BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Jul 17 - 09:16 AM

Yet more of those tractor processions this morning. Do you think they're heading for the methane bio-gas plant thing? (in a village fairly near to us, with huge domed constructions that stink of vinegar) At first I reckoned it was just loads and loads of silage, but this is getting ridiculous. It seems to be hay, chopped up small (and blowing all over our car and into the air vents, as you say Steve)

I want some of that Sodium Chlorate. If it doesn't actually kill the weeds, it might blow them to bits anyway.

They've emptied our garden waste bin this morning, so back to the grindstone hacking, slashing, chopping and tugging to get the weeds out and the overgrown shrubs under control.
Sigh. I sometimes dream of a nice tidy little window box...

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 11:00 AM

One of the best domestic weedkillers in existence is sodium chlorate. Very effective on a small area for a short time, no long term effects on the environment as it just degrades into salt.

Problem is it's rather easy to use it as the basis for seriously effective explosives (you don't want chlorate itself since perchlorate is more powerful and safer, but making perchlorate from chlorate is not difficult). So it's been made unpurchaseable under Prevention Of Things That Go Bang legislation. The last lot I used must have been sold more than 20 years ago.

I think it may be possible to make it yourself by electrolysis of hot salt water. I haven't tried but I'm sure ISIS and the EDL have figured it out.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Iains
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 10:40 AM

Steve the legislation already exists concerning slow moving vehicles and debris on roads. When I had kit coming out of fields many years ago we had to jetwash mud from the vehicle prior to allowing it on the road or hire a roadsweeper. That situation was policed both by the local authority and the consulting engineers. If you think local enforcement is inadequate do something about it, give out to your local council and traffic police..

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 09:18 AM

I think the bad agricultural route I remember in Norfolk dates back to the 70s when we (from N Wales, there was a bit of from Tunbridge Wells and a different route in my childhood part of time) used to visit grandad in Norwich. One could even make good time over the Cat and Fiddle route to cross the Pennines and I think, come up against a wall of beet wagons and other kit past Kings Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 08:46 AM

Don't get me started on those bloody tractors clogging up the roads. Round here they are mostly contractors who are going for miles, not local farmers just going short distances to get to their fields. They rarely give a damn about the jams they cause. There should be a law that forces them to pull over if there are three or more vehicles stuck behind them. And how many have you seen with no rear lights, no number plates, no signalling. Bales of straw teetering dangerously, the bits flying off getting into your car's air vents. Roads covered in enough shit to plant spuds in. And Iains thinks farmers worry about regs! Then there's that cheap red diesel being used illegally. Nowhere near enough spot-checks done. In thirty years round here I've seen about three, if that. Ah, country ways...

We know to avoid Wednesday mornings round here as that's the day of Holsworthy livestock market. The real cash cow round here is tourism, not farming. Wonder what the tourists think about trailing at 15 mph behind a tractor for miles in a convoy on a stinking hot day...

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Iains
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 08:41 AM

Steve. FYI
https://fullfact.org/economy/farming-subsidies-uk/

I see that Rachel Carson's SILENT SPRING is available as a pdf.
I highly recommend reading it. Over 55 yers old but still relevant. It made a deep impression on me back in 1964 when I first read it.
How many lessons are still to be learnt?

An interesting study vaguely related to the thread
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809917301583 '

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:52 AM

Ha Jon, we're not far from Aylsham as the crow flies. My husband works in Reepham.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:37 AM

Hahaha Raggytash! Might just think about it!

We too adore the countryside Steve. The peace, beauty and village life are priceless. And I say that after being stuck behind a procession of TWELVE silage trucks towed by tractors trundling along the Fakenham Road early this morning. It took us over an hour to get to the shops (about two miles!) And our conservatory is full of poor little damsel flies from the nearby lakes, bashing themselves against the windows to get out again. Takes me ages to save them every day.

I've never minded the smell of genuine manure. Our riding stables here deposits tons of the stuff outside our house every Saturday. Good for the garden if well-rotted first.
I think I'd die if we had to live in London or any other huge city.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:31 AM

Trying to think in relation to rape, S. I think if I was to follow the A140 (I'm right at the start), it's probably past Alby towards Aylsam where I've in past years noticed it the most.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:27 AM

I assure you that no small to medium farm in this neck of the Westcountry is getting anything like a million quid. I have never, to my knowledge, been affected by spray drift. I have been affected by the nauseous smell of fresh pigshit from a nearby intensive pig farm whenever the wind comes from certain points east, the sickening odour of freshly-spread chicken shit from the alleged free-range unit nearby, washing covered in dust during silaging, an escaped herd of goats devastating my garden, a herd of cows transforming my front lawn into a swamp in thirty seconds flat and have nearly been asphyxiated by a tractor left idling for two hours just outside my garden when the wind was a gentle sou'-westerly. I've had a plague of pollen beetles and flea beetles too, both from oilseed rape in the field next door, and that crop also drives up the slug count big-time.   I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Raggytash
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:26 AM

The sun's over the yardarm Senoufou, treat yourself to a G & T as well!

