Eliminate reeds: digging up is the solution
You remove reeds by digging them up. It's very exhausting, but it's worth the effort. The sooner you tackle the reeds, the better. If it is still small, the roots have not yet reached any appreciable depth and you can dig it out more easily.
If the reeds are already tall, you may have to dig up to two meters deep to remove all root remains.
First of all, you should cut the foliage down to the ground. Then it's worth it with a spade and pickaxe. Dig in both depth and width, making sure to remove any roots. If the reeds or Chinese reeds are very tall, it may be useful to use an excavator. Read more about digging reeds here.
also read
- Dig up the reeds and remove them permanently
- Mow the reeds and get rid of them permanently
- Remove the reeds from the pond
Repeated mowing can help
If you have reeds in the meadow, repeated mowing can also lead to lasting success. Find out more here.
Why, despite your best efforts, you shouldn't use chemicals
In forums and on gardening pages you read again and again that you can get rid of reeds by eradicating them with Roundup or another weed killer. We strongly advise against this. First of all, especially with the robust reeds, it is possible that they will resist the herbicide and that you have poisoned your garden or pond for free.
Second, studies have shown that Roundup is highly harmful - to the environment and to you. Here are a few of the side effects of Roundup on the human organism:
- The glyphosate contained is carcinogenic.
- The “inactive substances” in the Roundup influence the development of the fetus and can lead to fetal malformations in pregnant women.
- It has been linked to kidney and liver problems.
If you think, well, but I don't drink it, then that is not entirely correct. Due to the excessive use of Roundup, ever larger amounts of it get into the drinking water and are thus accessible to us. In addition, it naturally has the same effect on other mammals, such as cats and dogs, insects and other small animals. Other plants that thrive nearby can also absorb toxins, so chemicals are even more discouraged when growing fruits and / or vegetables in your garden.
