ground elder

Hi Rpdiy...... yDon't hoe it.....!!!!! You will spread it even more...!!!!!!
All it needs is the teeny weeniest piece of root left in the ground & off it goes with a new vengence.... The only safe way is to treat it with systemic weed killer.. Let it kill it back to the roots... It will take several sprayings.. Spring is always good when the new growth appears.. We had a terrible problem here as there used to be a small woodland over the fence.. It is pretty much gone now but we still get the odd peice appearing now & then & I am out straight away with the Glyphosate systemic weedkiller... I do not like using chemicals, but it is the only way with this stuff.. It travels underground by spreading roots, a bit like mint or horseradish.....!!!!!

 

:thmb: Yes SBK is the best I think too Cajary, but not everybody seems to be able to get hold of it.. My SiL is in the Arb' trade so I get what I want from him.... Good Luck with it rpdiy, just don't expect miracles the 1st spray.....:wink:

 

Hi rpdiy,
just to emphasise what the others have said DON'T HOE IT .

The best way to do it is to use SBK from the start but garden owners are sometimes impatient to see it gone.
If the garden owners want you to clear the visible plants you will need to put a fork gently under the elder and lift slightly, put your hand as far down into the soil as possible and grip the stem as low down as possible, and then gently pull directly upwards. Then bag it. This won't get rid of it because it will just grow back up but you can then start SBKing it when the new growth shows.

Some years ago SBK was withdrawn from the market and then reformulated. The big garden centres never seem to have taken it back again but it is still around.

If you lift the elder and there is a lot of it, with no chemical treatment, it makes a good soup.

Good luck :thmb:

 

For me SBK is the best & the one, but.... If the ground elder is amongst other plants then I use the Glyphosate mixed to a thick solution with a little water & some wallpaper paste.. Make your pate up very thickly. Mix Glyphosate with it.. Put on rubber gloves & either stroke handful onto plant & smear over leaves or paint on with a brush... Either way, you only put it on the ground elder....!!!!

You will need to do it several times with the glyphosate, but the SBK usually does it in 2 max... So up to you..
Whichever you choose.. Good Luck..! Then just dot any new growth you see immediatly with Glyphosate paste.. I find it lasts quite well like that too. Seems active for a few weeks or so like that..