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Help to identify weed. New gardener

WoolydWoolyd Posts: 9
in Problem solving
Hi

I promise this is the last question I'll ask for a while. My neighbour who was going to help me today is too ill at the moment.

I properly inspected the garden this morning and noticed this corner which has given me the fear... I only know the name of 1 weed and thats Himalayan Hogweed and I'm worried that's what this is growing in the dark corner of the garden.

Can anyone confirm my suspicion or identify it if something else?... And how I should go abt dealing with it? Thanks again. Julie
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  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited June 2020
    Do you mean the small pretty white flower?  That's just an umbellifer of some kind - could be wild carrot or similar - there are hundreds of possibilities.  All of those tall plants with the long smooth leaves are something else, possibly Rosebay willowherb but difficult to tell until they flower.  The hairy weed growing up amongst them is Galium aparine (aka goosegrass, cleavers, amongst other common names.)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    I have never heard of Himalayan Hogweed woolyd so can't help with that but your picture looks more like willowherb.

    Maybe someone with more hogweed knowledge can help  :)
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Can't see any Giant Hogweed there ..... and it's a huge plant, Im sure it would be visible if it was there.  And it usually grows along damp river banks or on country estates, not in back gardens.  

    I can't see any real problem weeds there ... well, the white flower is probably Cow parsley, but could be ground elder which is a pain in the whotsit but it's not dangerous.  I can also see cleavers (aka Sticky Willy) and the majority of it could be one of the willowherbs ... again it's a weed but it's fine just to pull it up.  No probs.  

    The shrub/tree to the right with the creamy flowers is Sambus Nigra ... the native Elderflower so you could make elderflower champagne with the flowers or wait for the berries and make elderflower wine.

    Over to the left are some rather neglected hydrangeas which will be lovely next year if you give them a bit of tlc this year.

    Hope that helps  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    No Himalayan balsam in there either so just get pulling or forking to clear them.  Note that sticky willy/cleavers gives me a rash but doesn't bother OH at all.  If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    There's a bit of herb robert in there too. Again not a problem weed, easy to pull out.

    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • WoolydWoolyd Posts: 9
    Thank you everyone for your quick replies.  That's calmed me down. I volunteered for a summer with BTCV a long time ago trying to bring HH undercontrol with a strimmer... It was a disaster😆 so I panicked a little when I saw the weed growing so uniformly in a small patch... I know it's usually much taller but still wasn't sure.

    It used to be a beautiful garden, with roses and other flowers... Sadly when the tenants who gardened passed the rest of us weren't interested.

    I'm hoping to sell the property in the near future, but it would be a nice, final tribute to my old neighbours if I fixed the garden, to some extent, before leaving.

    Thanks everyone for your knowledge and advice!! Julie
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Let us know how it goes @Woolyd ... and if you want any ideas for cheap and cheerful ways of making it look a bit more 'loved' just ask.

    Best of luck  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • WoolydWoolyd Posts: 9
    I'll definitely take you up on that @Dovefromabove for cheap and cheerful hints😆

    I spent an hour tonight tackling that area taking out the willowherb... Not sure I've not made it worse but I feel like I've made a start😂
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Now you have it down, unless you like digging, I would run a lawn mower over it once a week. Most of those weeds will not withstand mowing regularly.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Totally agree with @fidgetbones ... that could turn into reasonable lawn with regular mowing. The photos showed quite a bit of grass among the weeds. 

    😊 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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