Relatable. No one warned me when I rented my big, country garden how much time I would spend policing weeds. ALL the weeds. So many weeds. But I have come to enjoy it. Weeding with a hori hori when in a bad mood is excellent therapy.
I was a child laborer every spring, with the job of finding and following the root threads of ground elder to pull out as long sections as I could. The end goal being to rid my mum's flower bed of the curse for that summer. Being a thinker by nature, I actually loved that job! I could muse freely for hours while unearthing satisfyingly loooong strings of root. And it worked, the plant was kept at bay until autumn - then next spring it all started over again...
Gosh, I think I would have to bribe and bully my children to get them to do any gardening, let alone weeding. If you ever fancy a job doing it again....?
In my part of rural Norway in the 80s there was a strict policy of "do what you're told or suffer the consequences", so we all worked in the gardens/on the farms/in the house (but not without grumbling, mind) ;D
If the Norse coastal climate becomes too much for me, I'll reinvent myself as a travelling weed puller!
I too have inherited ground elder but eventually after more than 20 years have made a pact with it. I've managed to almost eradicate it from my beds and borders - with constant weeding in the spring - and then let it run riot in front of the hedges which are raised above a dry stone wall. It's a compromise I'm prepared to accept, otherwise it would be never ending. If it's any consolation I also have bindweed 🙈. I have found that the constant weeding every spring has made both of these much weaker so they don't come back as strong.
Honestly when I saw a plant appear prolifically all over my new allotment plot, which looked a lot like ground elder, I was in absolute despair. It mercifully turned out to be something else. But in the battle of weeds, it is the worst. Although I've never had Japanese knotweed thank god. 🙏
I've had Japanese knotweed at work before and actually it wasn't so bad. You could use some really nasty chemicals and poison it three times and that seemed to get rid of it. There just doesn't seem to be a good way to get rid of GE. It's the pits
We also inherited a large border full of ground elder. With a mini digger on site for other reasons we dug it all up and buried it in the orchard, I can’t say we are entirely free of it but it’s much improved for now and I tolerate a small patch of it and am now rejigging borders such that the rest will be mown. Please don’t tell me the mower will now ensure the whole garden becomes and elder meadow?!
I think if you just keep mowing it then it will die... eventually. Also chickens like it as well so.I have thought about just having the chickens on the border for a few days although that has got the potential for complete disaster!
😂yes do! My greatest fear is exporting the Enemy when I share cuttings/self-seeded plants that I’ve potted up. Eternal vigilance is, boringly, the watchword!
I’m battling Crocosmia Lucifer. The devil incarnate. In fact all crocosmia are banned. Need a pickaxe to get through the deep mat of bulbs or whatever devilish device it is they grow from.
Crocosmia really did come from Lucifer, didn't it? It just seems to pop up everywhere and spreads. Urgh. But it does look lovely and is a fabulous cut flower so at least it has an upside?!
You are SO not alone in fighting the good fight. My Insta account is called ground.elder.park: I have also given up trying to eradicate and have for years run a planting campaign called (tongue-in-cheek, as it used to be funny) Operation Enduring Freedom, based on Thymus serpyllum (creeping thyme), hostas (which root too thickly for the Dreaded Foe to grow through), peonies (ditto), lavender and climbing rose thickets...and lots of acceptance that I can't really control it because it's under all the hedges and in the neighbours' gardens as well. Good luck and keep planting!
I love that name! Brilliant. Good tips on the hostas. I have a shady area that has already got the dreaded GE, I was wondering what to plant it with. I'll try that.
Oh I can SO relate to all of this. I remember actually crying the first year we moved here, when I realised just how difficult our soil was to dig. Not only is it heavy clay - but a lot of the garden has been created on an old farm yard so dig down a little way and you hit hardcore.
I also have ground elder. I'm grateful it is not in my more formal flowerbeds, it's in a side garden where I allow things to be a bit wild (the bird garden) so I pretty much leave it to its own devices. However, I'm excited to be able to refer back to this post if I find it creeping into any of my other spaces. Thank you! And best of luck with your planting scheme.
PS. I have discovered my plant nemesis here is bramble. They pop up in the most unexpected places.
Relatable. No one warned me when I rented my big, country garden how much time I would spend policing weeds. ALL the weeds. So many weeds. But I have come to enjoy it. Weeding with a hori hori when in a bad mood is excellent therapy.
You're right. I try to treat it as a form of meditation but there's so much pressure on my time that I do resent it.
By the way, I’ve just pulled the newly planted crocosmia out of the garden…
Probably a good idea!
I was a child laborer every spring, with the job of finding and following the root threads of ground elder to pull out as long sections as I could. The end goal being to rid my mum's flower bed of the curse for that summer. Being a thinker by nature, I actually loved that job! I could muse freely for hours while unearthing satisfyingly loooong strings of root. And it worked, the plant was kept at bay until autumn - then next spring it all started over again...
