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What is this weed?

guttiesgutties Posts: 224
Parts of my garden is full of this.
Inconsequential little pink flowers that go to a wispy dandelion type seed.
they are everywhere.

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  • guttiesgutties Posts: 224

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    Willowherb.  Pull 'em up as soon as you see them or you'll have even more.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    It's Willowherb , if you've any more, pull it out quickly! 
  • guttiesgutties Posts: 224
    I’m done for. 
    1 wheelie bin full and not event a dent made in them:

  • guttiesgutties Posts: 224
    It’s in an area that I was letting grow wild as I had sowed some wildflower seed. Obviously I didn’t intend it to be full of willow herb, but there is literally too much to pull by hand.
    Spraying is out of the question as it’s a wildflower area.

    Is there any way out for me?
  • guttiesgutties Posts: 224
    While I’m here... I have these 2 other types of prettier pink weeds, but they are both different to each other and also the first willowherb. What are these please?

    ...and yes, that's lots of the first willowherb gone to seed in the background :'(
  • Victoria SpongeVictoria Sponge Posts: 3,502
    They are rosebay willowherb and great willowherb. There are lots of willowherbs😀 
    Wearside, England.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    More willowherbs (epilobiums)!  First looks like Rosebay willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium) and the second looks like Great or Hairy willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    If you don't want to spray (and l quite understand why), then it's back to pulling them out by hand, before they set seed as well.....
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If you don't think you can get them all out quickly, at least cut all the heads off before they seed everywhere. Then you can pull them out at your leisure. Each plant can produce up to 100,000 seeds.
    However, they are also perennial, and look a bit different - they form a small, flat rosette of foliage which is reddish. 
    It's all easy enough to pull out. I know only too well - I've had to do it on a wilder area of land at my last house. It can be soul destroying though. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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