Wikky writes:

Hi everyone, I've only just recently moved to a property with a garden
and, as such, I'm a complete beginner at everything! My main problem is
that there seem to be weeds coming up in the flower bed which climb up
round the plants. I've tried pulling them out but they just break off
and leave the roots in the soil. Is there a weedkiller that I can use
which won't harm the flowers. I've heard of a substance that you paint
on the leaves of the weeds. Are these any good. Your help much
appreciated.

Sounds like a vine.

If you yank off the top and are persistent, you'll suppress and
eventually kill the vine. If you follow the vine down to it's roots
and work your fingers or a tool around the root area, then pull
you'll speed up the process.

Vines are tough. I just got through a short session of pulling an
unknown vine out of a large area of Vinca . The issue there is Vinca is
pretty vine like itself. It's a dense ground cover. I do a little vine
pulling each year and make slow progress. My attitude is,
if I make progress, I'm happy. I don't
want a perfect garden right now, plenty of time for that.

I use weed killers on walkways where I want everything dead.
Painting the leaves should work, but be careful to only get the
plant you want to kill.

I recommend getting in there and communing with nature,
wrap your fingers around the offending plants body and yank.
Ignore any imagined screams.



--
Dan Espen