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Stewart Robert Hinsley · 08-06-2009, 09:55 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In message ,
writes
In article ,
Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
In message , Spider
writes
"TheScullster" wrote in message
et.uk...

The first and less problematic is a trailing thing that has "sticky"
foliage and grabs your hands/clothes. The routes are fine and spidery.

As everyone says :-)

The second and I suspect more serious looks a bit like the start of a
thistle, but isn't prickly.
One key identifier is the route, which is ususally a single white affair
and extends down to the depth of a trowel (including handle). The route
is the same diameter (2-3mm) over its length rather than tapered. I
believe I have also seen these in bunches with the single routes clumped
together. Also I noticed that one or two appear to have grown from a
short length of stray route. Sorry don't have pics.

Difficult without a picture or a flower, but I'll offer an intelligent
guess. Could the first be Goosegrass/Cleavers/Sticky Willie? Could the
second be Sow Thistle?

The first sounds very like cleavers. Growing from a bit of stray root
suggests creeping thistle, but I can't imagine anyone thinking that
that's nor prickly. Sow thistle seems as good as guess as any, but what
one person thinks looks like the start (basal rosette?) of a thistle is
not necessarily what another person thinks looks likes the start of a
thistle.

There are quite a few such plants, and I have a particular annoying
one, which may well be what the OP has. Unfortunately, I don't know
the weedy compositae at all well, so can't say what it is. If it is,
the way to get rid of it is by regular digging and/or pulling up from
well below the surface and/or glyphosate. Just like most other pains
of that sort.

I always think of it as hawkweed, for no good reason, but it almost
certainly isn't.

I'm slowly learning to identify the various cichorioid daisies. It was
only last year that I worked out that what I thought was some sort of
hawkweed was in fact catsear. I'm still defeated by the various
hawkweeds/beards/bits, but a lot seem to key out as Crepis.

Sow thistle isn't too difficult to pull up, depending on soil
conditions.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

--
Stewart Robert Hinsley