I inherited this weed when I turned a cow pasture into my vegetable plot over twenty years ago and made it into my allotment in the countryside next to the sea.
Couch grass or "Twitch" is a nuisance and pernicious weed and a lot of new allotment holders soon learn they have inherited a lot of such weeds.
Rotovators break up the grass and make lots of little plants.
I have seen it survive being smothered by black plastic sheeting for months.
Some people would use glyphosate weed killers to destroy it. I am an organic gardener and for me this is not an option. Plus I believe glyphosates cause Cancer.
I live with the weed and compost the roots. If I had a bonfire I could burn it. Onions love the potash from wood ashes. Some weeds you just put up with and pull them out and throw them away or compost them
Another option would be to plastic sheet the area and make raised like mine in another days post. You could import topsoil and well rotted fym and fill the containers. Hopefully not importing any annoying and pernicious weeds.
What annoying weeds are the bane of your garden? How do you control them? I very rarely see Rosebay Willow Herb growing in Ireland. I wonder why not?
We are invaded by the Mare's Tail or Horse Tail which creeps under the fence from the tram tracks. It is a never ending task trying to get rid of this prehistoric monster.
ReplyDeleteYes JayCee. A really pernicious weed nuisance. It's full of Silica. I believe you can make a shampoo with it.
ReplyDeleteWe have a sort of clover which smothers everything in the winter but dries away in the summer. This year I've made a raised bed which I hope will not have any of this weed. Also the plants in the wheelbarrow are high up and away from weeds. I hope
ReplyDeleteI have more weeds this year, probably brought in with all the new plants this summer, like you I'm organic, I dig each one out, that's a joy of a small garden, not too many. Marlene, Poppypatchwork
ReplyDeleteIt's not Oxalis it Linda? A lot of gardens have sheep sorrel growing in their herbaceous borders. It likes a idic soil. It's difficult to eradicate. I know it doesn't like lime especially in grassland. Spreading peat or compost brings the root rhizomes to the surface. I look forward to seeing pictures of your raised bed on your blog. Raised beds are great for us elder gardeners.
ReplyDeleteI think weeds show us our gardens are fertile and verdant Marlene. My gardens are in the countryside next to the sea and in between fields and surrounding wild countryside. It's a windy Peninsula at times so weeds are always blowing into the beds and garden. I also think we bring weeds seeds to the surface when we still our gardens and the birds droppings are full of fruit seeds like brambles. I don't mind weeds especially nettles. They are so beneficial and full of iron.
ReplyDeleteHedge bindweed. The neighbour's overgrown garden is full of it. It reaches to the top of her out of control holly, elder, buddleia and laurel. The roots grow through our border plants and the seeds have now blown across to the other side of the lawn. I am afraid that next year we will be using glyphosate.
ReplyDeleteMorning Glory? Ipomea! Obviously not a Oasis fan Tasker.😀 Easy to pull out. Glyphosates should be banned. Thank you fot commenting.
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