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:18 AM

This is all absolutely fascinating. I'm sure you're all right, that farmers spray all sorts of stuff on their land and crops, none of which is terribly good for us (or for wildlife)
I'd give anything to know exactly what it is that causes my husband so much suffering every year. When we've visited Cromer or Sheringham, he feels so much better for an hour or two, especially with an onshore breeze.

It's not good for him to be doped up with anti-histamines and decongestants for six months each year. And he has to work in that state, poor chap. We've even considered moving to the coast, but house prices are horrendous up on the Norfolk coast.

On a more cheerful note, I've been out in our front garden today and manually (round of applause please!) pulled a ton of weeds out of our gravel drive and front borders. The buggers will no doubt be back soon, but I feel rather virtuous. Time for a toasted crumpet dripping with butter and a nice cup of tea I feel.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:08 AM

Sorry Iains, My attempted sarcasm was not put well enough. My fault and I agree with you.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Iains
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 07:04 AM

Jon Freeman.
I assume you would be quite happy to reintroduce ddt on the basis of there being too much red tape. And you would be happy to wind back all chemical controls and health and safety regulation in agriculture.
What planet are you on? These regulations require to be tightened or perhaps you prefer your drinking water flavoured with monsanto's latest creation. Why should agriculture be exempt from the regulatory regime that covers all other activities? Regulations put in place for your benefit and safety.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 06:17 AM

On your first point, whilst reluctant to start it off in this thread, I'm afraid I imagine the EU regs Iians mentions as being a type of "red tape" we need to get shut of.

OT but as for were I lived, I've mostly lived in farming areas (although close to towns, eg. Cromer is only a couple of miles from me). Quite different though, the part of N Wales I lived in was mostly small tennant farms (largely Mostyn Estates) and here in Norfolk it's the big fields. I'm not sure ow attitudes may differ.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Iains
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 06:03 AM

Steve with some farms in the UK making over £1,000,000 from the single farm payment and non compliance putting at risk some or all of that payment the risk of being caught in a spot inspection is very real.
Spraying regulations have been tightened dramatically in order to reduce environmental damage. If you see a contravention there is nothing to prevent you reporting it. A few seconds of video clip of vegetation swaying in the wind would enable anyone to assess if conditions were conducive to spraying, as would vegetation dieback in your garden.
I spent some years trying to get a hawthorn hedge established on my boundary surrounded by by successive crops of rape and wheat. I had thirty % dieback to what I can only assume to be toxic sprays. The failure rate was too high to be anything else.
The revised regulations are now in force. If you think you are getting sprayed you can insist on the COSHH sheet for the chemicals used and make noises as to why you were not given prior notice. It is no longer a free for all. You could always stir up your local defra, I am sure a man of your wit could generate sufficient grief to force compliance in your area.
Note the date at the end of the second link when opened (effective 2016)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pesticides/topics/using-pesticides/spray-drift.htm

http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/prepare-for-new-pesticide-regulations/

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 05:25 AM

I live surrounded by farmland and let me tell you that the average farmer doesn't give a stuff about spray drift or advisory this, that or the other. Regulations are seen as having been drawn up by ignorant bureaucrats who "don't understand country ways." In thirty years here as an ex-townie with a bit of biological science background I've seen it all. Farmers are generally a long way from anyone watching or assessing. Welcome to the real world.

Oilseed rape can't be grown successfully without large amounts of chemical input.

Obviously, dust from a gathered-in crop could contain some pollen, though by that time flowering has long since passed. It will also contain lots of chemical residue and fungal spores as well as tiny bits of plant fibres and so on. All of these can cause irritation or allergies. The case for hay fever resulting from exposure to oilseed has not been made.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Iains
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 04:42 AM

http://www.oilseedrape.org.uk/html/uk.html

I would agree with Steve as regards the potential toxicity of certain agricultural sprays. I am not sure to what extent the latest EU regulations have been implemented in the uk.
They would require annual certification of sprays units(probably exempting back pack sprayers)
Formal qualification and registration of operators
Bunded storage of liquid chemicals
Complete records of type, dosage rate, location, date.
Registering of all commercial sales of agricultural chemicals.
Non compliance would attract a variable penalty taken from the SFP
Even with all the proposed legislation there would seem to be little account taken of spray drift and proximity to houses or schools.
Perhaps account of wind direction and strength should be more than "advisory"
http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/adlib/defra/content.aspx?id=000IL3890W.16NTBWTW6M4U3

