Weed identification

hans_2

Would someone kindly identify above. It's taking over my large border around the lawn. It's like a carpet and weedkiller has little effect.

Thanks

Kermie

It's 'Mind Your Own Business' or Soleirolia soleirolii: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=348

Looks like removal is a challenge. I've never had it but funnily enough it's on my list to fill the gaps between stepping stones (no grass).

DaftyDuck

Kermie is correct. It is a right difficult one to eradicate, but it can be done. There was a thread on here a year ago, where I'd had success. You'll need to treat the lawn and bed, if it has reached into the lawn.

Here's how:

For the bed, first thing to do is lift as many clumps off as you can. You can "peel" them off with a trowel, or a flat spade if you can manage that. Get as much off as you can, and chuck the plant and soil away. It will grow from the smallest part. Next, remove as many small bits as you can see. Then, spray with glyphosate, or use a paintbrush around the stams of plants you want. About a week later, lightly fork around the plants. Try not to move soil about, or it will spread. It doesn't like the dry, so if you can do this when no rain is forecast (ha! right!) all the better.

As the weather gets cooler, keep turning the soil. The frost of winter will see the last of it off.


On the lawn, you can attack it with lawn weedkillers like Verdone, but they'll need some help. Now is a good time to attack it. First rake the lawn heavily, removing thatch and as much of the MYOB as you can. Scratch the lawn to aerate, use a fork to spike as well, get that surface dryer. After three or four weeks, apply the Verdone, and leave. You may need to give a secont treatment with Verdone next Spring.

Eenymeeny

Kermie wrote: »

It's 'Mind Your Own Business' or Soleirolia soleirolii: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=348

Looks like removal is a challenge. I've never had it but funnily enough it's on my list to fill the gaps between stepping stones (no grass).

:eek::eek::eek: No! Please don't! I'm sure that you'll regret it. I'm probably the previous thread referred to and I'm still stuggling with it. It grows over gravel, stone, anywhere it can unfortunately. I once saw a programme which had Diarmid Gavin and Helen Dillon judging a Japanese style garden in Ireland. The owner had it planted it on an island in the middle of a pond where it just dripped over the edges. It looked nice but I still wouldn't feel safe!
Thanks for the extra advice, I'm thinking of stripping some beds back and covering them with newspaper and stones over the winter as the glyphosate is only catching patches and unfortunately it grows back!:(

DaftyDuck

For anyone thinking of using this pestilence for any purpose, can I point them at the truly delightful Mentha requienii.... This plant looks very, very similar. In fact, if you do a Google image search for MYOB or the wonderful mint, who could really spot the difference?

Well, anyone who grows the stuff! The mint does spread. Slooowly. It can be weeded out in a jiffy. It is susceptible to pretty much any weedkiller - and it doesn't have pernicious roots like many mints. It is fragrant, seriously fragrant, such that walking on it in bare feet is the next best thing to whatever is best in your life. Grow it in paving cracks, sit there in the summer, and let the scent waft over you as you sip a mint Julep.

You can use the leaves in your mint Julep. Or any food. Chocolate mint ice-cream made with this is... divine! Sprinkle a little on a Greek salad. Mint sauce, made with wine vinegar and Corsican mint.... ah me! Crème de menthe is its speciality.

Oh, it flowers too, with the sweetest lilac-blue flowers imaginable. Bees love them. So do rabbits, domestic ones, and it makes their breath smell beautiful.

You can grow it in pots and even hanging baskets - right a nose-level! You can have paths solid with the stuff (it's tough enough to walk on), and even a whole lawn of it is possible....

Oh, it deters many insects, including mosquito and midge. It can be used as a companion plant for brassicas, deterring cabbage white and other bugs.

It is easy to grow. If I had a small garden, I would grow it as a lawn. If I only had a balcony, I'd certainly have this in one of my three pots. If I had a farm, I'd go mad, and grow an acre ...

It's easy to grow. You can grow it from seed. Or, if you have some, spread a few minute plantlets around, and water well, and they'll all go. To get rid of it, just rake it about on a hot day, and it will almost all die. Easy.
Can you tell that I like it yet? :iloveyou:I could go on.... but I'm guessing you have all been persuaded to buy the stuff.

Go on. Go on. Go on.. GO ON!!!

DaftyDuck

May I just briefly add I detest Mind Your Own Business. I wish it would!