Hi Guys, after weeks of searching and digging and pulling and huffing, I've
decided to ask for some help.

We've just bought our first house, with a wreck of a garden. The house is a
DIY project and now the suns out, so it appears is the back end.

Over the last few weeks, our garden is being overrun by this one type of
weed. Its a ground cover type for sure, and jeesh it has so many roots and
tendrils underground that my first thought was bindweed. But after searching
the various weed identifying sites maybe not.

I'd opt for a multi purpose weed killer but the garden has well established
conifers down both sides which these weeds are swamping and I'd sooner not
kill those through ignorance.

I've uploaded a picture to my web space in the hope that anybody could shed
some light of just what this thing is.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.cashmore/Photo.jpg

Any help or advice on dealing with this thing would be most appreciated.

With thanks..

Andy C

"andyc" wrote in message
...
Hi Guys, after weeks of searching and digging and pulling and huffing,
I've decided to ask for some help.

We've just bought our first house, with a wreck of a garden. The house is
a DIY project and now the suns out, so it appears is the back end.

Over the last few weeks, our garden is being overrun by this one type of
weed. Its a ground cover type for sure, and jeesh it has so many roots and
tendrils underground that my first thought was bindweed. But after
searching the various weed identifying sites maybe not.

I'd opt for a multi purpose weed killer but the garden has well
established conifers down both sides which these weeds are swamping and
I'd sooner not kill those through ignorance.

I've uploaded a picture to my web space in the hope that anybody could
shed some light of just what this thing is.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.cashmore/Photo.jpg

Any help or advice on dealing with this thing would be most appreciated.

With thanks..

Andy C

It looks like ground elder.
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.c...ound-elder.htm

"andyc" wrote in message
...
Hi Guys, after weeks of searching and digging and pulling and huffing,
I've
decided to ask for some help.

We've just bought our first house, with a wreck of a garden. The house is
a
DIY project and now the suns out, so it appears is the back end.

Over the last few weeks, our garden is being overrun by this one type of
weed. Its a ground cover type for sure, and jeesh it has so many roots and
tendrils underground that my first thought was bindweed. But after
searching
the various weed identifying sites maybe not.

I'd opt for a multi purpose weed killer but the garden has well
established
conifers down both sides which these weeds are swamping and I'd sooner not
kill those through ignorance.

I've uploaded a picture to my web space in the hope that anybody could
shed
some light of just what this thing is.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.cashmore/Photo.jpg

Any help or advice on dealing with this thing would be most appreciated.

With thanks..

Andy C

Ground Elder. Pay special attention to removing all traces of roots in
corners edges etc, where it may regrow without you noticing. In open beds
the regrowth is easy to see and remove. If you are vigilant it is not as bad
as some may tell you. I erradicated a bad infestation in 2 years, but still
get an odd seedling after 12 years!

its ground elder.

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)

Over the last few weeks, our garden is being overrun by this one type of
weed. Its a ground cover type for sure, and jeesh it has so many roots and
tendrils underground that my first thought was bindweed. But after searching
the various weed identifying sites maybe not.

Ground elder. Hit it with glyphosate spray on a nice still day wait
about 3 weeks and then dig as much out as you can (complete clearence
if possible on a small area). Repeat ad infinitum. Leave just a 1cm
piece in the ground and you will have a new plant. However, if you
weaken it with glyphosate first it is less inclined to regrow. It is
quite tricky to eliminate from a border with perrenial shrubs. (easy in
open ground)

I hit my ground elder with weedkiller whenever I have a batch going.
There is no chance of eliminating it as there is a field full just
beyond my boundary fence. All I can do is halt it at the borders.

The other way is to blitz it out of existance by removing all the
leaves with a mower or strimmer at least twice a week. Allow it to see
daylight and the roots store massive reserves of energy for later.

I'd opt for a multi purpose weed killer but the garden has well established
conifers down both sides which these weeds are swamping and I'd sooner not
kill those through ignorance.

A long wand sprayer and a steady hand on a still day and you should not
cause too much collateral damage. If you are worried put a plastic
sheet up against the plant you want to protect. And if you make a
mistake prune off the part of the plant hit with glyphosate. It has to
hit green leaf to do any damage. The exceptions being very waxy plants
like ivy and holly seedlings that will usually survive.

Remember that grass is exquisitely sensitive to glyphosate so don't get
spray on your shoes and walk across a lawn!

Regards,
Martin Brown

Yes It's ground elder. Have the same problem .Nasty little plant. Hard
work to get rid of without resorting to spraying. Suggest something
like "roundup" which only works on the green plant and de-acivates when
touching bare soil. May need two or three applicatiopns to eradicate.
Best of luck
Glyn

glyn wrote:
Yes It's ground elder. Have the same problem .Nasty little plant. Hard
work to get rid of without resorting to spraying. Suggest something
like "roundup" which only works on the green plant and de-acivates when
touching bare soil. May need two or three applicatiopns to eradicate.
Best of luck
Glyn

Agreed. I've had the same experience. YOu really need to forego any
planting for a couple of years, and keep applying round up every time
it shows up for that period. I now find the very odd few peeking up
among planted beds, but theyare easy enough to handle, provided you
take them out early, and provided you take every last little bit of
their roots!
Well worth doing, there *is* life after ground elder :-)

Cat(h)

Rupert, Russel, Hayley, Martin, Glyn and finally Cath many many thanks for
the replies....

I'd seen the ground elder ( visions of a friendly wisened old man are
dispelled as soon as I see my garden ) on a few sites, but most show a
mature plant so did'nt recognise it. I've taken to ripping the heads of as
they appear and weeding the roots out best i can as I go. Luckily the soils
nice and loose so that makes my life easier.

I'll give the roundup a go I think on the areas I cant quite reach ( around
the back of the conifers ) and where the elder's ( heh ) made his home
around the conifer roots. I get the odd shoot appearing in the areas I've
done and missed that fraction of root. ( 2 brown council compost bins to
date ). anyway..

Once again .. a huge thankyou , it's greatly appreciated.

With our thanks.. be well guys.

Andy


"Cat(h)" wrote in message
oups.com...

glyn wrote:
Yes It's ground elder. Have the same problem .Nasty little plant. Hard
work to get rid of without resorting to spraying. Suggest something
like "roundup" which only works on the green plant and de-acivates when
touching bare soil. May need two or three applicatiopns to eradicate.
Best of luck
Glyn

Agreed. I've had the same experience. YOu really need to forego any
planting for a couple of years, and keep applying round up every time
it shows up for that period. I now find the very odd few peeking up
among planted beds, but theyare easy enough to handle, provided you
take them out early, and provided you take every last little bit of
their roots!
Well worth doing, there *is* life after ground elder :-)

Cat(h)