Topic: grassy weed driving me nuts

[antipodes]

There is a relatively recent weed in my garden that is driving me mad!!!
It seems confined to the tomato patch, but it has spread through it like mad. It is a grassy type yet does not grow in clumps but more as a load of runners, shallow rooting. The stems are jointed and it grows about a foot tall. It has green thin leaves, sparsely growing up the stem with a pinkish streak in them and tiny pink flowers at the end.
It was a pain in the &*!%& to pull it out!
I just can't seem to idetify it (i will try and get some pics maybe) but does this sound familiar to anyone?????

[Lauren S]

Sorry, unless I can see a pic I'm clueless  :(

Lauren

[antipodes]

Ok got a pic:
In ground;

After having been uprooted:

[dandelion]

I think that's Persicaria.


http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=18

[antipodes]

Cripes dandelion, you are god at that game! I quite believe that yes it is redshank...hang on, seeds stay dormant for 45 YEARS!!!! gulp... ah says it prefers the wet, hmmm maybe it is an unwelcome visitor of our so very wet summer?
wherever it has come from it is a right bugger! Gets in all the nooks and crannies. Funny it only came up once I had turned and planted all the summer veg (and didn't get any of those anyway...). It seems confined to one area of the plot anyway. but it goes like wildfire! Better do a bit of research on it methinks....
Wanted to say that the beautiful QLD Blue pumpkins you sent me all died, sniff sniff, hopefully I will get some next year, I will look into buying some seeds I think. No one has pumpkins or melons here this year...

[dandelion]

I quite believe that yes it is redshank...hang on, seeds stay dormant for 45 YEARS!!!! gulp...

I always wonder whether someone ACTUALLY tests these things, harvesting weed seed and sowing a little every year until it fails to germinate, or whether these statements are just made up randomly...

[RobinOfTheHood]

I quite believe that yes it is redshank...hang on, seeds stay dormant for 45 YEARS!!!! gulp...

I always wonder whether someone ACTUALLY tests these things, harvesting weed seed and sowing a little every year until it fails to germinate, or whether these statements are just made up randomly...

Here's your answer...

Persistence and Spread: If the plant is cut back early it may persist into a second year.

Seeds can remain viable in soil for 45 years. After 10 years, there was up to 62% germination depending on depth of burial. After 30 years, germination was around 9%. Redshank seedlings were abundant on land ploughed for the first time after 45 years. Seeds broadcast onto the soil surface and then ploughed in had a mean annual decline rate of 24% and an estimated time to 95% decline of 10-14 years under cropping with winter or spring wheat. In dry storage, seeds gradually lose viability. There was a 50% reduction after 3 years and 100% loss after 7 years. Seed stored under granary conditions exhibited only trace viability after 20 years.

Ripe seed retained on the plant may contaminate cereal grain at crop harvest. Redshank seed has been found as an impurity in cereal, flax, grass and clover seed. The mean number of seeds in red clover was 6 per 1,000 equivalent to 21,000 weed seeds per ha sown with the clover.

Seeds can pass unharmed through the digestive systems of horses, cattle and deer. Viable seeds have been found in cattle droppings. The seeds are also ingested and dispersed by birds. Redshank seed can float in water for 24 hrs and has been recovered from irrigation water.


All over my plot too at the moment....... ::)

[saddad]

I've got some too!
 :-[

[norfolklass]

it's in norwich, too ::)

[calendula]

its not called 'smartweed' for nothing  :o

[Robert_Brenchley]

I get it every year. When we moved to Cornwall, the garden was overrun with the stuff.

[antipodes]

blimey I didn't realize it was so pernicious! well as I am non-weedkiller, I am just ripping it out as it comes up. It does come out quite easily but it also brings a fair amount of soil with it so it's really a pain. I expect it will disappear at some stage and make a comeback next year (along with the bindweed, spiky thistly things, docks, scarlet pimpernels and all the other nasties that make my life a misery) ha ha

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's what it does to me; it comes out easily enough, but then it comes back from seed the following year.