The Plague Of Stinging Nettles & Dog Rose

[barry]

Hi guys, i'm new here so hello and all that (ive been a member of the pond forum for a few years).
I have just bought a house and there is a 1/4 acre forest at the bottom of the garden. It had become overgrown by nettles and dog rose. Most nettles and bushes grew to over 8 feet and had began choking the trees. I spent 5 solid days strimming it all and it is now down.

It has formed a layer over the ground of cut down nettles and dog rose, I cut the dog rose right down to the ground but because of the total number of nettles, many still have a 6-8 inch stem sticking out of the ground after being chopped by the strimmer.

My question is, will the nettles come back? Will the fact that i've left all the strimmed debris on the ground help block out light and prevent/slow down the growth of more nettles? The issue I have is that it is such a large area and the amount of time it would take to clear the debris would be ridiculous. I considered using weed killer or a herbacide but am afraid to as there is a massive koi pond very close to it, and would be afraid of it running into it and killing the fish.

WHAT SHOULD I DO????? :-(

 

[Chuck]

Hi guys, i'm new here so hello and all that (ive been a member of the pond forum for a few years).
I have just bought a house and there is a 1/4 acre forest at the bottom of the garden. It had become overgrown by nettles and dog rose. Most nettles and bushes grew to over 8 feet and had began choking the trees. I spent 5 solid days strimming it all and it is now down.

It has formed a layer over the ground of cut down nettles and dog rose, I cut the dog rose right down to the ground but because of the total number of nettles, many still have a 6-8 inch stem sticking out of the ground after being chopped by the strimmer.

My question is, will the nettles come back? Will the fact that i've left all the strimmed debris on the ground help block out light and prevent/slow down the growth of more nettles? The issue I have is that it is such a large area and the amount of time it would take to clear the debris would be ridiculous. I considered using weed killer or a herbacide but am afraid to as there is a massive koi pond very close to it, and would be afraid of it running into it and killing the fish.

WHAT SHOULD I DO????? :-(

The nettles will come back. IMO the only safe solution is frequent low mowing. If you could mow with a mulching mower the debris will not be as obvious and will compost much quicker. Also if there is plenty of sunlight you could also solarize parts of the area

 

[firelily99]

Of course they will come back because the roots are still there and nettles are determined growers. Keep mowing it down and be diligent and it may kill it off eventually. In the composting forum on this site there is a post about turning nettles into liquid nitrogen feed. Check it out!

 

[Rosyrain]

Nettles are the worst weed ever...and they hurt! I used to get stung by them all the time when I was young and they make little bumps all over your skin (baking soda paste is the best way to get rid of the sting, by the way!). I wonder if it would work to tarp off the ground where you have removed the nettles in hopes of killing off the roots? Most things die when they don't get sunlight so this may work.

 

[Becky]

Welcome to Gardening Forums, great to have you here!

Gosh 8ft nettles - I don't envy you! Agreed that frequent mowing would be the best solution, nettles are certainly very determine plants.

Alternatively you could try pulling up the roots using the remaining stems, and then perhaps go over the ground with a rotivator?