My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering from
what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in the
middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be sorry
if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled back out
to haunt me again!

TIA

Roderick
--
Roderick Orr-Ewing

Suffolk

In article ,
Roderick Orr-Ewing writes:
|
| I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
| the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering from
| what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.
|
| The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in the
| middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be sorry
| if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled back out
| to haunt me again!

Very unlikely. It is shallow rooted, so I doubt that it will get
out from below 2'. Bindweed, on the other hand ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message
from Roderick Orr-Ewing contains these words:

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering from
what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in the
middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be sorry
if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled back out
to haunt me again!

It doesn't root deeply.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

In message , Roderick Orr-Ewing
writes

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering
from what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

Hit the stuff with glyphosate a couple of weeks before you start digging
and it probably won't grow back at all. My guess is anything more than a
couple of feet under will not easily grow back. But it depends how much
ground elder root there is in your soil.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in
the middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be
sorry if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled
back out to haunt me again!

Thistles do that...

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

In message , Roderick Orr-Ewing
writes

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering
from what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

Hit the stuff with glyphosate a couple of weeks before you start digging
and it probably won't grow back at all. My guess is anything more than a
couple of feet under will not easily grow back. But it depends how much
ground elder root there is in your soil.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in
the middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be
sorry if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled
back out to haunt me again!

Thistles do that...

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

In message , Roderick Orr-Ewing
writes

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering
from what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

Hit the stuff with glyphosate a couple of weeks before you start digging
and it probably won't grow back at all. My guess is anything more than a
couple of feet under will not easily grow back. But it depends how much
ground elder root there is in your soil.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in
the middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be
sorry if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled
back out to haunt me again!

Thistles do that...

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:194112


"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Roderick Orr-Ewing
writes

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering
from what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

Hit the stuff with glyphosate a couple of weeks before you start digging
and it probably won't grow back at all. My guess is anything more than a
couple of feet under will not easily grow back. But it depends how much
ground elder root there is in your soil.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in
the middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be
sorry if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled
back out to haunt me again!

Thistles do that...

So will ground elder IMHO.
Being shallow rooted and not heading a good distance to the surface are two
very different things, and as we've all experienced, weeds can go to
astonishing lengths to survive.
Also in your digging you're almost certain to get small bits of the root
system breaking off and finding that you've inadvertently planted them in a
very nice situation.
I would hit them with the glyphosate like Martin said, and if you can, cover
the bank with black polythene for a month or two to hopefully exhaust it
before it reaches the light. Still no guarantee though, it's persistent
stuff.

Steve

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:194112


"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Roderick Orr-Ewing
writes

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering
from what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

Hit the stuff with glyphosate a couple of weeks before you start digging
and it probably won't grow back at all. My guess is anything more than a
couple of feet under will not easily grow back. But it depends how much
ground elder root there is in your soil.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in
the middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be
sorry if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled
back out to haunt me again!

Thistles do that...

So will ground elder IMHO.
Being shallow rooted and not heading a good distance to the surface are two
very different things, and as we've all experienced, weeds can go to
astonishing lengths to survive.
Also in your digging you're almost certain to get small bits of the root
system breaking off and finding that you've inadvertently planted them in a
very nice situation.
I would hit them with the glyphosate like Martin said, and if you can, cover
the bank with black polythene for a month or two to hopefully exhaust it
before it reaches the light. Still no guarantee though, it's persistent
stuff.

Steve

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:194112


"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Roderick Orr-Ewing
writes

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering
from what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

Hit the stuff with glyphosate a couple of weeks before you start digging
and it probably won't grow back at all. My guess is anything more than a
couple of feet under will not easily grow back. But it depends how much
ground elder root there is in your soil.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in
the middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be
sorry if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled
back out to haunt me again!

Thistles do that...

So will ground elder IMHO.
Being shallow rooted and not heading a good distance to the surface are two
very different things, and as we've all experienced, weeds can go to
astonishing lengths to survive.
Also in your digging you're almost certain to get small bits of the root
system breaking off and finding that you've inadvertently planted them in a
very nice situation.
I would hit them with the glyphosate like Martin said, and if you can, cover
the bank with black polythene for a month or two to hopefully exhaust it
before it reaches the light. Still no guarantee though, it's persistent
stuff.

Steve

In message , Roderick Orr-Ewing
writes

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering
from what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

Hit the stuff with glyphosate a couple of weeks before you start digging
and it probably won't grow back at all. My guess is anything more than a
couple of feet under will not easily grow back. But it depends how much
ground elder root there is in your soil.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in
the middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be
sorry if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled
back out to haunt me again!

Thistles do that...

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:194112


"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Roderick Orr-Ewing
writes

My apologies - another question about ground elder but I have looked
back and can't find the answer to this one in previous postings.
(Although there have been so many I cold have missed it.)

I will be shifting some soil in my garden soon to make a bank. Some of
the soil I will be using has ground elder in it and I was wondering
from what depth the dreaded stuff can still survive and grow.

Hit the stuff with glyphosate a couple of weeks before you start digging
and it probably won't grow back at all. My guess is anything more than a
couple of feet under will not easily grow back. But it depends how much
ground elder root there is in your soil.

The bank will be about 5ft high with a base of about 8ft so stuff in
the middle at the bottom will be 3 to 4ft from a surface. I would be
sorry if in a few years/months time I discovered that it had crawled
back out to haunt me again!

