This weed is very pervasive. Extremely hard to dig out and has lots of roots. It seems to grow underground more than above. What is it and how best to remove it. Thanks!
This is a horrible weed. For years I thought it was a pretty flower and then someone put me right..... Now I dig (very carefully) twice a year and eliminate what I can. The roots go down a long way and snap easily. I also grow the annual tagetes minuta (it is a bit smelly) which is supposed to deter ground elder. It certainly seems to inhibit the growth in the summer. This regime seems to prevent the rampant growth which I had a few years ago! Good luck.
As Dove hinted, glyphosate will work but you'll need to spray and then wait for it to die down completely or the glyphosate won't get to the roots. Unfortunately, there's no 'one hit wonder' for killing ground elder and some will reappear but if you keep at it you will eventually be rid of it. I have successfully removed it completely from two areas in my garden although on one side it was coming in from a neighours garden so had a word with them and they allowed me to spray it on their side too.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I spent a whole spring getting rid of ground elder when we moved 5 years ago. It is a shallow rooted rhizome so easy to remove but time consuming as it is like spaghetti under the soil and any little bit of root will regrow. I hand dug it out, sieved the soil for any remaining root and lifted any plants established plants around it, washed the roots and replanted. Now 4 years later it is gone.
To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.
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Is that one ground elder? Someone will be along to confirm ?.
I confirm
In the sticks near Peterborough
Yep - that's it - pick it, steam it and add to mashed potatoes to make Colcannon ...... before anyone sprays it with glyphosate
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Not heard of that before. Any ideas on getting rid of it. I'm going out there shortly to have a go at it
This is a horrible weed. For years I thought it was a pretty flower and then someone put me right..... Now I dig (very carefully) twice a year and eliminate what I can. The roots go down a long way and snap easily. I also grow the annual tagetes minuta (it is a bit smelly) which is supposed to deter ground elder. It certainly seems to inhibit the growth in the summer. This regime seems to prevent the rampant growth which I had a few years ago! Good luck.
As Dove hinted, glyphosate will work but you'll need to spray and then wait for it to die down completely or the glyphosate won't get to the roots. Unfortunately, there's no 'one hit wonder' for killing ground elder and some will reappear but if you keep at it you will eventually be rid of it. I have successfully removed it completely from two areas in my garden although on one side it was coming in from a neighours garden so had a word with them and they allowed me to spray it on their side too.
I spent a whole spring getting rid of ground elder when we moved 5 years ago. It is a shallow rooted rhizome so easy to remove but time consuming as it is like spaghetti under the soil and any little bit of root will regrow. I hand dug it out, sieved the soil for any remaining root and lifted any plants established plants around it, washed the roots and replanted. Now 4 years later it is gone.