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fernisland

Quackgrass problem!

fernisland
17 years ago

I have a large (50' x 60') vegie & flower garden. It is fenced against deer & rabbits w. wire fencing & surrounded by grass (lawn on 2 sides, field on 2 sides). My worst problem is tall grasses growing under & through the fence. The rhizomes of Quackgrass grow under the fence & invade; that & the other grasses grow tall & weave through the fencing & drop seeds into the garden. Bad, bad, bad.

I do NOT want to use herbicides, as I have a chemically-sensitive neighbor who has major problems with even traces of this stuff (I used to use Round-Up & it worked great, but now I am more aware...). I do mow on all sides, but because of the fence-posts I can't get the mower right up to the wire. I also weed-whack when I can get to it, but I would like to be able to eliminate the weed-whacking because the string has cut the fence wire (!).

I have tried a 6" deep vertical barrier to stop the rhizomes. They go under it; I need something wider. 10" aluminum flashing is way too pricey. "Carpet runner" has been suggested in this forum -- does anybody know what they mean by "carpet runner?"

I have also dug out, with great labor, a clear trench around the perimeter of part of the garden. That works for a while, until stuff sprouts in the trench. I think a cardboard & sawdust or wood-chip mulch in the trench might at least make the grasses easier to pull (one wheel of the mower could ride on the chips), but I have been told that the lawn-mower will blow away the chips. Anybody have experience with this solution?

Any ideas? Thanks!

Comments (6)

  • Judy_B_ON
    16 years ago

    The only answer to quack gras, as you have discovered, is Round up. If opposed to Round Up, your only other option is to dig it out weekly. But it will come back.

  • Kimmsr
    16 years ago

    Glyphosate, contrary to popular opinion, will not control quack grass although it may slow it some for a year. But every one I know that sprays quack grass with any kind of poison does so every year. The only way to keep the rhizomes from your garden is with a barrier those rhizomes cannot get passed. The plastic carpet runner is a clear plastic you would put down over your carpet for people to walk on so your carpet does not get dirty. I have seen it available in 18 inch wide rolls that you could cut in half, but even then it is more expensive than the aluminum flashing. While the initial expense of either of these items is high I find the long term expense is considerably less than purchasing plant poison every year.

  • JAYK
    16 years ago

    Glyphosate can control quackgrass completely, however it will not usually control it with one application and mid range rates must be used. Lower rates will provide only suppression. Follow up, not annual applications are the key. The nature of quackgrass physiology allows it to resist single applications.

    This site explains the issue well:
    "One problem with using glyphosate on quackgrass is that up to 95% of the lateral buds on the rhizomes are dormant even though the plant is actively growing. Since herbicides are translocated from the leaves to actively growing plant tissue, after about 7 days the glyphosate degrades and the dormant lateral buds will start to grow new shoots. It may take more than one application to completely eradicate quackgrass."

    Here is a link that might be useful: Quackgrass management

  • clarksons
    13 years ago

    I have a problem with quackgrass in a newly seeded lawn. Apparently, the straw mesh used to protect the seed from washing away contained quackgrass seeds. My landscaper applied a herbicide that will kill crabgrass to no effect. He then applied Beacon (primisulferon) which seems to be working. The quackgrass is slowly turning brown without affecting the lawn grasses. I'm assured this herbicide will destroy the quackgrass. Beacon is not available to the general public. I think you have to be licensed to use it.

  • Kimmsr
    13 years ago

    Research at Iowa State University a few years ago and lately and many other universities has shown that the glyphosates do not do a very good job of contol on Quack Grass and often needs to be applied 4 times a year to keep it under a bit of control. Where the glyphosates have been used to control Quack Grass around here I have seen the stuff growing back about 3 to 6 weeks after application.
    Tilling any soil that contains Quack Grass roots will simply cut them into multiple pieces that will then root and grow more grass plants, tilling a soil containing Quack Grass roots simply spreads the stuff over a wider area.

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