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Jul 17 - 04:04 AM

fwiw, Wikipedia seems to leave that question open:

Rapeseed pollen contains known allergens. Whether rape pollen causes hay fever has not been well established, because rape is an insect-pollinated (entomophilous) crop, whereas hay fever is usually caused by wind-pollinated plants. The inhalation of oilseed rape dust may cause asthma in agricultural workers.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 06:54 PM

Well, like most things we'd call perfumes, the smell is caused by volatile organic compounds, in the case of oilseed given off by the flowers. When you smell a fragrant rose, it isn't pollen you're smelling, or even nectar. It's those pesky volatile compounds. The fragrance is to attract insect pollinators. The insects are the only way that oilseed pollen can get around.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 06:40 PM

Interesting Steve. But if the stuff has heavy, sticky pollen, what is it that actually arrives in the nose that one detects as 'perfume'? It's certainly a sickly smell, like cheap Avon scent!

I reckon my husband is allergic to many different pollens, as his hay-fever goes on and on from Spring right through to the beginning of Autumn. He's been driven mad by it this year. Our pharmacist says it's the worst year she's ever known.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 06:27 PM

Hmm. Oilseed pollen is heavy, sticky and not wind-blown so is unlikely to be a major cause of hay fever. However, the crop requires inputs of many chemicals ending in -cide, far more likely to cause ill-health. I find the perfume overwhelming and a bit sickening. It's an environmentally-unfriendly crop for other reasons - it is nitrogen-hungry yet occupies the soil for a relatively short time, so leaching or runoff of nitrogenous fertiliser is common. Maize is probably even worse in that regard. You'll never seen oilseed grown organically. The flea beetles it harbours will infest your garden and the oil is third-rate.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 12:05 PM

I've seen rape down the A140, S but not in the field behind us. Anyway, I gather it can be bad for those (not me - I've always seemed to be immune to the pollen things) with allergies.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 11:46 AM

I like a nice field of wheat myself Jon. They seem to have spuds everywhere here (boring) But there's a huge field of that blasted oil seed rape behind the village, and back in the Spring my poor husband was on his knees with hay-fever from it. He really was ill.

One of our neighbours has won prizes for his honey, and apparently if one has a spoonful per day of local honey, it conditions the body to the allergens. As his honey must be largely made from rape flowers, we're going to try that over the winter.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 11:26 AM

(forgot beet in the above - that's a boring crop to watch..)

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 11:23 AM

We even one or two years collected a few bags of barley straw S. Wheat this year sometimes spuds, a recent year they tried peas (though I'd not think they would make frozen peas from here - apparently the time to get to processing is short) but barley is the nicest to look at (says me going into the reel, the wind that shakes it..)

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 10:52 AM

Blanket weed is a never-ending problem in a pond. I used to use a wide-headed rake thing to drag it out. It's aptly named. The green 'blanket' was amazingly thick. One leaves it on the grass around the pond to give any wild life a chance to hop back into the water. Then about a couple of days later one can dispose of it.
But I got a good tip from a TV programme of putting a small barley straw bale into the pond. (One can get miniature ones) It will float about and in some mysterious way stop blanket weed and also render the water clear.
Some beautiful fallow deer often came to drink at our pond, but they would go in for a paddle and their sharp hooves pierced the liner. The water level descended and had to be topped up. As we were on a water metre, this wasn't good...

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 09:11 AM

The kids will love it

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 08:54 AM

It's amazing the way poppies for example can seem to be dormant or years and then flourish. As you know, it's not uncommon to see that in parts of Norfolk. Circumstances have been such that I've not yet (and there are sessions I enjoy there) got towards Norwich this year and haven't yet seen how the nearest side to me of the road has progressed in a while.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 08:33 AM

They're busy constructing the Northern Distributor road not far from us, and the upheaval of the land looks like the Somme at the moment. I'm sure it will be fine when it's finished (hmmm...) But the beautiful wild flowers that have been stimulated to seed and grow are amazing. My husband was looking at the poppies, campions, cornflowers etc along the roadside and remarked that it all looked far more attractive than our feeble efforts with our garden. I wonder if he's not hinting that we leave our weeds so he can have a nice rest with his feet up, plugged in to his music?

