Weeding help

[RobertJohnsonsShoes]

Morning!

any suggestions on how to get rid of these b*stards? I’ve been digging them out but clearly that’s not a longer term solution.

only started gardening this past spring, so I actually don’t really know what I’m doing.

any advice would be gladly received!

That's winter heliotrope. You could keep it for the lovely flowers and ground cover? Good for pollinators.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/butterbur-and-winter-heliotrope

No help I’m afraid, but following with interest as I have the same problem and am also a newbie. I’ve been trying to get as much of the roots each time, but they keep coming back and wrapping themselves around other plants if I don’t keep on top of it.

Mine are coming from under the fence (like yours it seems), so no way to get to the main plant.

The only way is to keep digging, and to make sure you get as much of the roots up as you can. And don't put persistent weeds on the compost heap, chuck them in the bin.

You are going to have to install something like a bamboo barrier between you and your neighbour, unless they are tackling it too.

It’s a nightmare! Sounds like there isn’t much to do! I’ve had all the soil out, roots have gone, but 2 weeks later they’re back and drowning my actual plants!

I don’t think it’s that- they don’t flower and when they all pop up it looks terrible

If you only started gardening in spring, you may have missed them flowering last winter (Jan-Mar). There are very few non-flowering plants - this isn't one of them. Also, this is a perennial that may not necessarily flower the first year, especially after disturbance.

What is it you're actually digging up? If you can upload a photo that might help. They produce rhizomes rather than roots, they're not single plants like e.g. tulips, but more of a network.

There is good removal advice on the RHS link I shared earlier e.g. cover with cardboard to smother.

@PrimSec that sounds like bindweed. White flowers?

Is butterbur the wild plant with the enormous leaves? If it is I think it requires wet soil. Is your soil wet?