getting rid of dock

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by gstubber, Jun 23, 2010.

  1. gstubber

    gstubber Junior Member

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    Hello,
    I am trying to find a way of removing a lot of curly dock from my land. I am presently planting out some natives and the dock is everywhere. We are digging it up but it is a very slow job and I don't think I have enough hours left to complete. Does anyone have a tried solution which might work. untried suggestions are so far - salt n the leaves, nicotine in liquid on leaves or I thought of worm juice - as I have killed plants before with concentrated stuff ( by accident). However, if someone has a tried solution - that would be great.

    regards
     
  2. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    May I ask why you want to get rid of the dock? It is a fabulous plant as a dynamic accumulator and as a ground cover and as a compaction breaker and as a fodder and as a medicine.
     
  3. Grahame

    Grahame Senior Member

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    Rabbits love the stuff, from memory.
     
  4. frosty

    frosty Junior Member

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    goats love it too !!
     
  5. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    and cows
     
  6. seed savers

    seed savers Junior Member

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    Dock with large leaves are fed to the chicken on the daily basis.
     
  7. gstubber

    gstubber Junior Member

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    thanks guys - but the cows have not eaten it and it is amassed in the area where I am trying to reforest natives. I would like to start the new plants out with only the competition from the rabbits, grasshoppers, grasses and roos. Dock is taking over.

    If they all like it so much - why won't they eat it?
     
  8. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    It likes an acid soil so upset it with lime or dolomite.
    Also don't rotary hoe it, as that will just make more grow from bits of chopped root

    It is a useful and nutritious plant
    EG
     
  9. Susan Girard

    Susan Girard Junior Member

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    I live in the Blue Mountains NSW and we are a Slow Food City (Cittaslow). Earlier this year there was an Edible Weeds Workshop and we ate dock pasties and dock muffins. Quiet yummy. Next month they are doing another Workshop for winter weeds and we will apparently be treated to chickweed pesto...
     
  10. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Still no Golden Arches (MacD's)?
    https://www.eatweeds.co.uk/dock-rice-feta-seaweed-parcels
    There are a lot of varieties
    https://www.pfaf.org/database/search_name.php?ALLNAMES=dock
    https://www.pfaf.org/database/search_name.php?ALLNAMES= Rumex
     
  11. gstubber

    gstubber Junior Member

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    thank you for the food for thought - I am sure there is no way I can get rid of all the dock on my block - but some would be nice to make room for other plants. (someone did dig up the area at some stage)

    However, your list is impressive and I will think more on this idea.
    regards
     

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