weed control on septic tank site?

ali-t

I am looking for some advice on how to manage weeds on the site of my septic tank.

There are loads of them and there is a field next door so loads of things ooze through the fence and transfer over from there. It is mainly nettles, dandelions, sticky willy from the field next door and tall things with reddish leaves with small roots.

They grow so quickly and so densly due to being over the septic tank and I would like a longer term solution than having to be out every week weeding. Even the grass in that area grows at least 5 times as quickly as the rest of the lawn.

I have used resolva 24 but most of the weedkillers say not to be used near drains and I don't want to use anything that will damage the bacteria in the tank although I am aware that the resolva may have done this.

Is there anything I can use, perhaps diluted in a watering can, rather than having to spray individual weeds that will keep it clear. The septic tank area is covered in bark and has a couple of drains/drain covers in it.

Davesnave

The septic tank, if it's anything like modern, shouldn't be connected to the surrounding soil at all; it should be just a receptacle made from tanked brickwork with a solid top. Only the outlet from the tank should have any connection with the soil, which will be through holes in the pipes taking the (bacterially treated) non-solid waste away. It's important those holes aren't blocked with large roots etc. To keep them free to work, they are normally laid in gravel.

It's normal for grass etc to grow better over the site of the outflow pipes because those areas are being constantly supplied with nutrient rich water.

So, if yours is a septic tank, and not some old cesspit, it will be quite safe to grow grass over the top of it and over the outflow pipes. That will need mowing, but at least it's quick and one doesn't have to grovel to do it. If you have a mulch there at present, the exceptionally wet weather may have made it less effective and allowed more weeds to germinate than would if it dried out.

Similarly there's no problem if you've used a weedkiller over the tank area. Resolva is part glyphosate based, so it will break down when it reaches the soil and it won't 'get at' your bacteria.

I'm using glyphosate to reclaim the area over my tank at the moment, which was formerly couch grass and nettles 3' high. Once the couch is all dead, I'll surround the area with evergreen shrubs to hide the covers and vent pipe. Like you I might put a thick mulch above the tank itself, laid over landscape fabric.

ali-t

Thanks for that. I have given them a blast with the resolva24 today as there has been a bit of respite from the rain.