Getting Started,Question#2

[mtm1site]

OK! I,ve got my track ready and have decided how I,am going to construct the " right of way"and also have "mole & Vole" treatment that I plan to spread on the RR along with "grub" killer. I plan to line the trenchs with weed block before I ballast. My question is should I use weed & grass killer in the bottom and sides of the trenches also?Or should I even use the weed blocker? I,ve read a few articles in G.R. about doing this and some people do and some don,t. I haven,t read much about this subject in the forum archives. I don,t know if this treatment will present problems for me later on when I begin to plant groundcovers and othe vegetation. Is there anyone using this forum that has tried this? Is this overkill,or is it really needed? TOM

[Anonymous]

I live in the tropics and we have a fair growth of flora, here and I don't do any of that.

If you get a bit of growth around your tracks you are lucky, as it makes it look more authentic.

You Americans are doing much harm by ruining the environment, so you can live in it more comfortably. When i started with my garden railway i was determined to make it fit the environment; instead of the other way around.

Now two years later I am seeing the benefit of this action, it is definitely paying off.


Rgds ian

[ghelman]

Ian,
I come to this forum to have friendly discussions with people with a common interest in the RR hobby. If you have a beef with Americans please try another forum to vent.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Tom,
I wouldn't worry too much about green stuff growing through, whatever you do it will! Ian is quite right when he says it canl complement the railway, on one stretch of my track I have a growth of unknown weed that doesn't seem to come above track height, I think it looks great. Any green stuff that I don't like I zap with weed killer and leave it, when it turns brown it kind of goes with the railway anyway. It's all give and take and part of the fun.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Rene Schweitzer]

Tom,
I would think that using weed block fabric in the trenches would be plenty of protection. For gardening in general, I try to use as few chemicals as possible--and then apply only when needed. For instance, do you have a slug problem or is this a preventative? If you don't have slugs, there's no need to apply bait.

[TonyWalsham]

Hey Ian,

Knock it off, or as we say:

"Don't come the raw prawn with me"

Australia is doing more than it's fair share of stuffing up the environment.
The rate of land clearing in Queensland continues unabated and rivals that of the Amazon basin.
Never mind our continuing drought. The rising water table due to tree removal is rapidly rendering Australian agriculture industry to a "fondly" remembered dream of the past.

[markperr]

Geez, Ian, enough! Have another Foster's and chill out.

Tom, if you're planning on using that cheap plasticky type weedblock do us both a favor and just send me the money instead. This will keep you from hassling with that stuff needlessly and I get enough in my pocket to go buy an ice cream cone at the Dairy Queen. Seriously, though, use a good quality weedblock and when the weeds DO come up, (and they will), they'll only be rooted in your ballast and will pull out easily.

Mark

And Ian, stop stereotyping people. It just makes you look like an ignorant idiot.

[kstrong]

Depending on how deep your trenches are, weed blockers will be relatively ineffective. I typically dig my trenches around 4" deep (deeper in colder climates), and lining that with weed barrier will do absolutely nothing as far as deterring weed growth. It's just too deep. The weeds--when they start--set root in the first inch or so of soil, or in this case, ballast. Your best defense is really just going out and pulling them as they start to come up. It's surprisingly less tedious than continually spraying with herbicides.

Weeds are, unfortunately, an inherent part of gardening. You're not going to stop them from growing. The best you can do is keep them from getting bigger. Mostly, I'll just pull them. Particularly stubborn ones get hit with Ortho Weed-b-gone. (I use this because it's a selective herbicide, unlike Round-up which kills any vegetation it comes in contact with.) Even then, there will be a new weed growing next to it in a few weeks.

My advice--set your favorite train in motion, grab a pair of gardening gloves, plastic bag, and weeding tool of your choice, and enjoy the evening. Chores are much less bothersome when there's a train running around. [:D]

Later,

K

[John Busby]

Hi Ken
The weed mat if it lines all three sides of the trench will not do a lot for weeds
the [censored] will grow anyway.
However I believe this is still a good idea as it will help keep the soil out of the hard core
which is highly beneficial for the track drainage which is more imprtant for track feed lines as it will keep the track leakage low ( RR tech talk for electricety failing due to wet track and shortimg across the rails)
The only way to deal with the weeds is pull em up or a weeding wand of some sort
and keep at it. if you turn your back when you turn back there will be another weed
to pull.
regards John

[John Busby]

Hi Rene
I know its a bit OT but.
The best bait I have found for slugs and snails is Beer any type will do the snails come to drink it and drown.
It will not kill the family pet like some of the chemical baits will.
regards John

[Anonymous]

Yep, put the beer in a container that's been dug into the ground, the little buggers fall in for a drink & die happy.
Kim

[mtm1site]

