Re: thugs

Barb,
When we bought this house, it had lots of goutweed too (ground elder is much
too polite a name for this thug)  We dug it out, which included sifting
through crappy stone the previous owners had used for mulch.  It took a lot
of work and I was a lot younger then too.  I saved a little bit for another
spot which was a mistake and later removed it without digging because I did
not want to disturb the European Ginger, Hostas, and Dicentra.  The method
is vigilance.  If the area is not too terribly large, you can do it.  You
rip it out, a week later when it has sprouted again, you rip it out.  Keep
checking.  Every time you see a little bit growing, you rip it out.  It gets
easier over time because you are slowly starving the roots.  If they can't
get any leaves out there long enough to make new starches and sugars to
replace what the roots used to make new leaves, they eventually get starved
out.  This even works on bindweed.  Reclaim that bed!

Kitty

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barb" <barp@idcnet.com>
To: <perennials@hort.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 4:56 PM
Subject: RE: thugs


> Speaking of plant thugs - my back "flower bed" is infested with
> Aegopodium (ground elder) - it reverted from the common and slightly
> less aggressive green and white variety.  I didn't catch it and now it
> is totally out of control.
> After searching the 'net for suggestions, I guess I am stuck with it.
> I'm too old to be digging it out, and it surrounds many desirables   -
> peonies, bulbs, etc. Even the thought of digging out the good guys and
> moving them somewhere, and then trying Round-up is too much physical
> work for me.
> If you hear that s. Wisconsin has been swallowed up by goutweed, I'm to
> blame.
>
> Barb in WI
>
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