COLTSFOOT

i HOPE I'M ALLOWED 2 QUESTIONS. WE'VE RECENTLY TAKEN OVER AN ALLOTMENT PLOT AND HAVE JUST DISCOVERED cOLTSFOOT APPEARING EVERYWHERE. IS THERE ANY WAY OF KEEPING IT IN CHECK WITHOUT COMPLETELY DIGGING UP OUR CARROT/PARSNIP SEEDLINGS OR BETRAYING OUR ORGANIC GARDENING PRINCIPLES
REGARDS
DART

 

Coltsfoot as I recall is quite shallow rooted, so remove them by hand or by hoe - and allow none to seed, and you should get on top of in short time, without resorting to more drastic measures. These are the tactics I use with shepherds purse, and loosestrife, seems to work.

 

Thanks Fran. Unfortunately our Coltsfoot is extremely deep-rooted. It can go down at least 3 feet and travels stealthily along before popping up elsewhere (and everywhere