Question
Dear Charlotte
I'm renovating an overgrown border for autumn planting. It's full of couch and other invasive grasses which have escaped from my "lawn". I've sprayed with Round Up, and am currently digging up the roots with a handfork.  It takes all ther time I have for the garden, and is hard on the knees, but luckily the soil is light asnd friable. How please can I prevent having to do this every year? Your help appreciated.  Jim

Answer
Hi jim'
I was not sure what couch grass was, so I went to search to find out before answering.
I found this site, and thought you would be amused at just what a useful thing it is. It has been used for centuries for medicine. Interesting facts. Go here to read about it.

http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/herbaldrugs/100890.shtml

Now back to my search.
Well, it is not an easy search. Most of the sites give all the health uses for the grass.
I couldn'r find a good picture of it growing. This one I found looks like dead stuff. anyway. Her is a page with a non-chemical way of removing it.
In lawns it is considered a weed. I have never had it in my lawn ( thought I had em all), but I am betting using sugar to enrich the soil, and going strictly organic will get rid of it.
If it doesn't though, this appears to be the way to get RID of it.

http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/allotment/couch-grass-1.asp

I give up.
I can find all sorts of asites for growing it and buying the seeds, but not much on it as a weed except just a slight mention.
Sorry, but that is apparently a more desirable plant than it is undesirable. Growing it for a medicine.
Hope thet other site helps you.
It looks like what I am calling crabgrass.LOL
Maybe I don't know what crabgrass is. Can't find a picture of any.
If it is what I am calling crabgrass, the organic program with sugar will get rid of it.
If I can be of more help, write any time.
Charlotte