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Weed ID Please
jojo_sapphire
Posts: 2
Hi
I have just taken over an allotment which hasn't been touched for almost 2 seasons. It has some cooch grass, which is the long white roots and breakers fairly easily.
Then I have lots and lots of this it's like straw above ground, and is very strong and deep below ground, I haven't dug any up yet so deeper than 40cm. I'm finding it hard to id as its winter and all died back.
Above ground:
The start of the roots:
Does anyone know what it is? Reeds? Horse tail?
Thanks so much
Jo
0
Posts
The clump at the back with the fluffy seeds is one of the willow herbs, probably Rosebay. The white stalks and yellow roots could be nettles. Their roots are strong and will take some pulling, but they tend to make a hopeless tangle underground, and you need to follow them up on at a time in order to get them out - unless you are really strong!
Looks pretty much like the selection I get in the wilder bits of my garden, which is most of it! I'm such a sad soul that I can now tell a nettle root by its feel and the degree of resistance, and can almost weed them out blindfold
It will take a bit of digging, but you should be able to get most of them out eventually.. Don't rush to plant straight away, give it 3 or 4 weeks and see what comes up, so you can get bits you missed. You could cover part of the plot with thick cardboard to stop them growing any more, while you tackle the first section.
The roots look a bit like couch grass to me. Do they have nodes on them. Pull one up without breaking it and see if it has a sharp point to the growing tip, if so, couch grass.
Does couch go that deep?