On 20/06/2010 21:32, sue10137 wrote:
kay;891650 Wrote:
Ground elder. Yes, you're allowed to kill it ;-)

You can either dig it out (though bits of root will re-shoot - it'll
take a couple of years to be rid of it all, though I have done it that
way) or you can use glyphosate

Yeah thanks so much for you help! I can now happily go pulling it all
out and have a much nicer garden!

Before you do that hit it with glyphosate first and leave for two weeks
or if patient hit it with slightly over diluted glyphosate and wait four
weeks. Then when you dig it out the roots will be less inclined to
regrow from every 1/4" piece that you miss. Good news is the roots are
shallow white and easy to spot but the bad news is they are brittle.

Only a concerted effort of chemical and mechanical attack will get rid
of it quickly. You can do it entirely manually if you sieve the soil to
get every last piece of root, but that would be *very* hard work.

It is far simpler to have a regular hit on it with glyphosate every
month during the growing season or whenever you happen to be using a
weedkiller. Then periodically dig it out. You mustn't allow any of the
leaves to see sunlight without being zapped. It is best to clear a patch
completely and then spot weed any stragglers. Every tiny bit of root
left in will become a new plant (particularly if you do not use a
weedkiller first).

In a lawn it will succumb to regular close mowing, but in a border you
pretty much need to use a weedkiller carefully to eliminate it.

Regards,
Martin Brown