From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

I have ferns (possibly polypodium spp but I'm not at all sure) growing
between the slates on the north-facing roof of my bungalow and
adjoining garage. Will spraying with glyphosate kill them off?
--

Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On 29/12/2025 17:54, Chris Hogg wrote:

I have ferns (possibly polypodium spp but I'm not at all sure) growing between the slates on the north-facing roof of my bungalow and
adjoining garage. Will spraying with glyphosate kill them off?

I have used glyphosate on Hart's Tongue fern (asplenium scolopendrium)
with varying success. Sometimes it hasn't worked at all, other times it
has killed the plant.

Looking at some refs on other ferns (mainly bracken) it seems that the
most important factor is time of application. July and August seem best,
with perhaps some extension into September.
--
Jeff
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 29/12/2025 17:54, Chris Hogg wrote:

I have ferns (possibly polypodium spp but I'm not at all sure) growing between the slates on the north-facing roof of my bungalow and
adjoining garage. Will spraying with glyphosate kill them off?

I have used glyphosate on Hart's Tongue fern (asplenium scolopendrium)
with varying success. Sometimes it hasn't worked at all, other times it
has killed the plant.

Looking at some refs on other ferns (mainly bracken) it seems that the
most important factor is time of application. July and August seem best,
with perhaps some extension into September.

Would a copper sulphate solution work? It is very effective on mosses.
--
~ Liz Tuddenham ~
(Remove the ".invalid"s and add ".co.uk" to reply)
www.poppyrecords.co.uk
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From Newsgroup: uk.rec.gardening

On 29 Dec 2025 21:16:04 GMT, liz@poppyrecords.invalid.invalid (Liz
Tuddenham) wrote:

Jeff Layman <Jeff@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 29/12/2025 17:54, Chris Hogg wrote:

I have ferns (possibly polypodium spp but I'm not at all sure) growing
between the slates on the north-facing roof of my bungalow and
adjoining garage. Will spraying with glyphosate kill them off?

I have used glyphosate on Hart's Tongue fern (asplenium scolopendrium)
with varying success. Sometimes it hasn't worked at all, other times it
has killed the plant.

Looking at some refs on other ferns (mainly bracken) it seems that the
most important factor is time of application. July and August seem best,
with perhaps some extension into September.

Would a copper sulphate solution work? It is very effective on mosses.

That is an excellent idea - thank you. I believe that a strip of
copper along the ridge can stop moss growing on the roof, although I'm
not sure how one would fix it. But first I will try glyphosate, as
that kills most things, and only resort to a copper spray or a copper
strip, if glyphosate fails or if the ferns come back, which they may.
--

Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall, very mild, sheltered
from the West, but open to the North and East.
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