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Getting rid of ground elder
How do you get rid of ground elder's network of tough roots to be able to plant spring flowering bulbs in a bed? Can I use soemthing like Roundup, and will it get rid of the roots? Must it be applied while the ground elder has all its leaves (I rather zealously zipped them all, so if it does, I will have to wait till they show up again...) How long after a Roundup application can I plant the spring bulbs, and how long more do I have to plant them in time to get flowers next spring? A bit demanding, I am... But an answer would be truly appreciated! Thanks in advance to all the amateurs and experts! Cat(h) |
Getting rid of ground elder
Cathy wrote in message How do you get rid of ground elder's network of tough roots to be able to plant spring flowering bulbs in a bed? Can I use soemthing like Roundup, and will it get rid of the roots? Must it be applied while the ground elder has all its leaves (I rather zealously zipped them all, so if it does, I will have to wait till they show up again...) How long after a Roundup application can I plant the spring bulbs, and how long more do I have to plant them in time to get flowers next spring? Roundup would and does work, but as you suspect it needs green leaves to enable it to do it's job. You would also probably need more than one application to do a thorough job. The herbicide gets down to the roots and kills them too. Once the herbicide is dry on the plants you could plant underneath, few hours say. I've seen Dafs planted at Christmas make flowers the following spring. -- Regards Bob Use a useful Screen Saver... http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/ and find intelligent life amongst the stars, there's bugger all down here. |
Getting rid of ground elder
The message
from Cat contains these words: How do you get rid of ground elder's network of tough roots to be able to plant spring flowering bulbs in a bed? You're too late for weedkiller, but those roots really aren't tough; just fork them out. Pick out any loose ends while they are fresh and pale and easy to spot. Don't compost them :-( Janet. |
Getting rid of ground elder
The message
from Cat contains these words: How do you get rid of ground elder's network of tough roots to be able to plant spring flowering bulbs in a bed? Can I use soemthing like Roundup, and will it get rid of the roots? Must it be applied while the ground elder has all its leaves (I rather zealously zipped them all, so if it does, I will have to wait till they show up again...) How long after a Roundup application can I plant the spring bulbs, and how long more do I have to plant them in time to get flowers next spring? If you must get rid of them - until the flower they make a fine green vegetable or flavouring for casseroles etc. - dig as much out as you can this winter, then spray with roundup when they are growing vigorously next spring. This means you'll have to wait a year before planting your bulbs. However, if you decide to use the ground elder, the bulbs will be up and flowered before the weed has properly woken up. My lovingly tended ground elder has a lot of spring bulbs amongst it. -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm |
Getting rid of ground elder
In article , Cat
writes How do you get rid of ground elder's network of tough roots to be able to plant spring flowering bulbs in a bed? Can I use soemthing like Roundup, and will it get rid of the roots? Must it be applied while the ground elder has all its leaves (I rather zealously zipped them all, so if it does, I will have to wait till they show up again...) How long after a Roundup application can I plant the spring bulbs, and how long more do I have to plant them in time to get flowers next spring? A bit demanding, I am... But an answer would be truly appreciated! Thanks in advance to all the amateurs and experts! Cat(h) How disappointing ......... I thought the thread was referring to a solution on "getting rid of ground elder"! I don't think it matters what you douse the shoots or roots in, from napalm to undiluted acid. The things will still rear their healthy heads in the spring. -- Janet Tweedy Dalmatian Telegraph http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk |
Getting rid of ground elder
In article , Bob Hobden
writes Roundup would and does work, I've sprayed mine with roundup for the last three years but I have to do it every year as there's always some degree of grow back...... -- Janet Tweedy Dalmatian Telegraph http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk |
Getting rid of ground elder
In article , Janet Baraclough
writes You're too late for weedkiller, but those roots really aren't tough; just fork them out. Ha! They may not be tough to touch or break, but on no account break them, every little piece will regrow.............. They are certainly tough on survival :) -- Janet Tweedy Dalmatian Telegraph http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk |
Getting rid of ground elder
In article , Janet Tweedy writes: | | How disappointing ......... I thought the thread was referring to a | solution on "getting rid of ground elder"! | | I don't think it matters what you douse the shoots or roots in, from | napalm to undiluted acid. The things will still rear their healthy heads | in the spring. Well, I have done it in one year, using no chemicals, and using that patch to the full :-) I dug it over and removed as much as I could stand, and planted potatoes. I dug up stray bits where I saw them. When I dug up the potatoes, the ground was clear. Of course, the dry summer did help - ground elder dislikes drought even more than potatoes do. If someone can tell me how to get rid of bindweed .... Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
