Weedy hedge

[Chode]

Hi Charles
I wonder if you could advise on the best way of dealing with the weedy privet hedge which surrounds three sides of my plot. There is a path along the inside edge of the plot, which is a little bit raised up from the growing areas of the plot which are about 3-4 inches lower in places and there is a slight slope from the hedge down to the growing areas.

I have had had the path covered over for at least a year, with a layer of black plastic and other light excluding mulches. It is difficult to keep it in position with the adverse camber, as it tends to slide away from the hedge over time.

The problem is that the weeds (couch grass, bindweed and some other stuff I haven’t identified) spreads grows across the black plastic from the bottom of the hedge – looks untidy, but I don’t let it get to the growing areas. I can’t mulch with black plastic sheeting under the hedge, and probably not with a layer of compost.

Any ideas on how to deal with this – if I remove the black plastic the bare ground will just be infiltrated with weeds. I suppose I could spray loads of weedkiller, but might kill the hedge, and doubtless the weeds would come back anyway.

The hedge is an integral part of the plot, and keeping it is part of the tenancy agreement.
Thanks
Conor

[charles]

Your approach sounds good, its a difficult situation for growing veg and keeping weeds at bay, with the camber too. Perhaps scrape off a layer of soil to lessen the slope to your plot. And keep tidying the weeds spreading across.
Maybe trim the hedge as hard as you are allowed, to reduce its vigour.

[Author]

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