Thistles do that...

So will ground elder IMHO.
Being shallow rooted and not heading a good distance to the surface are two
very different things, and as we've all experienced, weeds can go to
astonishing lengths to survive.
Also in your digging you're almost certain to get small bits of the root
system breaking off and finding that you've inadvertently planted them in a
very nice situation.
I would hit them with the glyphosate like Martin said, and if you can, cover
the bank with black polythene for a month or two to hopefully exhaust it
before it reaches the light. Still no guarantee though, it's persistent
stuff.

Steve

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 22:59:27 +0100, "shazzbat"
wrote:



So will ground elder IMHO.
Being shallow rooted and not heading a good distance to the surface are two
very different things, and as we've all experienced, weeds can go to
astonishing lengths to survive.
Also in your digging you're almost certain to get small bits of the root
system breaking off and finding that you've inadvertently planted them in a
very nice situation.
I would hit them with the glyphosate like Martin said, and if you can, cover
the bank with black polythene for a month or two to hopefully exhaust it
before it reaches the light. Still no guarantee though, it's persistent
stuff.

I'm inclined to agree.

Much as I try to avoid using chemicals, I've found that Ground Elder
is such a thug that it practically sneers at anything less than being
nuked.

Its roots are extremely brittle, and they have a tendency to push
through clods of heavy soil - so any attempt to pull the roots simply
snaps them off, leaving a viable bit embedding in an otherwise
innocent looking clod...there to rejuvenate and come back to haunt
you.

I treated an infested flower bed last year ( after having tried
digging, mulching etc...even tried eating the stuff ) using a hand
sprayer and a great deal of care to avoid contaminating surrounding
plants - and I'm delighted to say that it worked a treat! Took quite a
few applications too!
A six foot by two foot bed, thoroughly infested, is now showing barely
half a dozen new Ground Elder shoots poking through as the spring
approaches.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 22:59:27 +0100, "shazzbat"
wrote:



So will ground elder IMHO.
Being shallow rooted and not heading a good distance to the surface are two
very different things, and as we've all experienced, weeds can go to
astonishing lengths to survive.
Also in your digging you're almost certain to get small bits of the root
system breaking off and finding that you've inadvertently planted them in a
very nice situation.
I would hit them with the glyphosate like Martin said, and if you can, cover
the bank with black polythene for a month or two to hopefully exhaust it
before it reaches the light. Still no guarantee though, it's persistent
stuff.

I'm inclined to agree.

Much as I try to avoid using chemicals, I've found that Ground Elder
is such a thug that it practically sneers at anything less than being
nuked.

Its roots are extremely brittle, and they have a tendency to push
through clods of heavy soil - so any attempt to pull the roots simply
snaps them off, leaving a viable bit embedding in an otherwise
innocent looking clod...there to rejuvenate and come back to haunt
you.

I treated an infested flower bed last year ( after having tried
digging, mulching etc...even tried eating the stuff ) using a hand
sprayer and a great deal of care to avoid contaminating surrounding
plants - and I'm delighted to say that it worked a treat! Took quite a
few applications too!
A six foot by two foot bed, thoroughly infested, is now showing barely
half a dozen new Ground Elder shoots poking through as the spring
approaches.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 22:59:27 +0100, "shazzbat"
wrote:



So will ground elder IMHO.
Being shallow rooted and not heading a good distance to the surface are two
very different things, and as we've all experienced, weeds can go to
astonishing lengths to survive.
Also in your digging you're almost certain to get small bits of the root
system breaking off and finding that you've inadvertently planted them in a
very nice situation.
I would hit them with the glyphosate like Martin said, and if you can, cover
the bank with black polythene for a month or two to hopefully exhaust it
before it reaches the light. Still no guarantee though, it's persistent
stuff.

I'm inclined to agree.

Much as I try to avoid using chemicals, I've found that Ground Elder
is such a thug that it practically sneers at anything less than being
nuked.

Its roots are extremely brittle, and they have a tendency to push
through clods of heavy soil - so any attempt to pull the roots simply
snaps them off, leaving a viable bit embedding in an otherwise
innocent looking clod...there to rejuvenate and come back to haunt
you.

I treated an infested flower bed last year ( after having tried
digging, mulching etc...even tried eating the stuff ) using a hand
sprayer and a great deal of care to avoid contaminating surrounding
plants - and I'm delighted to say that it worked a treat! Took quite a
few applications too!
A six foot by two foot bed, thoroughly infested, is now showing barely
half a dozen new Ground Elder shoots poking through as the spring
approaches.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

In article ,
Stephen Howard writes:
|
| Much as I try to avoid using chemicals, I've found that Ground Elder
| is such a thug that it practically sneers at anything less than being
| nuked.

I find it very easy to get rid of - IF I can clear the ground.
If it has something to shelter under, it is impossible to remove.

Yes, it is easier in light soil than in heavy, but I reclaimed
some heavily infested 'grassland' and planted potatoes. My
initial digging was tedious, but only a little survived that,
and none survived the potatoes and hand pulling. One year,
a good crop, no chemicals, and no ground elder.

Also, I piled up some earth with a lot of it in, and it did NOT
come through from below 1' down. Bindweed, on the other hand,
laughs at 3' of soil :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.