Groundweed is undoubtedly one of the most undesirable weeds you can find in a garden or lawn. No matter how well-maintained and immaculate your own garden may be, suddenly weeds that come from a neighboring property appear behind the dividing fence. We'll tell you how you can remove the groundweed!
What is the greedweed?
Greedsh, also known asAegopodium podagraria, is a type of invasive perennial weed that quickly forms a dense mat of leaves and crowds out other plants in the immediate area. Because its roots can penetrate between other plants, it is extremely difficult to get rid of the weed. In addition, greedweed is able to only grow back from small sections of roots, which makes it much more difficult to remove from the ground. The weed is characterized by the formation of tufts of green leaves and the production of white flowers in spring.
Removing greedweed without chemicals – tips
The weed's leaves grow in dense clumps, giving it an advantage over other plants in the competition for water and nutrients. The rhizomes are notoriously difficult to eradicate as they tend to become attached to the rootsneighboring plantsto intertwine.
Get rid of weeds permanently
The first and most important step in controlling pests, diseases and weeds is to prevent them by using proven farming practices, selection of cultivars, garden hygiene and the promotion or introduction of natural enemies. If chemical control agents are used, they should be used as little as possible and very specifically, if at all.
Clearing the weeds is a thankless task that, even if you're successful, will probably take you a year or more. If you decide to eliminate groundweed, you should first dig and turn over the entire area where the weed is located, and then remove all white roots and rhizomes. Remove them by removing them from the root systemsother plantspull out. If you leave even a small piece of plant tissue behind, you open the door for a new weed infestation. Only when the groundweed has completely disappeared from the garden can you kill it.
The roots and stems of the goosegrass do not belong in the compost heap. Either throw them in the trash or enclose everything in a dark plastic bag and leave it in a warm, sunny place for a few weeks just to be safe. Since the fungus spreads very quickly, you should return to the affected area at least every two weeks after the first use. Locate each of the new shoots and carefully cut them with the hoe at or just below ground level. It may take up to a year to complete! Continue your efforts and don't give up the hunt.
Of course, remove goosegrass with plastic sheets
Pull up all the plants in the bed and wash the dirt from the roots to protect the rhizomesto remove weeds. Place these plants in makeshift containers or plant them directly in the ground. Next, carefully dig up the groundweed using a garden fork, making sure to remove all root segments.
You can also cover the bed with a dark plastic sheet to prevent light from reaching the weeds and killing them. If the damaged area is a large, unplanted area, you can cover it with the black plastic sheeting that has been stapled to the sides. After a few months, this film can be removed and the creeping rhizomes there can be isolated and destroyed individually. This is a foolproof method,to eliminate the weedsand get rid of the problem, but since the area in question needs to be covered, no other activities can take place there for most of the year.
It may also take more than one growing season to completely eradicate groundweed using this method. Leave the film for a few more months or even a year to finish the job. The weeds will inevitably work their way to the edges of the film where they will form a nice border.
Fight greed with home remedies – salt or dishwashing liquid
One of the most common homemade weed control solutions is to use table salt. As the plant's root system absorbs salt, the plant's water balance is disrupted, which in turn causes the weeds to eventually wilt and die. However, salt alone is not a particularly effective weed killer when used alone.
Dish soap alone won't kill groundweed, but when used in conjunction with other, more effective remedies, it can be helpful. A very small amount of dish soap can increase the effectiveness of a detergent by acting as a surfactant. This helps the salt stay on the weeds longer.