Phew! I didn,t mean to start an international crisis here, just asking questions. Here in Virginia we are very concerned about the Chesapeake Bay and all its rivers and don,t overuse chemicals that will harm it. But everyone I know uses a little weed killer now and again. I only have a few slugs now an then so no problems with them. We do have a few problems with moles and I have used mole repellent that contains "castor Oil". The moles don,t like the oil and after I treat the area to kill grubs that moles like to eat they leave the area. I have some leftover weed block that my wife uses and I feel that by lining the trench with it it will deter weeds and add some structure to the ballast below ground. Does that seem reasonable? TOM

[powlee]

QUOTE:

My advice--set your favorite train in motion, grab a pair of gardening gloves, plastic bag, and weeding tool of your choice, and enjoy the evening. Chores are much less bothersome when there's a train running around. [:D]

Later,

K

I agree. Walking the line while the trains are running, cutting back where the trains brush by. Pulling out the weeds by hand regularly seems to keep them down. I use tree bark over here,seems to do the trick but has to be topped up every few years.
Don`t have much problem with slugs. The frogs keep them down (when they themselves are not being fried on live track).[:O]

All the best
Ian P (Northern hemisphere)

[John Busby]

Hi Tom
Yes line your trench with weed mat.
But it will not stop the weeds IT WILL keep the soil out of your hard core and ballast which is important for preserving your all important drainage.
regards John

[tangerine-jack]

Tom, use the weed mat with the chicken grit. I use this method and when the weeds get started, just pull them out! They cannot grip the chicken grit, and the roots cannot go deeper than the weed mat. I use very little chemicals, they are nearly ineffective in this area anyway.

I cover the weed mat with mulch, weeds get started on the mulch, but cannot grow a solid root base and are easy to pull up. When I want to plant something, I just cut a small hole in the mat and plant whatever it is I want. A quality weed mat will be permiable to water. It is also the only way I found so far of preventing unwanted grass growth.

[oX)]

[Anonymous]

T . J .
THAT train track should almost be in by now since you have a helper . i used sheets of black plastic under my tracks before i ballasted and mulched . well i must get going , grass cutting day, than maybe running some trains . BEN

[Rene Schweitzer]

John,
Yep, I've heard of the beer trick too. When a friend had slugs, she found they preferred day-old stuff! Another trick (if you see the slugs) is to sprinkle salt on them. Guess their little bodies can't take the OD of salt.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

My weed blocker fabric experiance has been negative. I had some in a planting bed and after about 7 years the pores in the fabric silted up and it became impermiable to water ---- the shrubs almost thought they were living in mid Sahara Desert!

Removed weed blocker and low & behold many little hair roots from weeds had grown right thru the pores in the fabric, as had a lot of roots from yew bushes. Bushes doing better without blocker, and still doing the same amount of weed pulling.

Wouldn't waste money and effort on using it again!

[mtm1site]

Thanks to everyone for the input. I start laying track next week. Right now I,ve just finished digging a 2ft.deep trench 50ft. around a stand of bamboo that keeps encroaching into the backyard and as I have somehow grown old (I don,t know how)it took me a week to dig it.Now I have to line it with plastic and backfill it. It rained last night so this should be interesting. TOM

[Anonymous]

mtm1site
tangerine jack was here at my lay out a while back, it's on page 5 of the forum, 4 pictures in all, it may give you some ideas. or E-MAIL me through the forum and i'll send you more pictures. ben

[Anonymous]

Gentlemen

I am not critiscising North Americans in general, more the ones involved with Garden Railways. The idea seems to be level everything and do what you want and end up with something that is not in keeping with the general surroundings. And i thinkl this is the wrong way to go about things in general. Especially how many of you just copy each other instaed of trying something new. Mining set ups, old west, discontinues railways add nauseum

I am not anti American just the opposite in fact, if it wasn't for the American War of independence we wouldn't exist as a country, as we are today.

I am also aware that the Batlle of the Coral Sea saved us from being invaded by the Japanese during WW2 and the invasion would have taken place right where i live now, South East Queensland..


Rgds ian

[mtm1site]

Ian: I understand your concerns about 'messing about' with the environment to suit our R.R.s, Mole repellant,grub stop and weed killer does seem to be over the top when using chemicals. From what I have read in this forum and its archives most people have tried to incorporate their R.R.s INTO their environments without harming it.In fact most have R.R.s that make their yards more pleasant to everyone,it doesn,t harm the environment anymore than planting grasses and flowers. As far as following the same old routine of building mines,industrial operations and train stations to pick up people,well, thats what railroads do in real life. I think its just a matter of how we all get the trains to these destinations.I am trying to lay my track according to the area I live in and so far I plan to include Jacks,kimbrit and vbsltco,s into one plan to lay track. The other hobby of mine is vegetable gardening and I have used all three of the above chemicals in and around the garden and am still alive after eating my crops so I know they will not damage the environment. Also It has nothing to do with the great wars the world has seen, but you should be very proud of the continuning role your country plays in them. TOM