Topic: Weed identity?

[Barnowl]

Does anyone know what weed this is? It's so much easier to swear at something if it's got a name e.g. look darling, more of that bl**dy .....

[antipodes]

Looks suspiciously similar to the bindweed I have on my plot.
Become familiar with it because you are going to see a lot of it for quite some time  ;D

[Barnowl]

Thanks antipodes, but I think the leaves are the wrong shape for bindweed - doesn't that have more heart shaped leaves?

....any other suggestions?

[sweet-pea]

I was going to say bindweed too.  There are 2 types of bindweed, and you are right, one of them (the one with the big white flowers) does have bigger, heart shaped leaves.  The other one, which I think is the less vigorous of the two, but still a pain, has smaller leaves, like what you have.

SP x

[LesH]

   I agree its the dreaded bindweed.

[Barnowl]

I stand corrected - time to get out  the chemicals!

[antipodes]

yeah I said the same as you because for me bindweed was that stuff with the white flowers, but there are several species, I thought this was called black bindweed (that is the mood it puts you in). They all do the same thing though, creeping root system, long white strands and long "finger" stems that trail over the ground. There are a few threads about it here, some people use *roundup* type weedkiller but the best thing seems to be to try and dig it out. You can just keep lobbing off the seedling heads, for now this does seem to work for me, as it gets everywhere- it is growing under my black plastic and popping out where my strawberry plants are  :( I just keep pulling it out before it has a chance to strangle the strawberries, since I can't dig it out now
I pulled out a bin bag full last week  :D

[dawn34]

any ideas in getting rid of horsetail..... would really be appriecated as we have lots of it growing

[SueSteve]

I dont know how to get rid ofHorsetail but an allotment neighbour said that the roots can go down 12 foot! I also read something today about the roots are so long that they have been found inside mines!
The Horsetails are very old, they were around at the time of the dinosaurs, and havent been wiped out yet! I used to think that that was amazing, and when we were on walks I used to tell teh children about them being a very ancient plant, but now I have them on the lottie, I hate the things!!
I think the bind weed photo looks like the hedge bind weed, the one with the lovely pink and white candy stripe flowers!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Horsetails long predate the dinosaurs. They were one of the dominant plants when the Coal Measures were laid down arounf 350 million years ago.

[Barnowl]

Wait until it's growing (now onwards). Bruise slightly with your foot or hand, apply glyphosate based weedkiller (Round up, Tumble Down), re-apply a week later.

Or dig very carefully until you get right to the bottom of the root. Any bits broken off or left behind will regrow.

[quizzical1]

Regarding Horse/Marestail, the advice I was given by my mother (we have had it appear in the back garden) was as suggested above, to bruise the "leaves", then make a strongish solution of Roundup in a bucket, and apply it by putting a rubber glove, covered with an old woolen glove on your hand, soak in the solution and stroke it onto the plant.
Apparently the leaves tend to repel liquids unless it's done this way. I haven't tried it myself, prefering to go down the "dig it out carefully" route.

[dawn34]

thanks for all your help and advice guys round up here we come