Persistent weed
Ann Pearson
Posts: 5
hi, I have a small but very persistent weed that seems to cover my back patio and pots. It seems to go everywhere. The roots are tiny and very difficult to pull out so are constantly growing back and crop up in any pots that are in the affected area. they have small leaves and tiny yellow flowers. Has anyone else had this problem and if so how did you tackle it. I am trying not to use chemicals if possible but am really struggling to contain it.
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The infamous and ubiquitous Oxalis cornuta is what this sounds like. When you got it, you got it. It even comes in the non-peat compost which one is encouraged to use these days.
Sorry, but weed killer is the only way to even remotely control it. I use a Flame gun on the gravel paths, but even then it returns.
The seed pods explode! If it has flowered then you are going to have a lot more next year! I am very selective about using weedkiller but this is one I target. I tried to dig it out but it seems to grow from little bulbils and I never get them all!
My mum has it. Every time I go down to look at the garden,more have appeared. Hoe, hoe, hoe.
Thanks for the replies. I must admit that this is one that really does seem to grow fast. As soon as you pull it out there are more growing. So I am right in thinking that if you pull it out before it flowers you have a chance in controlling it? Hopefully ????
Not a chance, it has microscopic bulbs on the roots and they come off and stay in the soil and re-grow.
A weed is something you don't want to grow, but does.
A plant is something you do want to grow, but won't.
Many thanks for your responses, i think the flame gun and then if that fails weedkiller is the answer, i think i am also going to have to carefully repot all of my patio plants to get the roots cleared of this horrid weed
All I can say jo47 is that you must be the only person in the world who cannot get the stuff to grow and actually want it. It is classed as one of the most pernicious of weeds, along with Japanese knotweed, Sorbaria sorbifolia, Black grass, and Himalayan Balsam.