Help for a Novice Again!- weeds, seedlings, grass seed

princessfayebaley

Hi to you all and agian thanks in advance for your help, I have posted a few questions over the last few months and you have all give me great advice. Can I point out out I am a complete gardening novice and apologise if my questions seem very simple!

1) My garden is over run with the weeds that are like little trees with lots of leaves ( sorry I have tried to insert a picture but can't seem to do it, I am not very technical!), I have tried digging them out but its like hitting bricks with my pitch fork because the roots are so thick and dense ( they are like wood), can anyone identify the weed and tell me the best way to get rid of them ( they are problem for all the houses on my estate), they are like little trees when they get going! I have used weedol and resolve but without success, they just make the leaves go brown.

2) Cuumber plants - I sowed some cucmbers in the middle of March and they started of really well, they are currently in 3 inch pots ( i cant see any roots at the bottom so I know they have enough room). The problem I have is that even though they are sturdy plants they havent grown past the 4 leaf stage in the last 2 weeks, nor have they grown in heighht? I sthis normal and if not what should I do to encourage growth . They are kept in my conservatory.

3) Grass Seed- I sowed some grass seed 3 weeks ago, on teh packet it said I should see some growth within two weeks, nothing has happened so this morning I had a look and the seeds seem to be empty shells, i sthis because the birds have been at them ( I havent seen any) or because that is what is supposed to happen and I have to be patient? They have been sown over an area of about 30m2, it was all mus which I aireated and raked befoe hand?

4) Asters and Daisies- when my aster and daisy seedlings I pricked them out and put in 3 ich pots but northing seems to be happening ( 4 weeks ago I re-poted them), the asters have got to 6 leaf stage but the stems are still like cress, am I fighting a loosing battle with these or is there a way to make the sterdy?

Sorry for the long post and I hope someone can help with the questions, I have tried to research on the internet but can't seem to find the answers lol

Chimera

can't help with anything else, but cucumber seedlings - I thought the same about my french beans, kinda stopped growing - couldn't see any roots in bottom, but yesterday just thought i'd have a look as I was repotting others.. Well - they definitely needed potting on, just their roots weren't at the bottom, more round the edges, maybe worth taking one out to see what roots are up to?

rhiwfield

Only got time for Q1. From your description it doesnt seem like ground elder or bindweed. At a guess from your treelike description it could be horsetail, common in damp ground and an absolute nightmare to get rid of. Try googling it to see if it is.

littleme96

I am a complete beginner too, but I also had lots of weeds and someone posted this link to help me identify the numerous weeds in my garden - www.lawn-craft.co.uk/weedidentification.html. Hopefully that may help in identifying the ones you've got. I am digging mine out where possible, but we also used a feed, weed and moss killer too with limited success.

Where we are digging out the weeds we are putting down grass seed like you and it does sound as if the birds are having a bit of a feast on them. We mix our seed with top soil and/or compost to protect it a bit. Might be worth a try?

Hope that helps and that someone can help with your other questions.

princessfayebaley

Hi all thank you for your replies so far, sorry couldnt get back sooner but after posting yesterday my computer decided it didnt want to work anymore!

Fell a little bit like a wally because since yesterday my grass seed and cucumbers have grown a little but have woken to another problem. My strawberry palnts and two of my sunflower plants have been snapped at the stem, do you think they have been attacked or could it have been the heavy rain last night? they have been snapped right at the base of the plants.

Chimera- since yesterday the cucumbers seem to have had a growth spert overnight! literally they have grown about another centimeter! but at the weekend I am going to take your advice and ake one out of their pots and have a look if the roots are at the side.Thank you.

rhiwfield- its none of the weeds that you have mentioned, I suppose my description wasnt the best and when the BF comes around tonight I will see if he can get a picture uploaded so it can be identified. The leaves look like mint leaves and they are on a stem which is quite thick and about 10 cm tall, they are all very crowded and it looks like I have a big bush that covers about a 20m2 area with them, whatever they are they are hardy little !!!!!!s. thnak you

littleme96- your link was very useful but again its hasnt got any pictures of the weed that has invaded my back garden! all the weed killer seems to have done is turn the edegs of the leaves black.
re my grass seed I have had a look this morning and there are signs of growth so fingers crossed the birds didnt get it all! Thanks you

valentina

Is it ground elder?
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=215

princessfayebaley

Thats it thank you so much!!!! now for some research to find out how to get rid of it!

ixwood

Good luck. Ground elder is quite persistant/annoying. It's made worse by the fact that it'll grow under and through other plants in your beds.

It is edible though, so maybe you could eat your way to victory.

princessfayebaley

It is very annoying I agree on that! Luckily I havent got anything else growing in my borders . My plan is to nuke it with the strongest weed killer man can buy then try and dig it up then put that weed control memebrane down and cover with stones. All my plants and veg that I am growing will have to go into pots and I will pray that I get to the top of the waiting list for an alllotment soon!

Edible?????? do you have to coook it first or can you eat it raw? Mind you with the amount of weed killer I have put on it, it is no longer edible x