Deadly Nightshade

Peggy Sue · Post: # 70131Post **Peggy Sue** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:10 am

Just got a second patch at the allotment. Was so lucky with the first being in good nick but this is another story!

As I pulled up the waist high weeds I noticed what I think is deadly nightshade- there is LOADS of it (waist high, 3ft sq solid then it spreads out to bits in about a third of the allotment)

I've pulled up what I can, but alot broke at the root and lots has berries on so I guess they will seed. My plan is to dig it over and pull out more roots. Re dig in a few weeks and cover with main offending area with carpet.

Any advice? Will this work?

The plan was to grow fruit here, would it be better to do something else??

Ant advice welcome!

red · Post: # 70169Post **red** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:47 pm

well i would keep trying to get rid.. but I believe (could be wrong) that you have to eat it to have any trouble. think the roots are the most poisonous part.
deadly nightshde does not turn up that often.. so you might have one of the other nightshades?

I would not hesitate to plant fruit in same area.. only thing to consider is if you have a child who might mix the berries up or something.. but raspberries are very different! - they wont contaminate the ground or anything.

Peggy Sue · Post: # 70173Post **Peggy Sue** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:02 pm

Thats reasuring- and no kids so only the dog to worry about who seems more interested in passers by, rabbits and sunbathing when we are there.

One of the other allotmenteers thought it was Deadly Nightshade- little white flowers like potatoes, leaves like mistletoe and very persistent roots!!

I'll carry on planting and not worry so much, Thanks

red · Post: # 70176Post **red** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:29 pm

well - you must decide for yourself of course.. just my opinion

the tree has a page on it..

Millymollymandy · Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:27 pm

I get one of the nightshade plants in my veg patch as an annual - I don't worry about it and just hoe or weed it out - like all the other weeds! Just so long as you know it's not one of the many annual weeds in the veg patch that ARE edible.....

Peggy Sue · Post: # 70309Post **Peggy Sue** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:48 pm

Thanks, I'm not quite brave enough yet to eat the weeds, I keep thinking about having a go at Chickweed, but since its supposed to be like spinacha nd we have WAY too much spinach it does seem silly.

Nettles I have promised myself I will do something with next spring, but then again they are great fro the compost heap!

Andy Hamilton · Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:23 pm

We got some of it on our plot this year and I had to convince my girlfriend that the crops around it were edible.

I thought it was the berries that are the most poisonous?? yep just don't eat it and you should be fine.

Peggy Sue · Post: # 70426Post **Peggy Sue** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:28 pm

OK I feel a bit better now. We were originally given a different plot and the man with an adjacent plot wanted a swop. I was wondering if we had been 'done' but maybe not as we have gained 2 current bushes and 2 vines

Thanks for this, no plans to eat the berries