Weeds etc

[bluenose]

My neighbour absolutely loves his garden (so do we) but, his garden is just a natural wild jungle. His front and back gardens are the same, in fact you can hardly see his bungalow from the pavement as the growth is so high.

All of his hedges, weeds, brambles and suchlike all force their way through my fencing and all up the back of my sheds. Some of the brambles can be nearly 3/4 of an inch thick and I'm concerned that they will cause more damage.
The fence at the bottom of the garden has already been forced out of shape by the powerful stuff that grows through and, I don't want this to happen to my shed timbers.

I'm wondering if any of you clever people on here know what I could use to line his side of the fence panels to stop this rubbish pushing through. The panels are only 4' 6" high by 6' long. I was initially thinking of something like thin guage aluminium sheeting but I think that that would be quite expensive.

All of the fencing by the way, is in my own garden. The original boundary fencing of concrete posts and wire is still in situ.

Thank you.

 

[Rorschach]

I think you will struggle. Your best bet is probably just cutting it back and keeping it under control. Little and often is the key, get an easy and fast tool to use, keep it on hand and attack the invading parts at least once a week.

 

[marcros]

it is surprising how quickly it grows. next door to me took out a bramble patch and there are still bits that spring up under the fence on my side when I turn my back.

 

[Woodchips2]

The problem with cutting it back is it encourages it to grow stronger. I'd spray it every couple of weeks with glyphosate weedkiller. For the thick briars I would push the ends into a jam jar half filled with neat glyphosate which should kill it back to the roots. You can buy industrial glyphosate on E-Bay for around £30 for 5 litres which you dilute 40:1 which I find keeps weeds at bay for around 6 months. Regards Keith

 

[okeydokey]

About the use of glyphosate and diluting to 40:1 - I asked a supplier if I used it neat would it work better, was advised using it neat will form crystals and it wont be absorbed into the plant, a diluted mix will be absorbed in the same way as rainwater gets into plants.

 

[Suffolkboy]

About the use of glyphosate and diluting to 40:1 - I asked a supplier if I used it neat would it work better, was advised using it neat will form crystals and it wont be absorbed into the plant, a diluted mix will be absorbed in the same way as rainwater gets into plants.

Also, not diluting it enough can scorch plants, so they begin to die back but it doesn't fully kill them and they recover. I've seen that happen with nettle beds.

 

[Rorschach]

Good advice on the weed killer, didn't know that re dilution.

 

[hairy]

Corex sheet?

 

[Jacob]

You can't object to a messy garden but if it's a nuisance on your side you can complain to Environmental Health. Maybe chat with the neighbour first? Or find an intermediary - parish councillor or someone?

 

[pe2dave]

Similar situation here.
Easier solution. Weedkiller. Spray the invasive branches (good soaking / scrape bark on large stuff) with a good weedkiller.
If it's behind your hedge, you can get long reach sprays.

 

[Bigegg]

Ammonium sulphamate + washing up liquid works really well to break down composted plants.
Be *VERY* careful not to spill any on any living plants as it will kill them. Luckily, it's much less toxic to the environment than glyphosphate and breaks down harmlessly in the soil.
It's very cheap on eBay (at root out).

Unfortunately, it's not licenced as a weedkiller in the UK/EU because it is so cheap and ubiquitous that no chemical company will pay for the tests/licence required (despite the fact that it's allowed in the US and Oz).

 

[Woody Alan]

Rosate 360 works for me, don't cut his stuff back, the more you can spray on the growth the more will get back to the roots, once dead then cut back. Be warned it is very effective and if you get it on any of your plants they are toast. Just keep spraying new invasive growth as it appears. I've seen dead grass footprints from walking in the area sprayed and then walking across grass.

 

[bluenose]

Thank you chaps for all of your replies, very much appreciated.

I will investigate all of the suggestions.

Thanks again.