[Middle Eastern Gardener]

Help!  I have found loads of ground elder growing very happily thank you very much in my asparagus bed.  What suggestions might you have for controlling it or even better eradicating it.  I am trying to be organic but have resigned myself to thinking that I will have to spray it with something.  I dig it out where it doesn’t yet interfere with the crowns but am scared to dig it up everywhere.  My asparagus Is in full production mode.  And, how did it come to be there?  I have a newly cultivated plot which I don’t think has been worked for a number of years and have added quite a bit of well rotted manure, might it have come from there?  I’m thinking not because I haven’t yet seen it in other beds, and it is quite deep in places.  Thank you in advance for your wisdom.

[Christine]

Ground elder is one of those weeds that can regenerate from a minute piece of root - thing couch grass, bind weed situation. What you have is a happy mat of knotted roots under the ground in your asparagus bed. I have no idea how to get rid of it without getting rid of the asparagus bed and leaving the ground fallow whilst you deal with the recurring ground elder.

[Middle Eastern Gardener]

Ground elder is one of those weeds that can regenerate from a minute piece of root - thing couch grass, bind weed situation. What you have is a happy mat of knotted roots under the ground in your asparagus bed. I have no idea how to get rid of it without getting rid of the asparagus bed and leaving the ground fallow whilst you deal with the recurring ground elder.

Thank you Christine, you have confirmed my fears..

[Yorkie]

If you can shield the asparagus completely from the ground elder, you could try spraying the elder - but I'm not sure how effective weedkiller is on ground elder, and although I'm usually happy to use it, I'm not sure I'd want to do so quite so closely to a plant I'm going to eat.

[Plot 1 Problems]

Rather than spraying, pour some weedkiller into a small pot and use a paint brush to apply it direct to the leaves. A few applications will deal with ground elder.

[jambop]

Rather than spraying, pour some weedkiller into a small pot and use a paint brush to apply it direct to the leaves. A few applications will deal with ground elder.

The perfect answer to the problem! If you can still lay your hands on some roundup it will definitely do the job and your asparagus plants will be fine... just make sure you only put the round up on the ground elder 

[snowdrops]

I was just reading how Charles Dowding of no dig goes about getting rid of weeds & ground elder was one he says to heavily mulch & pull every bit that pops up, that would be an organic approach but a bit more effort of course. It’s not a weed I’ve encountered thankfully.