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 08:30 AM

Yes, the slowing up with age is a tough one, S. Pip, in her 80s, is facing that one and like it or not, even if I was gifted with her strength, stamina and energy of old, I don't have the same degree of dedication. So were are on some degree of wind down. Things like my "watering project" bought some time. (As hinted at in an earlier post), I'm looking at taking on mowing and strimming (altough much wasn't done with the latter) which should free the guy who does 1hr a week here more to things she needs a gardeners help with) and a couple of veg squares now have pear trees instead. Not abandoning the garden but changing plans...

As or ponds, I used to like the one in the field. I ran a pump ro a solar panel on a shed to that one and and it set to cycle on/off every few minutes and turn on and off day/night/dawn/dusk as needed. Leaves from a Silver birch and blanket weed both put paid to that one in the longer term, it reached a point even after draining and restarting, we didn't keep on top of it. It's now more of a bog garden with iris growing.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 08:03 AM

No area here even suitable or a formal lawn even if we wanted one. And the main grass strip in the field (at a guess 30-40 x 3-4 metres) is also a (never used) farm right of way and is used by a truck delivering logs... It would seem very wrong to have it other than an area that allowed the flowers you mention. Another place we lived had a great spread of cowslips that looked amazing but you had to mow round.

Probably drifting a little from there but if a foxglove sets itself somewhere and you like it, why not leave it there - and Pip even likes a patch of mostly cow parsley as well as bits with mixed wild flowers. I think one (not you, just the principle) can get over excited about "weeds".

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 07:53 AM

Oooh Jon, I just showed that to him and he says he'd love one!! Lord help us all, the whole village will be going up in flames!

I really hate using any chemicals in the garden, and when I was younger and stronger, I virtuously dug all the weeds out by hand, and used the hoe regularly. I'm not into emerald green velvet lawns, but some weeds are a real pain, and I have to try weed killer nowadays.

Our last big garden was lovely, because we merely mowed broad paths through the grass (ride-on mower) and let the wildflowers grow, only mowing at the end of the summer so that thugs like nettles didn't get a hold. That garden was a wildlife sanctuary. I dug a huge pond too, and the newts, dragonflies and frogs were all over the place. Wish I had that energy now, but... I'm just thankful I'm still breathing!

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 07:53 AM

Weedol is Verdone re marketed. Or so they say!

Stephen Fry's joke has tickled me for years.

"I was walking through a meadow and stooped to pick a buttercup. Why anyone would leave a buttock in a meadow is beyond me..."

:D tG

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 07:42 AM

I've learned to love (most) weeds(/wild flowers) in the lawn. Daisies*, clover, speedwell...
Dandelions get dug out but I might start to allow buttercups again.

* I had a grudge against daisies after I slipped and pulled a muscle. Now I wear better shoes.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 06:56 AM

(but your husband may prefer this type of thing)

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 06:40 AM

Ah, S. We nearly had a disaster a number of years back with parents rushing to get me to help. A bonfire got a little out of hand and started tracking to a field of golden wheat. We don't bonfire there when things are dry anymore....

Weedwands are quite controllable though and Pip's main usage is to burn weeds out of areas were weeds are coming up through paving slabs, pea gravel and the bricks in the old pigsties.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 06:22 AM

I reckon my husband would love that 'weed-burning thingummy' - he adores gadgets. But here in Norfolk, everything is often tinder dry, and after witnessing that awful fire, where our neighbours' house across the road went up like a torch, I'd be very wary of having anything that burns on our property. Also, he can't tell weed from plant (nor much cares!) so he'd be blasting the entire garden to ashes.

I've been trying Weedol Lawn Weeder (sprayer thing, doesn't kill grass, only broad-leafed weeds) and it hasn't done anything. Used it ten days ago, weeds laughing their heads off. 'Verdone' was better, but they don't make it any more.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Raggytash
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 06:14 AM

On the day we moved into our present home, I tore down the leylandii hedge which obscured the view down to the harbour and out to sea whilst the men were still unloading our furniture!

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 05:38 AM

And on Leylandii, our neighbour had a row of tall trees. They came down either or both when he started renting an extension out as a holiday home or added a sort of summer house. Te benefits to him were obvious but I was surprised how much difference getting rid of them made to our evening sun in the field round the back.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Michael
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 05:09 AM

There is/was a Leylandii (spell checker wants'Disneyland'!) hedge down the far side of our neighbour's garden that was allowed to get out of hand, both gave it a severe pruning and now they have a dead hedge; but at least it will never need pruning again.

