Bugger of a weed - help me get rid!

[ameliarose2012]

I have a weed - the leaves are clover-like, but it grows to about a foot tall, and sometimes sprouts white flowers - that I can't get rid of.

Weedkiller seems to curb, but not kill, it. It grows back as bad as ever.
I spent a week digging it out, and removing as many seeds as possible from the soil. I thought I had it all, but it grew back worse than ever! I know it can grow in the dark (I siphoned off some soil last year and kept it in the outhouse).

I really want to plant some nice plants this year, but it stops anything else from growing . I also want to start a vegetable patch.

Please help me reclaim my flower bed - I'm willing to try anything!

[WellIShouldNever]

Cillit Bang. (spelt wrong I know).
Pour loads of it on the roots... it will never grow ever again.

[JuliaScurr]

lasagne gardening might work - layers of newspaper & compost will starve weed of light - meanwhile whatever you plant in top layer will grow

[justiceofthePeas]

You may have to cover the area for a year.
Carpet or tarp.

If you do lasagne gardening that will work short term but it will come back through eventually.

What is the area like generally? Well drained or soggy? Maybe if you radically change the environment by e.g. adding drainage you might discourage it.

[Parliamo]

Oxalis?
I have spent the last five years digging out various weeds and some have beaten me. Try weed killer again, maybe a different kind? Read the instructions carefully and you might have more success, so things like when they are just starting to grow, and maybe in the sun, not in the sun? One is better than the other but I can't remember!

Good luck!

apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=498

[ameliarose2012]

Yes Oxalis I think!

The bed is mostly in shade (we get sun for a few hours in the morning), so quite damp generally. I have a stash of cardboard in the cupboard so I might try lasagne gardening. What do I put on top of the cardboard though?

I really put a lot of effort into having a nice garden last year, and was gutted when my efforts didn't pay off! Am starting much earlier this year in the hopes of being more successful

[justiceofthePeas]

You may have to cover the area for a year.
Carpet or tarp.

If you do lasagne gardening that will work short term but it will come back through eventually.

What is the area like generally? Well drained or soggy? Maybe if you radically change the environment by e.g. adding drainage you might discourage it.

[justiceofthePeas]

I cardboard my allotment every winter and cover with an assortment of things. Seaweed (washed) soil, leaf mould, grass clippings. But I dug mine in after winter. I think in this case you will need to make a good thick compostable layer if you want to grow into it.

Mulching is meant to be the solution to oxalis.

you may also find if you search that there is another plant it does not like. E.g. couch grass supposedly does not get on with turnips.

[evelynj]

I have the same issue with lady's mantel-In a bed at back of our house (moved in 2 years ago) & has gone under the blessed house & growing through the bricks in front drive!vconditions are similar to yours OP.

Today I've hacked at the roots with a sharp garden knife & removed clumps-may try the lasagne technique or weed proof fabric stuff & stick some bedding plants in-thanks for that advice! It's a pain. The only thing I've managed to put into the area that has just about survived is a euphorbia. Don't mean to hijack thread but any other advice on the subject appreciated.

[CuttedUpPear]

Ladies mantel - spray with glyphosate. Those endearing droplets of dew clinging to its lacy leaves could soon be POISON, mwah hahaha!

Oxalis - dig it out first. It grows from tiny bulbils which get left behind in the soil when you pull it out. All the plant's strength is in there so it keeps coming back.
Then do the mulch thing.
A few stones on top of the cardboard will do.

[evelynj]

Ooh thanks pear-although hoping I can get most of it out & other stuff planted in before the admittedly beautiful leaves appear. I actually have an oxalis to plant, am now concerned-think I may end up planting a few things in this bed in their pots to contain them.

[justiceofthePeas]

I read another suggestion saying you could solarise oxalis but that would rely on getting a sunny summer and it woukd me leaving the garden empty for a year.

Digging out the bulbils, mulching and lasagne planting sounds like the best option if you want to grow this year.


Taking off the top layer of soil to get the bulbils out makes sense anyway if you are going to layer new soil/ compost on top. Maybe get a bulk load of topsoil for over the card/newspaper.

[Chewedover]

Justice, what is 'solarise'?

[justiceofthePeas]

You wait until the nice hot weather then you cover the affected area in clear plastic sheeting sitting a little above the surface. You let the area get very, very hot and dry. This encourages the plants to germinate and grow then overheats them. As it initially encourages rapid germination this destroys some of the seed stock and exhausts the bulbs. however, it also kills all the bacteria and worms in the top layer so you need to mulch heavily when you return the soil to use.

So in theory, you can solarise, then hoe and/or weedkill, then cover e.g. with cardboard to exclude the light until next season, the mulch heavily, add more topsoil etc. and supposedly you will have killed of a substantial proportion of the weeds and give any new plants a chance of establishment.

I use a similar version of this just for starting the season, I put on clear sheet to warm the soil. This also bring on any weeds under the cover early. You take the sheets off, hoe the weeds away and plant into the warmed soil.

[TiggyCBE]

Glyphosate. Magical stuff.

[TalkinPeace]

pull all the foliage off
every week
its tuberous
it'll die

)))))) weedkillers ((((((

[ameliarose2012]

So just keep on top of regrowth? I think that sounds like something I could do. When I finally get some time I'm gonna dig and cover with cardboard. What do I do with the soil I take off the top that I don't want?

[FunkyBoldRibena]

Glyphosate. Evil stuff.

Hoe, and don't let the foliage go into the compost bin, either drown it or let it dry out to a dust before composting. Or mulch mulch mulch.

[anotherplace]

Don't cut it down. Glyphosate ( Wilko own, but the concentrate much better value) Spray and leave for about 6 weeks before digging out. Glyphosate is NOT harmful to the soil, in fact it breaks down into organic and harmless compounds on contact with the soil.

[TalkinPeace]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyphosate#Effects_on_fish_and_amphibians
its also not needed to get rid of oxalis
a bit of digging out teh roots and pulling of the foliage gets the same result without any risk
or profits to Monsanto

[anotherplace]

OK never spray near ponds etc that is true. Fact is as soon as it's dried it is harmless. The weedkillers with more complex compounds ( Pathclear etc) have weed inhibitors that do linger and are very toxic.

[Ferguson]

We use glyphosate mixed into wallpaper paste; wear gloves and PAINT it on to the leaves. Also get rid to dandelions and bindweed that way.

[TiggyCBE]

You can also wear a pair of marigolds, then a pair of woolly gloves over the top. You then dip your hands in the weed killer and go round touching the plants you want to kill like some kind of evil wizard with a death-touch spell.

[anotherplace]

I'm going to try that fergie, what a good idea. They used to sell little sticks to dab on weeds but they are no longer on the market.

[FunkyBoldRibena]

Fact is as soon as it's dried it is harmless

You mean Monsanto say it's harmless...

[Chewedover]

Justice thank you for that explanation. There's a bit of my garden where I'll give that a try (I happen to have a good supply of plastic at the moment).