Gosh, I think I would have to bribe and bully my children to get them to do any gardening, let alone weeding. If you ever fancy a job doing it again....?
In my part of rural Norway in the 80s there was a strict policy of "do what you're told or suffer the consequences", so we all worked in the gardens/on the farms/in the house (but not without grumbling, mind) ;D
If the Norse coastal climate becomes too much for me, I'll reinvent myself as a travelling weed puller!
I would gladly be your first port of call!
I too have inherited ground elder but eventually after more than 20 years have made a pact with it. I've managed to almost eradicate it from my beds and borders - with constant weeding in the spring - and then let it run riot in front of the hedges which are raised above a dry stone wall. It's a compromise I'm prepared to accept, otherwise it would be never ending. If it's any consolation I also have bindweed 🙈. I have found that the constant weeding every spring has made both of these much weaker so they don't come back as strong.
It's great to hear that someone is winning the fight. Or at least a form of detente. That and bindweed is terrible luck though!
I'm rooting for you in your ongoing battle... oh wait... maybe that's the wrong sentiment! Good luck!! :)
Ha! Definitely wrong word James! 😂
Mum’s fighting ground elder too! Forwarding this to her - love what you did with the space!
It's hell isn't it? Let me know if she has any bright ideas that aren't just brute force and manual labour!
Honestly when I saw a plant appear prolifically all over my new allotment plot, which looked a lot like ground elder, I was in absolute despair. It mercifully turned out to be something else. But in the battle of weeds, it is the worst. Although I've never had Japanese knotweed thank god. 🙏
I've had Japanese knotweed at work before and actually it wasn't so bad. You could use some really nasty chemicals and poison it three times and that seemed to get rid of it. There just doesn't seem to be a good way to get rid of GE. It's the pits
We also inherited a large border full of ground elder. With a mini digger on site for other reasons we dug it all up and buried it in the orchard, I can’t say we are entirely free of it but it’s much improved for now and I tolerate a small patch of it and am now rejigging borders such that the rest will be mown. Please don’t tell me the mower will now ensure the whole garden becomes and elder meadow?!
I think if you just keep mowing it then it will die... eventually. Also chickens like it as well so.I have thought about just having the chickens on the border for a few days although that has got the potential for complete disaster!
Hmmm - I certainly won’t pop round with Gertie if your chickens are on border patrol. She has previous 🙈
We have ground elder everywhere--including the grass/lawn--but I think it's spread out from the beds, rather than via mowing.
I will report back if I’ve created a nightmare! 😂
😂yes do! My greatest fear is exporting the Enemy when I share cuttings/self-seeded plants that I’ve potted up. Eternal vigilance is, boringly, the watchword!
Imagine the shame 😳 🤣
Exactly 🤣
I’m battling Crocosmia Lucifer. The devil incarnate. In fact all crocosmia are banned. Need a pickaxe to get through the deep mat of bulbs or whatever devilish device it is they grow from.
Crocosmia really did come from Lucifer, didn't it? It just seems to pop up everywhere and spreads. Urgh. But it does look lovely and is a fabulous cut flower so at least it has an upside?!
Hmm. Jury is out….
😂
You are SO not alone in fighting the good fight. My Insta account is called ground.elder.park: I have also given up trying to eradicate and have for years run a planting campaign called (tongue-in-cheek, as it used to be funny) Operation Enduring Freedom, based on Thymus serpyllum (creeping thyme), hostas (which root too thickly for the Dreaded Foe to grow through), peonies (ditto), lavender and climbing rose thickets...and lots of acceptance that I can't really control it because it's under all the hedges and in the neighbours' gardens as well. Good luck and keep planting!
I love that name! Brilliant. Good tips on the hostas. I have a shady area that has already got the dreaded GE, I was wondering what to plant it with. I'll try that.
Oh I can SO relate to all of this. I remember actually crying the first year we moved here, when I realised just how difficult our soil was to dig. Not only is it heavy clay - but a lot of the garden has been created on an old farm yard so dig down a little way and you hit hardcore.
I also have ground elder. I'm grateful it is not in my more formal flowerbeds, it's in a side garden where I allow things to be a bit wild (the bird garden) so I pretty much leave it to its own devices. However, I'm excited to be able to refer back to this post if I find it creeping into any of my other spaces. Thank you! And best of luck with your planting scheme.
PS. I have discovered my plant nemesis here is bramble. They pop up in the most unexpected places.
I don’t envy your battle but if anyone can win it’s you!
Thank you for your confidence in me but I'm not entirely convinced it's justified! X
You‘re doing all the right things. Just remember it’s a marathon not a sprint and it’ll take time x
That's so true. I'm appallingly impatient and want everything yesterday!