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Back to list of problems The ground elder has taken over in the borders this year, and is very difficult to remove from around the plants without digging them up.
Ground elder invasion is very vexing. It can be left in patches and cut down under shrubs, but in borders the plant roots will be entangled with this weed. Keep the weed cut down in summer and soon as the plants have died down in the autumn, dig the ground elder up, getting as much of the roots out as you can. This tenacious weed tucks its long roots under bricks making it impossible to remove. You can use a recommended weed killer, but need to protect the plants. Have a regime, and when you see the little shoots appearing, dig it up and pull the winding roots out. This is painstaking work but will help to control the weed.
Our tame garden gnome came up with this tip. Ground elder dislikes being near nasturtiums. We popped in some seeds in the problem beds for a couple of seasons, and have noticed that it does seem to be disappearing. It’s certainly worth a try, and those nasturtiums brighten up the borders in late summer, and the seeds can be used to pepper up salads and sauces. |
