Getting rid of borage, nettles etc

Hi there,

Just taken on a new garden which is going to be great, it has been loved but neglected for the last few years, I've got large patches of what i think is borage, some nettles, cow parsley and various other weeds. tried digging out the borage today but the roots were well below fork level and I feared I was just creating more weeds by digging. I have enough garden to focus on for a while and I'm not adverse to using weed killer. would I be better advised to weedkiller these areas, if so what should I use which would erradicate the problems and allow me to plant new stuff from next spring.

Cheers Elliegreenwelly xx

 

Borage, I believe, is annual. If I'm right, you just need to stop it setting seed by preventing the flowers from maturing. Its a shame because borage is a stunning plant.

However, similar to borage (and related) is Comfrey, which is a bit more of a problem to get rid of once established, as it seeds so freely, and is perennial and very deep rooted. I guess that would be a job for RoundUp, but again it would be a shame because its a pretty plant, and the leaves are great for composting or for brewing a liquid plant feed.

I don't know much about cow parsley, other than what it looks like and where it grows, and that as kids we used to make pea shooters out of the dried hollow stems.

 

I'd agree with what Dave just said, its more likely to be comfrey than borage, or evergreen alkanet, same family, very similar but deep rooted too.

You could cover the whole plot with carpet if you're not going to use it this year.

 

If you don't mind using weedkiller I would spray the problem areas with glyphosphate (roundup). You might have to spray twice (to get any regrowth) and again in the spring to get the seedlings of those annuals. Good wishes for your new garden Ellie.

 

thanks guys, definately comfrey then as the roots are huge! - will get spraying then, will dig out the cow parsley as it's around plants I want to keep. x

 

Just one quick word of advice - If the cow parsley is cow parsley-fine ferny leaves , thats cool , but if its hog weed-same same but different , much bigger and boofier leaves , for god sake don't strim it in short sleeves ! I learned the hard way on a lovely sunny day in a vest top - a few days later I looked as though I had been experimenting with self harming with random cigarette burning - the bit that went down the cleavage burnt both sides and I had an embarrassing time explaining it all to my osteopath !!! The 'borage' definately sounds like comfry - also beloved of bees and incredibly nutritious for peeps too - comfry leaf fritters r good . If its borage it'll have blue star shaped flowers on it - v good in pimms! - if its comfry the flowers will be red and white born in a slowly uncoiling bud that looks like a green caterpillar unwinding itself - I'm going for the world record for the longest 'quick word' !!!!!!!!!! : )

 

Wozwoz,

thanks so much for the advice, I'm looking at it out the window as I type it doesn't have fine ferny leaves so I assume hog weed! I'll cover up before I tackle it. Not sure of the flower colours on the other plant as it's finished flowering, just assumed it was blue as seen something similar before. It does have big thick long roots though!! x

 

Borage,

Much smaller leaves than comfrey



And Hemlock. Don't have any Hogweed to photo, but these 2 are the more likely umbelifers to be flowering at this time of year. Cow parsley has gone over.

Sods law, just been out metal detecting and cam across a Giant Hogweed in flower, about 9 foot tall, and I didn't have my camera:DOH:

 

Marley Farley, that's scared me to death! It's definately hogweed as the leaves are the same, i don't think it's giant though it's only about 3 foot tall tops. I'll take care getting it out!

 

Okay mystery (took laptop outside with google images) solved it is neither comfrey nor borage but green alcanet. from what I have read the roots can be a problem if left behind and as they are several feet long I think weedkiller is the only option to eradicate. thank you for helping me to identify1 I'm sure I'll be back with more, one things this garden's not short of it big weeds!

 

Comfrey flowers come in a vareity of colours, I guess depending on the vareity. The ones I've seen range from pink, through to a purple/blue. Either way it makes no difference when you introduce them to Roundup.

 

I just planted Borage ... as it is good for attracting bumblee bees

 

Okay dug out some of the hogweed but it was a bit too hot this weekend so still a little more to do. Roundup in most of the borders to kill the green alcanet and nettles. turns out I do have quite a bit of borage also in another part of the garden. Have sprayed all but one plant to see if i might like it. it's got tons of flowers coming on it, but I'm afraid I still think it's rather ugly.....

biggest problem I'm going to have now is distinguishing between fox gloves (which I want to keep and the other blighters as they come up, the leaves are so similar!

Roundup seems to have had very little effect so far, a few black spots here and there but otherwise all weeds appear to be thriving - assume it takes a couple of weeks? xx