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 05:06 AM

"Lidl sells the cartridges far cheaper than anyone else so I stock up)."

We've got a reasonable stock of cartridges at the moment. Our previous weedwand had a very sort life (either a drop or something fell on it, can't remember which and the gas tap got bent - not something I could complain to seller about) and it and its replacement were bought on Amazon - around £20 for wand and 8 cartridges.

Drifting on to other garden equipment, we have a brush cutter on order and I aim to try to get a couple of long neglected areas clear so at least one can walk through. Having had (years ago) a couple of dead, never to get parts for cheap strimmers and one with a bent shaft I found clumsy, we've opted for a Husqvarna 525RJX which looks nice and lightweight and hopefully will be easy to use and long lasting. Time will tell...

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 04:28 AM

Our Leylandii hedge (again planted by previous occupants)is not too bad but I would like to get rid of it eventually. Unfortunately it does serve as an extension to the colony of sparrows that live in next doors privet hedge so I am reluctant to just remove it.

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Jul 17 - 03:31 AM

We had a massive Leylandii hedge in our last garden. It was 180ft long and 15ft tall, not to mention about 6ft wide. (We didn't plant it, the previous owners did, the fools) We had to use a huge scaffolding tower on wheels to trim it. Eventually we got a 'tree-surgeon' team in to halve its height. We burned the cuttings on a massive bonfire in our half-acre garden. (Leylandii burns well as there seems to be oil in the leaves)

The thing is, this blinking ugly, monstrous hedge never seemed to have any attraction for wildlife. No birds ever made their nests in it. No insects went near it. It never gave any type of fruit for birds during the winter. Nothing would grow beneath it as it rendered the soil bone dry like dust. Totally sterile and useless thing.

Compare that to a gorgeous 'mixed hedge' found at field edges, established for centuries. Birds' nests, insects, small mammals, fruit, (hips for example) and mayflowers if there's hawthorn. Wild flowers a-plenty using the shelter. Far better.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: leeneia
Date: 02 Jul 17 - 10:54 PM

Good for you, Dave. It's nice of you to think of your wife's back.

As a pianist, I find that pulling weeds is also hard on the hands. I try to keep weeds down with landscape fabric, Preen, mulch, etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Jul 17 - 06:15 PM

Sadly, I see that my work has been superseded by more modern investigation. Both parents are now regarded as belonging to the same genus. The Nootka Cypress has been moved into the genus Cupressus to join the other parent, the Monterey Cypress. There are now about forty varieties known. I worked on "Haggerston Grey" and "Castlewellan Gold." My favourite Cypress is the tall, dense, narrow Cupressus sempervirens, which gives the Mediterranean region much of its flavour. My very favourite conifer of all is the stone pine, or umbrella pine, Pinus pinea, characteristic of southern Italy around the Bay of Naples and the Sorrentine peninsula, my favourite bit of planet Earth.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Jul 17 - 05:55 PM

I'll have you know that I studied Leylandii for my final-year university research project, comparing the morphology of two of the eleven then-known clones with the parents, which are in different genera, Chamaecyparis and Cupressus. The fact that it's an intergeneric hybrid explains its extreme vigour. It's quite likely that I had a more intimate knowledge of Leyland Cypress than almost anyone else at the time. It has a bad name for sure, and I hate to see it used as hedging, but if allowed to grow into a free-standing tree (and it's very quick to grow big), it makes a pleasant specimen. As long as you have a large park.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Jul 17 - 04:26 PM

And I've heard of someone who set fire to a leylandii hedge.

What a good idea.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 02 Jul 17 - 03:52 PM

" ... a gardener set a tree, fence and electricity pole alight. ..."

" ... Fire service spokesman Steve Wharton said the aim was to expose weeds to intense heat, thus killing them, but not to ''burn them to a crisp''. ..."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11137388/Woman-sets-fire-to-electricity-pole-using-blowtorch-on-weeds.html 

~~~~~~~~
And I've heard of someone who set fire to a leylandii hedge.

Subject: RE: BS: Weapons of mass weed destruction
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Jul 17 - 03:48 PM

I imagine it's a weed wand rather than a flame thrower, a far less aggressive beast. I use one too, also because it saves my back at times (expensive to use, though. Occasionally Lidl sells the cartridges far cheaper than anyone else so I stock up). They're quite good for making the straight edge of my grass against the gravel drive. You have to be careful not to burn your precious plants as well as the weeds. Once the cartridge is around half-used, it loses its oomph as the remaining gas gets very cold due to expansion. You have to give it a rest for half an hour. The weeds always come back. It's a stopgap really, and all that carbon dioxide released...