George Sandu

Neil Layton wrote:

Ed Sitko wrote:Has anyone tried attacking it with a propane weed burner? I haven't. I'm just curious.

I have made a huge fire on top of it (burned it for several hours at really high temperature), it took about few weeks and it grow back . Actually looks like this plant is more affected by frost/ snow, we had a late snow and a sever frost after it started growing and all of it was killed , useless to say it grow back the following week.

I have around 1000 square meters of garden invaded by this plant, and I just started to fight it last year. What a I noticed so far:
- Mulching it under a really heavy black construction poly it's working, the plant it's coming out but will remain white and rotten in few weeks. (useless to say that when removing the poly it will grow back)
- I landscaped some part of the garden and added around 1.5 m of land mixed with compost: it managed to climb all the way up!!! 1.5 m
- In our area people are controlling it by trimming it with a grass trimmer (with wire) early in the spring before it gets woody. They say the wire will also burn it a bit. Repeating this action every few weeks for 4-5 years and it's under control, leaving the property unattended for 1-2 years and it will be back.

Hi Levente,

I am looking to build a similar system in a different part of Transylvania, so with similar climate condition just maybe not as cold as your place in the winter.

My questions are not necessary for your system but just want to check some points to fit my design:
- The grace trap filter is placed below the freezing line? What would happen if the top part of this filter freezes … will the water still flow through the frozen straws or will overflow.
- How often you expect the straws will need to be changed (for your typical water consumption)? I would expect that needs to be changed less often in the winter if it’s close to freezing point since the decomposition will be slowed down.
- Do you see any problems on placing the grease trap on the end of the pipe (near the wetland)?
- On the wetland did you study the possibility of placing some evergreens suitable for cold climate instead of simple reed beds, does this make sense? I remember meeting some species of rhododendron growing in the alpine bogs with evergreen leaves. Searching on the net I found some possible candidates for this: Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum), Vaccinium macrocarpon (large cranberry)

Thanks,
George