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Produce => Non Edible Plants => Topic started by: darkbrowneggs on May 07, 2011, 18:39:49

Title: Ground Elder
Post by: darkbrowneggs on May 07, 2011, 18:39:49
Some rotten garden centre must have sold me a plant with some ground elder in, as I have NEVER seen this weed in my garden, and I lived here a child in the 1950's

It has been spreading slowly though my long herbaceous border, but this year it has gone crazy

Any good ideas other than dig everything out weedkill, and start again

The border is about 30 yds by 5 yds, and although the ground elder is only about 5 yds sq at present I really don't fancy the idea, and even if I do the plants will have to be planted somewhere else, with the risk of spreading it futher round the garden

All the best and any idea gratefully received
Sue
Title: Re: Ground Elder
Post by: BarriedaleNick on May 07, 2011, 18:57:25
You only have too options

Weedkiller - Something like roundup will kill it but it may take more than one application.  Try painting it on the leaves if it is difficult to spray accurately.
Digg it all all out.

For a coupleof years it has been creeping into my plot and I have just been hoeing it off.  This year it is growing back very strongly so I have used some roundup where it is too hard to dig.  It is a nasty weed.
Title: Re: Ground Elder
Post by: non-stick on May 07, 2011, 19:02:35
My mother-in-law reckons you can eat it, never tried it meself even though our garden is riddled with it. I just keep pulling it out and live with it
Title: Re: Ground Elder
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 07, 2011, 19:53:45
You can definitely eat it - supposedly the Romans introduced it as a vegetable, so now you know what they did for us. It's a monster to get rid of.
Title: Re: Ground Elder
Post by: darkbrowneggs on May 07, 2011, 20:21:38
Ok - Recipes please.  My mother reckons that anything useful to eat rapidly disappears.  She loves horseradish and when they moved to a house with lots of it, she says it was gone in about 5 years.  Ok 5 years is a long time, but then it might be a lot of meals  ;)
Title: Re: Ground Elder
Post by: gp.girl on May 07, 2011, 20:32:24
Salad leaf, apparently very peppery, use the young leaves......

Not tried it yet, having trouble finding a 'clean' source.
Title: Re: Ground Elder
Post by: darkbrowneggs on May 07, 2011, 21:01:54
Quote from: gp.girl on May 07, 2011, 20:32:24
Salad leaf, apparently very peppery, use the young leaves......

Not tried it yet, having trouble finding a 'clean' source.

You are welcome to as much as you want of mine   ;)  ;)  ;D
Title: Re: Ground Elder
Post by: artichoke on May 07, 2011, 21:32:58
A Polish farmer, when I was on holiday in Poland on an organic farm, used it as a topping for pizza. I forced it down, but I have never tasted anything so horrible. It was bitter and tough, and not improved by the slightly off homemade goat's cheese he mixed it with.
Title: Re: Ground Elder
Post by: darkbrowneggs on May 07, 2011, 21:41:27
Quote from: artichoke on May 07, 2011, 21:32:58
A Polish farmer, when I was on holiday in Poland on an organic farm, used it as a topping for pizza. I forced it down, but I have never tasted anything so horrible. It was bitter and tough, and not improved by the slightly off homemade goat's cheese he mixed it with.


Ummmmm or should I say Hmmmmmm :-\