[jacnal]

It has to be a weed - just take a look at it's root system! It's growing amongst the fruit bushes, so very difficult to get to.



This is it's root system.....




And this is the 'forest' of it under the fruit bushes....



How can I best get rid of it?

I'm prepared in this one instant to use weed killer on my plot as there's no way I can crawl underneath the fruit bushes to get to it  :oops:  :oops:  :oops:. Unless someone gives me a great easy-ish organic method that won't leave me without skin?  

[WG.]

Ground Elder.  Introduced by the Romans as a vegetable so edible (when young). I've never tried it.

I kill it off using a cardboard or polythene mulch.  Or you can keep hacking it back & it it will give up eventually

[jacnal]

Thanks so much WG!

x o x o x o !!!

I might try it if edible  :roll:

Hurray! some use for cardboard!

[slow_worm]

EEK Ground Elder!  Where's me Roundup!

[WG.]

Where's me Roundup!

Rachel Carson would not approve ...  

[muntjac]

* miss carson she isnt the one who has to be digging it out lol


 NUKE IT WITH ROUND UP :twisted:

[SummersVeg]

We had ground elder in a garden previously - it's really persistent and grows on even if a tiny piece is left in the ground! We just, dug and dug and dug.. it's not come back since but if you cover it up with something it will find a way back to the light eventually! Bit like bindweed my arch nemesis!

[jacnal]

Thanks guys. Now, I've tried to weed out the organic way, and it seems easy as the roots don't seem to go down deep. I've also covered the weeded areas with cardboard. Problem is, I can't reach the middle of the bushes, unless I lie down, but even then, I need protective clothing - I already have a scratch on my back, thanks to the bramble! I think I might be forced into using roundup - but I don't want to harm the fruit bushes (would roundup kill them?). I'd have to be spraying at a distance with not much control. If I were to wait till autumn time when the leaves are gone, would it be easier to navigate around the bushes? They need serious trimming/pruning as they really are tangled up there. The presence of bindweed doesn't help either...    Or is waiting a really bad idea? I plan to attack it regularly, so hopefully it doesn't spread vigorously.

[jacnal]

Welcome to the forums, SummersVeg!

Yeah, my google search came up with results telling me they're very prolific! Soo, with bindweed, couch grass and ground elder, I've 3 really bad weeds! And I've probably got more that still need identifying    At least I can eat the young GE leaves though  

[washsaint]

My whole garden plot was ground elder before planting.   Having dug it over about 8 times it eventually dies down.  As soon as the veg was planted it seems to ahve disappeared.


There are still bits that occasionally come up but it's no longer a forest.  Trouble is it comes up easily and the roots remain buried deep.

Good luck!!!

[jacnal]

Thanks Washsaint. I have my work cut out it seems...

Welcome to the forums!