It can eventually be got rid of by either treating with glyphosate, in which case you with have to protect the shrubs with something or be very careful, or by digging out every last bit. If you just cover it it will just escape at each end by sending out runners.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
'Every last bit' means every tiny little bit of white root because the smallest piece can grow into a new plant. It is best to dig over carefully taking out every bit you can see. Then as you will inevitably miss some, wait a week or two for the bits to regrow and get them second time round. Check carefully round the shrub roots and under stones or paving as it loves a cool root run,
I’ve got loads of it, I sprayed it with 50/50 SBK 2 months ago, didn’t touch it, I. Now digging it out, will never get rid of it but at least it looks tidier for a little while. I’ll try another weed killer when it’s not so windy, don’t know when that will be.😀
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
At the back of my mind I seem to recall reading it used to be used as a food source in monasteries etc. of old but, if you have extensive lawns producing piles of mowings, I think I'd try piling them up on the GE each time. We did this for several years. We finished up with loads of crumbly, dark brown material that has improved the soil quality of our veg plot AND the only thing it didn't annihilate was the odd ivy root we dealt with separately. It's called playing the long game but might be worth a try.
Take a deep breath, roll your sleeves up and get in amongst it with your trowel. Follow the roots back as far as you can and get out every last bit. This will take a while and you will see those white ground elder roots when you close your eyes at night. But it is immensely satisfying. The roots actually smell rather pleasant. It will still come up; mine does after a month of getting rid of our really bad infestation (which had grown rampant with garden neglect and then the builders in), but you can just pull up the odd shoot as it appears and know that you will be doing that for evermore.
I had ground elder growing at the foot of a long fuchsia hedge where it wasn't really practical to dig it all out.
It only took 3 rounds of Roundup (glyphosate) - the only time I've used a weedkiller. Two rounds last spring, about 2 months apart. Then a couple of small plants appeared in a nearby spot this spring, which I zapped. That was 2 months ago and I haven't seen any there since.
However, I do like @nick615's idea of using grass cuttings to smother problem weeds over time.. I do have a spot in the garden where I'll give it a go!
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It only took 3 rounds of Roundup (glyphosate) - the only time I've used a weedkiller. Two rounds last spring, about 2 months apart. Then a couple of small plants appeared in a nearby spot this spring, which I zapped. That was 2 months ago and I haven't seen any there since.
However, I do like @nick615's idea of using grass cuttings to smother problem weeds over time.. I do have a spot in the garden where I'll give it a go!