Will anything outgrow ground elder???

In a previous house I battled with ground elder for thirty years and left it behind us I have pulled , dug and used glyphosate which does work but can’t be used amongst other plants It is said hoeing does not work but it never really spread into the grass which was cut regularly.
I believe it can be wilted with butter somewhat similar to spinach but never tried it Presume as it sprouts early on it is full of vitamin C

* Close to

I know I‘m late to the party but I have some issues with ground elder in a meadow I‘m trying to establish and I‘ve found that creeping cinquefoil (potentilla) used as ground cover, tends to quell it. Also it’s much more attractive, staying close to the ground and looking like miniature strawberry plants (and spreading in much the same way), with pretty yellow flowers in spring which are beloved by bees and butterflies, followed by tiny red berries that look like a carpets of rubies. Close too they truly resemble the tiniest alpine strawberries but have no taste to speak of - they are also know as false or barren strawberry and are part of the same genus. The best part about them is that if they spread where you don’t want them then you can simply fork them out.

teabagwoman

Reading all your advice/experience and considering what I’m capable off, given arthritis and limited sight, I think I’ll try planting some perennial geraniums and learn to live with the ground elder. Thank you for helping me make a decision and stop worrying about it.

Geranium Macrorrhizum is the best variety to plant as it creeps blocking the roots of the elder.
It’s very easy to propagate, if you’ve got gardening friends they might have some to give you.

Reading all your advice/experience and considering what I’m capable off, given arthritis and limited sight, I think I’ll try planting some perennial geraniums and learn to live with the ground elder. Thank you for helping me make a decision and stop worrying about it.

Well, here’s the RHS guidance.
www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/ground-elder
As I said, it’s a major nuisance, I’m fortunate that I don’t have it in my current garden although I did in my last. I took everything out of the border and dug it out, it took months. I do grow annuals as well as perennials, as does my SiL now she has used the Mexican marigolds.

What do you suggest I do???

Napalm, nuclear bomb, glysulphate?

I am an avid gardener- but cottage style, and I grow mainly strong perenials and roses. I find that as I get older, I am much more tolerant. As said, I do get rid of as much as poss early Spring, but then relax. I never grow bedding plants and the like, so perhaps it is easier.

Some of the plants we consider weeds are loved and admired elsewhere in the world, and vice versa. Life is too short (that is of course my opinion- we can disagree). I inherited beds mixed with ground elder- and it would be impossible to eradicate. I've come to terms with this.

ExperiencedNotOld

Fleurpepper

A couple of years ago, one day, I stopped and looked at it growing among roses and perenials. And forced myself to take stock - is it really ugly? Answer, no. Does it to the other plants any harm? Answer, no.

So why the hatred and obsession? No answer.

I think is does do harm - I lost lily of the valley and it slowly strangled Shanta daisies. The daisies were rescued by digging the lot up and cleaning out, overwintering/spring 8n ia pot to check for regrow before replanting. I also lost a sizeable salvia at the same time, but my jury is still out on that.

It’s not hatred or obsession, it’s a bl…y nuisance. It strangles out the roots of less vigorous plants, which means it’s a no no for keen gardeners. If you’re not interested in gardening, it’s relatively pretty I suppose, but ultimately it will take over your whole garden if you let it.

Fleurpepper

A couple of years ago, one day, I stopped and looked at it growing among roses and perenials. And forced myself to take stock - is it really ugly? Answer, no. Does it to the other plants any harm? Answer, no.

So why the hatred and obsession? No answer.

I think is does do harm - I lost lily of the valley and it slowly strangled Shanta daisies. The daisies were rescued by digging the lot up and cleaning out, overwintering/spring 8n ia pot to check for regrow before replanting. I also lost a sizeable salvia at the same time, but my jury is still out on that.

A couple of years ago, one day, I stopped and looked at it growing among roses and perenials. And forced myself to take stock - is it really ugly? Answer, no. Does it to the other plants any harm? Answer, no.

So why the hatred and obsession? No answer.

Ah thanks for the encouragement- yes, this is the smallest border- no chance I'll get rid of it in the others. As said, I will get rid of all the reddish nodules very early, trying to follow roots as far as I can- and then ...stop obsessing about it! lol

Fleurpepper

I've got a small border I want to replant- so this spring, as early as poss, I shall dig everything out, take all the soil out and spread on a tarp and try and get every bit of root out before mixing with good compost and plant up again.

But even then, I am sure it will be back!

This is exactly what we did in a border 12 x 4 foot - a lot of soil. But sat on the ground, sifting through dryish soil (we’ve got greensand, so never sodden anyway), you’ll get it done. We planted a drift of annuals in the ground over the two years it took, all been clear for about five years now.
Trouble is, I spy another patch in a completely different place….

I've got a small border I want to replant- so this spring, as early as poss, I shall dig everything out, take all the soil out and spread on a tarp and try and get every bit of root out before mixing with good compost and plant up again.

But even then, I am sure it will be back!

I read somewhere that lamium can compete with it successfully. I've put a few bits of a creeping perennial yellow-flowered one in an infested border, but it's too early to say yet.

Thanks for the warning about “side effects” Bags, I agree it doesn’t look that bad, it’s just that there’s so much of it and I feel guilty about letting it get such a hold.

It is certainly edible but I found it had too much of a laxative effect.

I believe some forms of perennial geraniums help to keep it in check.

It's actually quite a nice looking plant if you let it flower.

Treeat it as a crop and eat it. It does taste quite nice.

Thanks for that*Casdon*. I researched Mexican marigold and it recommends it for bind weed and other weeds also. Just ordered some .

Often mixed with young nettle.

I par boil mine for 1 minute, than toss in butter.

Flame thrower only kills above ground so plants regrow in a day or two. I've one in the shed.
Like the idea of Mexican marigolds.
Really though I think the answer is careful hand weeding then spraying near the boundary with systemic weed killer.

I've learnt to live with it. I do eat it too. It's actually quite a good filler, and not bad looking at all.

Early spring, when they first come up with their reddish nodule, and nothing else has come up, I do dig up the nodules and follow the roots as far as I can go. All goes into our normal bin and not compost for obvious reasons. And I make sure it never has a chance to seed.

It is also called gout weekd- and was used in poultices.

teabagwoman

I like the idea of attacking it with a flame thrower Daisymae. However I think I’d be safer trying the Mexican marigold or geraniums as my sight isn’t good and I have visions of fire engines racing to the rescue.

Apparently the Romans introduced it as a food. Apparently you can fry the young leaves with olive oil. Not really fancied it myself

If it’s coming through from next door a systemic weed killer like glyphosate is the only answer.