Weed

I am eager to know wether in England you have to cope with weed.
I suppose that you have.
Anyway, I do not know to what extent.
Here In Italy (Milan countryside), a big deal !
Weed are my summer obsession ! :ntwrth:
Expecially two ones that are EVERYWHERE ! (even on the roads).
Namely, their scientific names are "Portulaca oleracea" (probably in Britain you know it as "Pigweed") and "Setaria italica" (also known as "Foxtail millet").
I just remove them by my hands but then big holes are left on my lawn.
How to cope with them.
I know about "herbicide" but do they help ?
Are they toxic for the grass of my lawn ?

 

Hi Maksim I would say the uks worst offending weeds are.....

Bindweed
Horses tail
Knotweed
Himalayan balsam (which im sure is becoming more of a problem than many realise)
Giant Hogweed
Ground elder

Lots of other annoying weeds but the above can be a nightmare.

 

I've just searched on the net. I provide two image-files.
One is for "Fat Hen" (I wonder If I guessed what you meant), the other is for "Pigweed" (It is what I meant: a real sh*** - pardon my rude language - to put it midly).
Much better your "Fat Hen" than my "Pigweed" That's really disgusting !

 

Hi !
I've seen all of them. But I guess no one is as disgusting as the one in attachment...

 

Massimo selective weed killers are available they kill broad leaved weeds but dont harm grasses, they are pretty effective normally, (although weeds will of course return in time) You will still have the problem of holes when the weeds die, but you can of course sow some seed in the bare patches.

I tend to tolerate weeds in lawn I dont mind the odd daisy and dandelion, but I can see why people strive for a lush perfect lawn.

 

Hello, maxsim, and welcome to GC.

We have a dreadful problem with Portulaca oleracea and it has taken over just about every pot I have .. and I have many, many pots .. it seems to like them moreso than the ground. I have never been able to control it.

Neither am I able to control Oxalis pes-caprae which is even more invasive.

There is another, prevalent at the moment, that spreads and has red stems and horrendous spikes at the leaf axils ... I haven't identified it yet.

I do not like using chemicals as I have four cats so I just despair.

 

Yes, I myself heard that it is edible.
Next time when I will have guests at home for lunch, I will offer them a "tasty" dish of "Purslane"...
...with italian dressing, it is simply "delicious"... :lollol:
Still, I don't need any money to buy it as I "grow" it in my front-yard...
Save money during this time of economic crisis...

 

Since you are from Portugal, I believe that this "purslane" is widespread in your country too. Indeed, they say that "Purslane" is original from middle-east and North Africa. From those lands has spread to all the mediterranena countries (both because those lands are nearby, and because those lands themselves have the climatic conditions ideal for this plant). I've been told that "Purslane" survives only if the average temperature is warmer than 25 celsius degrees.
So, we do have a killer for Purslane.
This killer is called "chill": when the average temperature drop down below 20 celsius degrees, then Purslane tends to disappear spountaniously.
I am ready to bet that our friends the british have not this weed.
According to the climate-tables, London has a July average temperature as equal as 18 celsius degrees (that is BELOW 20 celsius degrees).

 

Hello again maxsim.

Yes, it is Purslane here and it is a nightmare for a gardener ... even if they like to eat such .... :hehe:

I'm not sure about your temperature 'chills' because we can get near frost here in Algarve for a couple of days, the southern most point of Portugal. And our chill does not get rid of it ... as I said, I despair ...

This is another horrid invader here .. do you (or anyone else) know it ... ?



It is taking over our gravel parking area at the moment and as it gets larger it gets thorny things on it also so when you go to grab it to pull it up you have lacerated hands ... the bits around it are dead almond blossom flowers.

 

well, I'm not saying that if temperature drop below 20 degrees, all of a sudden, Purslane disappears.
It needs a bit of time to die...
It sounds strange what you experience in Algavre with Purselane.
Anyway I certainly believe you.
In Milan, I guess that if temperatures stay well below 20 degrees for - say - one month, then you will not see Purselane any longer.
Indeed, in Milan, Purselane is something you defenetely cannot see from october to may.
On the contrary, in June, July, and August (when temperatures reach up even to 35 degrees and stay steadily over 20 even during the night), there is the perfect "habitat" for Purselane.
I guess also (but I am not sure) that Purselane does not love too much water.
So its perfect habitat is something relating a dry-hot climate...
Having say that, we can realize that the english gardeners have not to cope with Purselane... (actually I wonder if the mild rainy damp british climate is the right climate for a "weed" called "grass". In that case we understand how lucky the british are ...)
Talking about weed, some gardeners say to me that some of them do not survive below warm temperatures, many of them do not survive if you often cut them (for example when you often mow the lawn).

Bye !

 

Hello again maksim ...

We go to about 40c in the summer and have no rain for at least five months. In saying that we have had our wettest winter in 30 years.

Do you recognise the weed photo I put up? I do not know what it is and I am an avid tropical / sub-tropical gardener here and have such a garden myself which is unusual.

It makes me laugh here as the locals (I live amidst locals) find me 'strange' that I only grow 'flowers' not things to eat and are amazed I try to eradicate weeds .. their theory is ... they are seasonal and will go on their own ... horrors to me.

 

Hi Lady:luv:
I hope your "locals" feel the same if they ever get invaded by Knotweed.:wink:

 

My darling Caj .. I have neglected you .... please forgive me :ntwrth: ... lots going on ... I will write in the next couple of days ... love to you and Shaz ..... :luv:k-l