fionamw

I have a huge patch to contend with - it'd make a great 4th terrace! I read that dishwasher salt might do the trick. At the moment I'm just taking sack after sack to the basura. Anyone any (organic) ideas??

Dick Dasterdly

Eat them.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how...prickly_pears/

You can't get more organic than that.

mikelincs

you can't eat the plants though, and that's the problem..

Dick Dasterdly

Be surprised if there's an organic answer to clearing the whole thing.
I'd clear them down to ground level and pour some paraquet on whatever is still visible.

fionamw

(a) we do eat the fruit - but there ARE limits. We're talking 10s of square metres, all told!
(b) yes you can - you peel the 'pads' and saute them - apparently they're a bit like green beans. Haven't tried!
(c) That's the trouble - I don't use weedkiller except in EXTREME circumstances, like attempting to kill a false pepper which refused to die!!! I accept killing off the chumbas might be extreme, but I'd rather attempt without weedkiller unless I have absolutely no alternative.

VFR

In that case clear to ground level & then cover the area with the black sheeting that goes under gravel to stop weeds growing, secure flat & tight with rocks.

Dick Dasterdly

...then what ?

Would a JCB be considered non organic ?
.....by digging them all out to the bottom of their roots, but there again that would depend on access and just how rocky and difficult is the underlying terrain.

fionamw

That would be the perfect solution BUT then what to do with them? I suspect my neighbour with the JCB who's reasonably cheap would just laugh if I said would he please take them away.....
..and actually I'm not sure he could get sufficiently close. Close but possibly not close enough!

Lionda

They are beautiful when they flower though

Dick Dasterdly

....err do they have recycling bins for organic matter in Spain ?

It sure would give them something to think about.

amideislas

Roundup

It bio-degrades in days

mikelincs

yes, most areas havehuge green bins at the road side, we often had palm trees removed, the fronds put in the bin, and the rest just put at the side, there were also many times when there were prickly pears there, in fact, nexg to the bins there was a patch of unused ground, that was sprouting a fair number of prickly pears growing.

Dick Dasterdly

Much as I suggested.
I had a large area of strong bamboo with huge roots, cleared it to ground level, poured on the round-up and it did the job.

Dick Dasterdly

Much the same here, there's an open patch right next to the bins which lots of folk use for large pieces of garden waste.
A JCB and trailer come round every couple of weeks and clears it away.

fionamw

Roundup:
•This year Monsanto, manufacturer of Roundup, agreed with the New York Attorney General's office to discontinue their use of the terms "biodegradable" and "environmentally friendly" in ads promoting glyphosate-based products, including Roundup.
http://www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/roundup.html

I have, as I said, ONCE in my life bought weedkiller, for - attempting - to kill a false pepper. I'm trying to avoid my mother turning any more times in her grave
Putting loads of chumba pads in a recycling bin would of course be the ideal, and I have started taking bags full every time I leave the house, but it's going to be a long old slog. On the basis of having taken about 10 so far there must be at least another 200 bags to go?