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Best weed killer for serious weed clearance

lyn.odonoghuelyn.odonoghue Posts: 6
in Problem solving
Hi, I have to clear a large area of steep slope that is totally overgrown (20 years or more). Plants to clear are brambles, Russian vine (believe me the worst weed of all), sycamore saplings, nettles etc. I don't wish to replant. Other problem is unforseen rubble and debris below thicket as previous owner used it as thier own rubbish dump so rubble, pots, water tank, lawn roller etc underneath. Working on bank is also tricky as is removing cleared weeds. Suggestions please?
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  • SmudgeriiSmudgerii Posts: 183
    Weedkiller will only achieve so much...  weed seeds will still be present and readily germinate.

    anyway Ammonium Sulphamate is fairly cheap on ebay and is ime the most effective.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 6,294
    If you're looking for chemicals to do the job then glyphosphate is probably the answer.
    The strong form is branded as Rosate36/Rosate360 (recently renamed for some reason).
    I used it a few years ago to clear a part of my garden full of similar stuff to yours, and it worked well.
    I sprayed 3 times over 6 weeks and it killed everything.
    If you do get it, the dilution rate is 30ml Rosate to 1L water.
    Be very careful when spraying as it will kill just about anything the spray lands on, so best used on a calm day and don't use a fine mist or it'll blow everywhere.
    It is absorbed only by the leaves, so no point in soaking the roots with it.

    The non-chemical route is to dig it all out

    And welcome to the forum :)
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • K67K67 Leicestershire Posts: 1,721
     Ammonium Sulphamate does work but it was banned for use as a weedkiller but..........
  • lyn.odonoghuelyn.odonoghue Posts: 6
    Pete.8 said:
    If you're looking for chemicals to do the job then glyphosphate is probably the answer.
    The strong form is branded as Rosate36/Rosate360 (recently renamed for some reason).
    I used it a few years ago to clear a part of my garden full of similar stuff to yours, and it worked well.
    I sprayed 3 times over 6 weeks and it killed everything.
    If you do get it, the dilution rate is 30ml Rosate to 1L water.
    Be very careful when spraying as it will kill just about anything the spray lands on, so best used on a calm day and don't use a fine mist or it'll blow everywhere.
    It is absorbed only by the leaves, so no point in soaking the roots with it.

    The non-chemical route is to dig it all out

    And welcome to the forum :)
    Thanks! that looks to be cheaper than roundup which I was looking at along with sbk.  I garden organically normally but this slope isn't easily accessible, covers quite a large area and I don't wish to plant on it just stop the Russian vine, bind weed, bramble's etc invading the garden.  Thanks for your advice. Lyn
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 10,082
    You say you don't want to re-plant the area but you'll need to grow something there as bare soil will quickly be eroded down a steep slope by rain with no plant roots to hold it in place.  It's even possible that the russian vine was planted on purpose to cover and stabilize the area, so you may need to do something similar after clearing it, but can then at least choose what grows there.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • lyn.odonoghuelyn.odonoghue Posts: 6
    BobTheGardener said:
    You say you don't want to re-plant the area but you'll need to grow something there as bare soil will quickly be eroded down a steep slope by rain with no plant roots to hold it in place.  It's even possible that the russian vine was planted on purpose to cover and stabilize the area, so you may need to do something similar after clearing it, but can then at least choose what grows there.
    I'm not sure we will ever get it down to bare soil 😐 and there are a few shrubs/trees which we will leave and try to protect. The Russian vine is an invasive weed on par with Japanese knotweed, judging by is prolification in the local area, it wasn't planted by the previous elderly owner for sure.
  • SmudgeriiSmudgerii Posts: 183
    Russian vine will cover a football field if you turn your back for 5 minutes.... don’t be so sure it’s not just a few years old.

    easy to get rid of though.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,550
    I'm not sure what sort of area you are working with (other than 'large').. but after you use the weed killer and multiple reapplication between now and fall.. maybe consider getting some loads of top soil to cover over the area and rubble to the level of a few inches.. then cover in straw for the winter with some cheap grass seed scattered under.  If grass grows, great.  But the real purpose is to be able to either get a mower in there or a strimmer to keep the weeds short and manageable.  Otherwise you'll be spraying weed killer every few weeks for the rest of your life.  
    Utah, USA.
  • lyn.odonoghuelyn.odonoghue Posts: 6
    Blue Onion said:
    I'm not sure what sort of area you are working with (other than 'large').. but after you use the weed killer and multiple reapplication between now and fall.. maybe consider getting some loads of top soil to cover over the area and rubble to the level of a few inches.. then cover in straw for the winter with some cheap grass seed scattered under.  If grass grows, great.  But the real purpose is to be able to either get a mower in there or a strimmer to keep the weeds short and manageable.  Otherwise you'll be spraying weed killer every few weeks for the rest of your life.  
    It isn't accessable so would have to carry everything by hand. Plan is to keep on top of it by strimmer or get a goat!!  
  • madpenguinmadpenguin Isle of WightPosts: 2,248
    I think the goat sounds like a good idea!
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
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