There are six stone planters along St John’s Road. Five square and one round. All of them have trees and grills over the earth. They have been found to be infested with ground elder so need two years to be cleared. The council have advised the following. We need to attach window boxes to the grill and then cover the stone planter.
Smothering and Deprivation
- Best suited for heavily infested, open borders or vegetable patches where ornamental plants can be moved or sacrificed.
- Cut down all top growth to soil level.
- Cover the entire area with heavy-duty black weed membrane or a double layer of thick, overlapping cardboard topped with a 10–15 cm layer of bark mulch.
- Ensure edges overlap generously (at least 30 cm) and weigh down the perimeter securely, as shoots will run horizontally toward light.
- Leave the covering in place undisturbed for a minimum of 18 to 24 months to fully starve the root system.
Images Showing Potential Before and After 2 years (AI generated)
The 5 square and one round Planters
The metal grill