Getting rid of ground elder
"Cat" wrote in message ... How do you get rid of ground elder's network of tough roots to be able to plant spring flowering bulbs in a bed? Can I use soemthing like Roundup, and will it get rid of the roots? Glyphosate, of which Roundup is one example, is about the only thing which will successfully eradicate ground elder, root and all. But remember that is is active only when absorbed via the leaves of the plant. Must it be applied while the ground elder has all its leaves (I rather zealously zipped them all, so if it does, I will have to wait till they show up again...) Yes. The more active the growth is, the better the glyphosate works. How long after a Roundup application can I plant the spring bulbs, and how long more do I have to plant them in time to get flowers next spring? As soon as you wish, providing you are within the planting season. The glyphosate is deactivated for all practical purposes within hours after it hits the ground. By the way, don't be in a hurry, as you are almost certainly already too late to do something about it this year. A bit demanding, I am... But an answer would be truly appreciated! Thanks in advance to all the amateurs and experts! Franz |
Getting rid of ground elder
Jaques d'Altrades wrote in
: However, if you decide to use the ground elder, the bulbs will be up and flowered before the weed has properly woken up. My lovingly tended ground elder has a lot of spring bulbs amongst it. Mine too. I think the OP could probably plant early bulbs under the ground elder now then glyphosphate it late next year after they have flowered and died down. Oddly, I've never found GE very invasive: must be lucky with my soil... The weed that bugs me more than anything else is that dratted small Epilobium (is it Epilobium montanum?) Seems like every single damn seed germinates! and the stems pull off just above the roots, so you have to make sure you don't just pull the top off. More of a nuisance to me than ground elder, bindweed and brambles combined (OK, well maybe not the brambles...) Victoria -- gardening on a north-facing hill in South-East Cornwall -- |
Getting rid of ground elder
"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message ... The message from Cat contains these words: How do you get rid of ground elder's network of tough roots to be able to plant spring flowering bulbs in a bed? You're too late for weedkiller, but those roots really aren't tough; just fork them out. Pick out any loose ends while they are fresh and pale and easy to spot. Don't compost them :-( In my experience, that is useless. Every minuscule rootlet left below ground level regrows with a vengeance. Only glyphosate has really eradicated them in my previous garden. The present one, touch wood, has none, but the giant hogweed is a bit of a problem. Franz |
Getting rid of ground elder
"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message ... In article , Cat writes How do you get rid of ground elder's network of tough roots to be able to plant spring flowering bulbs in a bed? Can I use soemthing like Roundup, and will it get rid of the roots? Must it be applied while the ground elder has all its leaves (I rather zealously zipped them all, so if it does, I will have to wait till they show up again...) How long after a Roundup application can I plant the spring bulbs, and how long more do I have to plant them in time to get flowers next spring? A bit demanding, I am... But an answer would be truly appreciated! Thanks in advance to all the amateurs and experts! Cat(h) How disappointing ......... I thought the thread was referring to a solution on "getting rid of ground elder"! I don't think it matters what you douse the shoots or roots in, from napalm to undiluted acid. The things will still rear their healthy heads in the spring. Glyphosate really did kill off a large colony of ground elder in my previous garden. Franz |
Getting rid of ground elder
"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ... In article , Janet Tweedy writes: | | How disappointing ......... I thought the thread was referring to a | solution on "getting rid of ground elder"! | | I don't think it matters what you douse the shoots or roots in, from | napalm to undiluted acid. The things will still rear their healthy heads | in the spring. Well, I have done it in one year, using no chemicals, and using that patch to the full :-) I dug it over and removed as much as I could stand, and planted potatoes. I dug up stray bits where I saw them. When I dug up the potatoes, the ground was clear. Of course, the dry summer did help - ground elder dislikes drought even more than potatoes do. If someone can tell me how to get rid of bindweed .... Glyphosate. Franz |
Getting rid of ground elder
The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words: If someone can tell me how to get rid of bindweed .... Wait until the shoots are two or three inches high then grasp them as low down as you can, and pull them up with as much root as will come. Repeat as necessary. Mine didn't come back the following year. -- Rusty Hinge horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm |
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