Solving Omlet Smart Auto Door Timing Issues with Alexa Routines

[Patricia W]

I've had some old bushes and a large elderberry tree removed from the garden, giving me a big new flower bed - well, it will be once I get rid of some dratted ivy which has spread all across it!

 

I've spend about 4 hours so far digging, clipping and pulling. Is there any quicker, less back-breaking way? We've got heavy clay so the roots are embedded into it like concrete. Also how do you get rid of a large elderberry tree trunk?

 

Any advice most welcome...

 

Tricia

[Tiggy]

black plastic weighted down to exclude the light will get rid of most thinks if you can leave it a while, the tree may be more of a problem, the council got rid of one outside work with a big machine, I think most tree surgeons have one

[Valkyrie]

Apparently with ivy, if you chop it off at the base it will kill the plant. I did that to one that was climbing up the side of the house - and it worked with that one. The stump has now been removed easily. There are products that you can get to kill off ivy (which I bought just in case plan A didn't work) - others you chop off the top of the plant and paint the remaining rooty stem with the poison. When I have used Root out before on pesky ash trees and hawthorns I have covered the stumps with cling film held in place with an elastic band and remove when it's gone.

[Patricia W]

Thanks Folks

 

I have persevered and got most of the stuff out - it was rather like a woody bindweed but not as deep rooted,thank goodness. unfortunately there was no single large root, it was just lots of single ones, entwined together. I took 4 large sackfuls down to the recycling place for them to make it into compost - or whatever they do with it.

 

Thanks for the tip about the tree root- just off to Homebase to see if I can find some.

 

As for the blank space I now have in the garden, I'm going to use the " no dig" method and smother it in compost (chicken enriched of course). Anyone know how long you have to leave it before you can plant it up?

 

I'm in no hurry!

 

Tricia

[Happy chickens!]

Being of a lazy, but green, disposition, I also like to use no dig, but for vegetables not flowers so far. It works well for larger crops especially I find. I just plant at normal times of year ie potatoes in spring. Cardboard is an invaluable addition to the no dig and is much cheaper than those weed proof membranes (free from my local tip !). I think so long as you keep the manure away from the plants (I'm assuming it hasn't had chance to rot yet) you'll get away with it. Copious quantities of grass clippings also come in very handy, and these can go almost up to the plants.