Allotments 4 All

Just read through the site palefire had introduced on the nature of bindweed.
Came across a couple of roots I'd never seen before -
1. like a white corkscrew - very brittle and difficult to extract from the earth.
Difficult to know whats what when  topgrowth died down for winter.
2. long thick black thread like roots which had largish green buds about a couple of foot below the surface.
Can anyone advise please? Would like to be prepared for what will inevitably appear next spring.

hmmm....well....I am certainly no expert, there are many here who are, but I would say the white brittle roots could either be bindweed or maybe nettles, altho my nettle roots are kinda yellow!  As for the black threadlike ones......hmmm...mares tail maybe?  Not really black, more like rusty nails, but dark roots, thats the problem, you can't see the swines! :-X

Hi ciderself, white ones are nettles bu**ers if you can't get them all out, they spread all over. The others are mares tail trust me i'm an expert on growing these little darlings  >:( .

Oooooer
Thanks Jethro - I spose at least you can eat nettle tops. They were so brittle they broke off. Shall look forward to a nice crop of those then.
 Not so sure about the mares tail though. Knew we had some of it but the latest bit of ground seemed infested.
Cheers EJ Come to think of it the black ones reminded me a bit of liquorice bootlaces.
Was thinking of putting spuds in there next spring. Everyone says its the best way to 'clear' new ground.

I use the nettles for the tomatoes, put them in water to soak for a few weeks(nettles not toms), it really stinks mind, then dilute and water in.

Little buds = mare's tail.

Proof positive; if when you dig them out you hear a little "crack" as it breaks. (cos you can never trace them all the way back)

Not so sure about the nettle roots, ours are yellow, darker when old.
About potatoes being good for clearing land. It is a myth, YOU do the clearing, planting, earthing up and harvesting. And if it is new land the crop is sometimes spoiled by various soil pests which live in grass, but love eating holes in spuds.
Nettles are very susceptible to weedkiller of the systemic kind. We have just about cleared a patch of about 120sq m of them plus brambles and ivy.
Mares tail is a problem. Hoe, hoe ,hoe is the best advice.

Hi - I'm with Eric on the nettle roots; yellow, leading to hairy tufts, turning darker as they get older.

My white roots are - bindweed (most brittle, and fairly contorted - and new this year; huge invasion from the bramble patch next door), creeping thistle (also brittle, and less contorted), couch grass (NOT brittle) and some sort of large leafed weed I don't know the name of (fairly brittle, slightly contorted).  My rule?  If it's white, out with the b....r!

All best - Gavin

White, very brittle, and contorted - almost certainly bindweed.  As Gavin says, if it`s white you don`t want it.

Oh b****r
so I have mares tail  definitely.have tried to dig these out but they were planted in Aussie land. Nettles possibly. pluswhite brillo pads of roots - which are???Possibly couch grass?  AND ORANGE brillo pads - what on earth are those???? Found those when doing SERIOUS digging which HURT

Couch grass roots are like rope!  I have pulled out several feet at a time!!  The orangey roots could be nettles.  I forgot about the bramble roots, they are like rope also and go on for miles!  And yes, I am sure mares tail roots are actually on the surface in australia growing through the planet, and the green pokes out this end!  pah!!

It`s their revenge for all those convicts we sent them!