An Uninvited Guest!

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Hi there, all,

Posting these photos is inviting scorn but I hope there'll be some sympathy too.

How do you tell when it's been too long since you had any workshop time?

As they say 'Life happens!'.

Identification will be welcome.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

It’s been a warm, wet summer.

[Nigel BennettParticipant @nigelbennett69913]

Looks like ivy to me.

[Philip RoweParticipant @philiprowe13116]

It looks like an ivy to me and in all fairness it does grow very rapidly but not overnight. Seems you do need to spend some time out there if only to clear your visitor. Phil

[Richard S2Participant @richards2]

From the leaf form, it could be Hedera Hibernica?. And to alleviate your guilt complex of neglect, it is considerably fast growing.

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Could be black or white Bryony.

Rik

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

..or maybe even Schizophragma..

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Myford Strangler Vine

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

I have a similar problem and a small length of ivy has just found its way into the shed. Unfortunately I cannot get to the main plant as it is on the corner of the wokshop within 12 inches of the boundaries of 2 other properties. The plant is right in the corner & is quite substantial. I can only get access from the top & it has already started to damage the gutter beneath my pitched roof. My roof is cementous corrigated pitched construction & balancing is difficult on crawling boards

Soooo!! Has anyone any ideas what is the best method of killing it off.. . I did try pouring dieisel down over the leaves with a spray can from above & I believe that slowed the growth. However, it has come back.

Any ideas welcome

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 26/10/2021 15:41:23

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Probably need a greater rate of cut and a better chip breaker if the swarf is coming off like that.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Going greener – very modern!

pgk

[Adrian 2Participant @adrian2]

Bamboo is another invader to avoid. I had a shoot grow up inside the studwork framing of my workshop, first I knew of it was when it hit the roof turned and pierced the insulation growing back downwards.

It has taken several years to get rid of but I am winning.

Adrian.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Had a similar problem with the previous workshops. The problem was that the main stem was between the shop and the fence, so VERY difficult to cut off near the ground.

A saw blade fixed to a long pole did the trick, eventually.

Now the problem is one of SWMBOs plants that can cause heave depending on the weather, making the door stick sometimes. What started as a tiny stem is now nearly 100 mm diameter, but cannot be pruned other than gently.

Ivy seems to share some of the genes of Mile a Minute Russian Vine., and is very difficult to keep in check

SWMBO put some weedkiller on the grass,(Supposed to be safe for grass ) Killed the grass as well as the weed, A year on it still has not recovered, despite reseeding. This might be the stuff to put on the root, if you can dribble some down a tube into the area. "Weedol" perhaps?

Squirt from a water pistol may get the killer where it is needed.

Howard

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

SBK will do it

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Dave Halford on 26/10/2021 17:47:01:

SBK will do it

.

You seem to know your weedkillers, Dave

… is it any good on horsetails ?

We have some growing up through a rockery which appear to have re-grown from root-fragments in the clay, and probably date back 100 years or more

MichaelG.

[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

Michael

I regret to say horsetail is notoriously difficult to eradicate. It dates back to the age of the dinosaurs and has learned some survival tricks. Fossils are frequently found in coal measures.

RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate had it in their rockery, a very big rockery and the whole lot had to be dug up with excavators to a depth of maybe 20 feet to reach the base of the roots.

Selective weedkillers do not touch it either so I fear you have few options.

Best of luck Brian

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Brian Wood on 26/10/2021 18:07:47:

Michael

I regret to say horsetail is notoriously difficult to eradicate. […]

.

Thanks for the empathy, Brian

Yes, I am unfortunately aware of all that … which is why I asked specifically about SBK

**LINK**

https://www.progreen.co.uk/sbk-brushwood-killer-1l-kplus-250ml-marestail-woody-weeds/

MichaelG.

[Grizzly bearParticipant @grizzlybear]

You give the horsetail a good thrashing before applying SBK, Roundup and/or diesel.

It needs to be well bruised. Enjoying it, isn't compulsory.(The thrashing.)

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Grizzly,

It is more blessed to give than to receive. Especially where this stuff is concerned

Howard

[File HandleParticipant @filehandle]

Never manage to totally wipe out Horsetail. weedkillers will knock it back, as will WD40 etc after a good bruising. It does come back, but i have it under control.

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

I believe that bamboo can be controlled by copious applications of seawater and paraffin guarantees death to virtually any vegetation. I once had a tree growing a thin trunk my side of my back garden wall and anoth on my neighbours side. I could foresee the eventual fate of my wall and the renter's next door would be unlikely to do anything. I dealt with both trunks by cutting to ground level and pouring a small quantity of paraffin on the stump. No regrowth after a decade or more, so can vouch for the paraffin,but be careful as I suspect it is a serious pollutant and nothing will grow if spilt in quantity on soil.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

I have dealt with some problem invaders by painting them individually with concentrated glyphosate, but I believe it’s now illegal to buy unless you have a spraying licence. Another option for vine type things is to coil them up and dump the oil into a washing up bowl of weedkiller for a goodly soak. Apparently adding wallpaper paste to the mix can help identify which strands have been treated if there's lots to do.

pgk

[Richard S2Participant @richards2]

Another advocate of SBK. Killed off many 'a large Ivy root and tree stump. It will take a while.

Best time to treat ivy is in the dormant period over winter. I have drilled deep holes diagonally downwards near the base and filled them with 50/50 dilute SBK. plugged the holes after.

Additionally, a mixture of correct dilute strength SBK and kerosene to spray over the foliage during a dry spell.

Repeat treatment will accelerate it's demise.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

So as this has degenerated into gardening, anyone know how to get rid of oxalis (wood sorrel) in the lawn? We've tried selective weedkiller

(

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

My problem is bindweed, I have tried garden centre weedkillers and they don’t seem to work, anyone got any advice please.

[Author]

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