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Re: Oxalis pes-caprae


>> Sean's mail on his garden throws up the problem of Oxalis pes-caprae. I
>> would be interested to know if anyone has managed to defeat this
>> beautiful but obnoxious weed. My garden is becoming a monoculture!! I am
>> thinking of a systemic herbicide to be applied very carefully so as not
>> to throw the baby out with the bathwater...
>

At 08:55 AM 1/2/98 CST6CDT, Nick Turland wrote:
>A systemic herbicide such as 'Roundup' should work, but if the oxalis is
>all mixed up with the plants you don't want to kill, then I don't fancy
>your chances of selectively killing it. 

I've found that I can take a plastic milk jug or a 2-Liter plastic Coke
bottle, cut off the top and bottom, place the 'cylinder' that remains over
the plant I want to eliminate, and then spray it with Roundup or another
herbicide. For bigger plants, you could cut the bottom off of a 5-gallon
bucket or black plastic nursery pot -- whatever you have convenient. 

If it isn't a windy day, almost nothing should get on the plants you wish
to protect. If you allow the spray to dry, I don't think it will easily rub
off onto neighboring plants.

Also, you can invert the process and use trash bags or even newspapers to
protect the plants you DON'T want to spray.

I agree with Nick that damned persistance in digging and removing every
little sprout will eventually rid you of the plant. You must dig out the
tubers, though.

And at the risk of being flamed, I'd like to mention that this oxalis has
appeared in some of the ice plant along the freeways in San Diego, and it
looks absolutely gorgeous there. I suppose if only the plant would stay
there and not wander, it wouldn't be so despised.

Happy New Year!

DKM
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