Question
QUESTION: Hello James,
  I have a large overgrown bed (60抶9? next to a farmhouse that I would like to renovate, but my initial problem has to do with clearing the old bed.  There are some peonies I would like to leave in place, mostly because I know it is not a good time to move them.  Grasses, wild berries and assorted other weeds have overgrown the bed.
  What I am looking for are suggestions about how to get rid of all of the unwanted plant matter without harming the peonies, which are centrally placed.  There is one section of the bed, which does not have any peonies, but is also overgrown.  Would I use a different approach in this area?  
  I would be willing to move the peonies somewhere else, but I doubt that I could move them successfully at this time of year.  The bed is so large that I can抰 imagine turning it over by hand.  Also, the bed slopes away from the house.
  Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might be able to offer.
         Sincerely,
         John


ANSWER: Hi John,  The easiest way to kill everything there without harming the peonies is to wick apply glyphosate.  Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide (it kills everything) but is not root absorbable. Mix it up in a bucket and use a sponge map to wipe anything you want to kill, using caution to not touch anything you want to keep.
Leave it a few days for the herbicide to be carried throughout the plant and then cut it down or till it under if you can. Most weeds will be killed with a single application. A few woody plants and tenacious weeds may require a second application.  Let anything that re-sprouts get 8-10" tall before you "paint" them again with glyphosate.  The more tissue you can coat, the easier it is to kill. Jim

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Jim,
The directions with the Glyphosate (25%) I bought give steps for spraying.  If I understand correctly, you recommend mixing Glyphosate with water before application by hand.  Any idea how much Glyphosate per gallon or should I just follow the spray mixture?  Then I dip a sponge in the mix and apply it to the leaves of everything I want to kill.  Is this correct?  Would a paint brush work as well?  What about a foam paint brush?  Do you recommend this technique in all areas or just the ones near the peonies?
I assume I am wearing protective gloves and am trying to avoid skin contact.  Thanks so much! I just wanted to double check before I start.  All hints appreciated.  John

Answer
Hi John, Mix the glyphosate according to label directions. Paint brushes work great for tight areas, sponge type should do fine.  As with any product, follow the protective wear instructions on the label.  It works by inhibiting an enzyme necessary for food production, so the more green tissue you can "paint", the better.  Jim