I cant kill it.

ridgefire

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I have this weed growing everywhere. I'm not sure what it is. It has a really broad leaf to it. Someone once told me it looks like horseradish plant. But I dont know. I've pulled it out, dug it out, tried round up on it. But yet it keeps coming back stronger each time.
 

ShellieESterling

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My parents bought a house 10 years ago. Each year, my mother tried to kill this little pretty plant, since it over took the flower beds VERY quickly. She's never successfully gotten rid of it. I think it's pretty, it's an awesome ground cover.

I just discovered this year that it in fact has a name.... "Bishop's Weed" and it's impossible to kill.
bishopsweed.jpg


I hope you figure out what yours is....
 

Reinbeau

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Bishop's Weed is on the invasive plant list in many states. I hate the stuff myself. There are ways of getting rid of it, but pulling it isn't effective, it reprouts from deeply buried rhizomes. Some plants need the big guns - internet conversations show Roundup to be the best option. I hate that stuff, but some plants just can't be eradicated with anything less :|
 

patandchickens

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In your zone, with what you describe, horseradish is quite possible. Other possibilities are comfrey, dock, or burdock. Identifying it would help somewhat. Have you ever seen it flower, and if so, whassit like?

The general recipe by which you can eradicate almost* anything, given 2-5 years of consistant work, is: any time any of the plants gets more than 4" tall, mow 'em down or better yet go out there with a knife and cut the top off as deeply into the soil as you can reach. EVERY TIME they get to that size, EVERY PLANT (some of these buggers are connected by underground roots). Without fail. It takes time. It does do the job, though.

(*-except goutweed aka bishop's weed, or comfrey, or horseradish, or a bunch of grass type weeds.)

Good luck, and post pics if you can,

Shellie, yes, bishop's weed is EVIL EVIL STUFF, and there is probably no way of getting rid of it in your mother's garden without COMPLETELY smothering over the entire area for a number of years. I have heard that digging up and replacing the top 6" of soil, followed by heavy mulch (that you can plant real plants thru) plus regular use of Roundup on every single sprout of bishop's weed that appears, will keep it well controlled. But it's work :(


Pat, who is openminded towards weedy, spreading garden plants in general, but will never have goutweed (however pretty and 'useful' the variegated form is) ANYWHERE near this place, because, eeep.
 

Grow 4 Food

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If you are going to spray it use 2-4D instead of round up. Your checkbook will thank you for it. Also it will only kill the broadleaf and not the grass that is around it. I use it on my yard to keep out the dandlions
 

ridgefire

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I will have to get a pic on here when it comes back up. I just mowed it down a couple days ago. But I see its already forming new leaves. I was going with the theory if I keep it cut short to the ground it would hopefully die off. But thats not working. I kill one spot 2 more pop up.
 

Dirtdoctor

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NAsty weeds, successful killing of them can be accomplished, Round up URGH as nasty as it is. can be a useful tool in the fight, but to remember this one fallacy... if a little bit is good then a whole lot must be better... THIS IS WRONG. deluted doses of round up allows the main ingredient to be drawn down DEEP to the deepest root..... higher consintrations will get you immediant (top kill ) results but not allowing the round up to travel down to the lower roots.
It uses the photosynthisis to draw round up down to the roots......high consintrations will not let that happpen........Kill the leaf and photosynthisis is stopped. REad instructions, use rubber gloves and rubber boots....the surfactants in Round up will allow the metals to soak into your shoes, hands etc.... (not good)
one group use round up claimed that a high percentage of the appliers had a coppery taste in their mouths for several days after applying round up. (dats not good)

Several applications of the "weaker dosage" of Round-up will allow it to soak deep to the roots. slowly killing the target plant. Several applications with at least three days of sunlight, no rain or sprinklers to wash it off the leaf. remember anything that intrupts photosynthsis will stop the Round-up form being totally effective. SLOW GET THIS Job done.

best to you
Jack
Dirtdoctorjak@aol.com
Soil To Grow LLC
 

ShellieESterling

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patandchickens said:
Shellie, yes, bishop's weed is EVIL EVIL STUFF, and there is probably no way of getting rid of it in your mother's garden without COMPLETELY smothering over the entire area for a number of years. I have heard that digging up and replacing the top 6" of soil, followed by heavy mulch (that you can plant real plants thru) plus regular use of Roundup on every single sprout of bishop's weed that appears, will keep it well controlled. But it's work :(
Oh, I love the stuff, I couldn't care less if it overtakes the beds. :lol: I plan on taking some to plant around my chicken run once we move. I figure even if they scratch/peck at it, it'll still overrun the joint.
 

Dirtdoctor

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Shellie thats great.. Then your Biship's PLANT isnt a weed to you........LOL Weeds are plants in the wrong spot.... Great feeding for the birds if it isnt a problem plant. Google "Posionous plants for animals."

Best to you
Jack
 

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