On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 22:59:27 +0100, "shazzbat"
wrote:



So will ground elder IMHO.
Being shallow rooted and not heading a good distance to the surface are two
very different things, and as we've all experienced, weeds can go to
astonishing lengths to survive.
Also in your digging you're almost certain to get small bits of the root
system breaking off and finding that you've inadvertently planted them in a
very nice situation.
I would hit them with the glyphosate like Martin said, and if you can, cover
the bank with black polythene for a month or two to hopefully exhaust it
before it reaches the light. Still no guarantee though, it's persistent
stuff.

I'm inclined to agree.

Much as I try to avoid using chemicals, I've found that Ground Elder
is such a thug that it practically sneers at anything less than being
nuked.

Its roots are extremely brittle, and they have a tendency to push
through clods of heavy soil - so any attempt to pull the roots simply
snaps them off, leaving a viable bit embedding in an otherwise
innocent looking clod...there to rejuvenate and come back to haunt
you.

I treated an infested flower bed last year ( after having tried
digging, mulching etc...even tried eating the stuff ) using a hand
sprayer and a great deal of care to avoid contaminating surrounding
plants - and I'm delighted to say that it worked a treat! Took quite a
few applications too!
A six foot by two foot bed, thoroughly infested, is now showing barely
half a dozen new Ground Elder shoots poking through as the spring
approaches.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk