Round Up!

Reply to
Markem

I had one - had being the operable word. It didn't bend, but it didn't do much of anything else either in loose soil. I don't think it will twist out most weeds - it wouldn't for me.

I like Markem's suggestion of Roundup. Paint it on with a cheap paint brush and wait a couple of weeks. If you didn't get a 100% kill, hit what's left with Roundup again.

Jerry O.

Reply to
Jerry Osage

I have a similar tool, "Garden Weasel" or some such silliness IIRC, and I did just the job you describe perhaps ten days back. My tool is quite sturdy and has no problems even when faced with largish roots. My plant nemesis was Vinca minor (or was it V. major? I don't know if I could tell the difference). The tool did an adequate job of breaking up the top four inches of soil and ripped up big handfuls of the plant. I removed all I could and every day I look for more sprouts from the roots and runners left behind and gently pull them out. This is a _very_ persistent plant and I've heard it described as virtually unkillable, right behind Euonymus fortunii, but every day there seem to be fewer and fewer sprouts. When I see no sprouts for several days I'll re-mulch the bed.

Reply to
BenignBodger

"I removed all I could and every day I look for more sprouts from the roots and runners left behind and gently pull them out."

Many years ago I removed a storm-damaged Mimosa tree from my front yard. Mi mosa trees are notorious for having a very shallow root system. A few month s after removing the stump and lawn-seeding the area formally under the tre e, I began to notice Mimosa tree sprouts growing in radial lines from the s pot where the tree used to be. Some of these sprout lines extended 20-30 fe et from the origin.

I ended up pulling roots that were 3"-4" below the surface, all of which we re trying to replace the original tree with scores of miniature Mimosas.

I started the season by seeding the area where the tree used to be and ende d the season reseeding almost my entire lawn which was destroyed while remo ving the roots. What a PITA.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Durn speelchekr!

formally under the tree ---> formerly under the tree

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Thank you for your reply, Bodger and everyone. I just learned there are ALOT of different weeds out there. I didn't find mine, but it is strong and viney and persistent as all get out. I would say the root on mine run about 4" deep too, so I have a very similar, problem. Bodger outline a procedure that makes sense. I may add chemicals around the edges--I need to read more first.

Thanks, Bill

Reply to
Bill

RE: Subject

It's Round-Up time if you ever expect to win the war.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

He said what he meant. He donned his Prince Albert attire before attending to the task. :)

Reply to
Just Wondering

------------------------------------------------------- Strictly a toy.

You need the tool my dad had and last used 60+ years ago.

Think of a 4 tine pitch fork with a D handle.

Now think of the tines as being about 3/4"-7/8" wide and 1/8" thick. That's describes that beast from memory.

As a teenager, I grew to hate that tool, but it worked.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I don't find Roundup working well anymore. I think the weeds have become resistant to it. The farmers are having major problems with it.

Reply to
woodchucker

Mike if you cut down a tree you can kill the stump with Round Up and paint brush one of the cheap foam ones workk great. Mimosas I have cut down get this treatment, as they are invasive weeds.

Reply to
Markem

I went to the web site. The version designed for Poison-ivy and brush (and tough vines) sounded right, except it said it wasn't supposed to be used around flower (or vegetable) gardens--they recommended the regular version of Round-Up for that instead. There are actually a lot of pretty spring flowers/bulbs among the mess (my wife keeps reminding me), so this is sort of a delicate operation. Sacrifices may need to be made... Thanks Lew. -Bill

Reply to
Bill

Won't that make the immediate area a dead zone for a year or two? Potential problem if he want to plant something else?

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

The way to kill them easily is just drill a couple of 1/2" holes in the stump and fill them with full strength roundup. The stump dies and all the suckers coming up from the roots die too. I had this happen with a Bradford pear and after working on the sprouts just to see more pop up from the roots I did the roundup in the holes bit and every sprout died and none have ever come back.

Reply to
G. Ross

No. Well, actually it depends on what product you use.

Info from the Manufacturer... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you for contacting us and for the opportunity to help you with your lawn and garden endeavors.

Currently, we make several Roundup formulations. The time frame for reseeding or sodding the lawn after applying varies depending upon the formula. Below is a complete list for your review:

Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Ready-to-Use, Concentrate Plus, or Super Concentrate:

You will be able to seed or sod 7 days after treating an area with Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Ready-to-Use (blue cap), Concentrate Plus (red cap), or Super Concentrate (purple cap). The plant absorbs the product which then works through the plant's own system. Any product that is not absorbed by the treated plant will quickly break down. Because the active ingredients bind tightly to the soil, you can safely replant the treated area three days later; however to ensure complete kill of weeds you should wait seven days before disturbing or sodding over the area.

Roundup Extended Control Concentrate or Ready-to-Use:

You may reseed or sod the lawn four months after using Roundup Extended Control Formulas (silver/black cap). We recommend you do a radish test after four months to see if the ground is clear of herbicide. The radish seed is a very fast germinating seed. When planted in a treated area, the seeds will germinate in 7-10 days if the area is clear of herbicide. If the radish seed grows you can safely lay sod or plant grass seed. Do not eat radishes grown for these testing purposes.

Roundup Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer Concentrate or Ready-to-Use:

You will be able to sod or plant seed 3-7 days after treating an area with Roundup Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer (yellow cap). The plant absorbs the product which then works through the plant's own system. Any product that is not absorbed by the treated plant will break down relatively quickly allowing you safely replant the treated area 3-7 days later.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for your interest in our products. Please feel free to contact our company anytime we may be of assistance.

Allison Gostlin Consumer Response Representative The Scotts Company and Subsidiaries

14111 Scottslawn Road Marysville, OH 43041 888-768-6387 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jerry O.

Reply to
Jerry Osage

Around here they are called spading forks or garden fork. They work very well.

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Reply to
G. Ross

That is why I would brush it on. Or - I have several sizes of containers with the bottom cut out. I have modified several gallon bleach jugs. I put one down over the weed/plant I want dead and spray down into the container with a course spray from a trigger spray bottle from Home Depot.

If wanted plants would touch the sprayed one - leave the guard around it until the Roundup has dried. I learned this the hard way. It seems many desirable plants are much more susceptible to Roundup than the weeds we were killing...

Jerry O.

Reply to
Jerry Osage

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