Weeding

[earthworm]

So, I have a vegetable patch that I the last owners of this house had made. I got a few spuds out of it in winter, but most of them had gone 'orrible. I've no idea what else is in there.

I can see there's some grass starting to grow in places though, and those weeds that look a bit like small doc leaves. When should I be doing weeding? Is it a year round job? Or seasonal? If I start digging up these weeds will I wreck anything else that might be growing in there that'll soon be edible?

[Green Aura]

I'm afraid weeding is an all year round job - except when the grounds too cold of course.

I can't think of anything that would be over wintering that you wouldn't already be able to identify - mainly brassicas. But it is possible that your dock-type leaves are hiding parsnips (they're sort of similar although I wouldn't call them small) so the only way to find out is dig one up

[MKG]

I'd dig the whole thing, otherwise you'll grow a lovely crop of perennial weeds in a few weeks time. Plus, you'll need to get rid of those spuds (I'll guarantee you've missed some). If there's anything hiding in there (like those possible parsnips) they'll be big enough to eat right now. When you've done all of that, you get the pleasure of planning the plot without having to worry about what may or may not be in there that you may or may not like anyway. The only thing I think I'd watch out for is a rhubarb crown - but if you get one of those, you'll know. Just replant it where you want it to grow.

Mike

[earthworm]

Thanks for the advice so far. Bad to hear weeding is an all year round job, but such is life! :D

I did post before, and somebody said to leave the veg patch and just see what grows there, but to be honest, I do like the idea of actually doing it myself so I know what's in there for sure.

I think somebody had also said the festering spuds could be left to grow back next year? Is that rubbish then?

I've posted a picture of one of the weeds or whatever it is here (the one on the right) ...

http://imgur.com/a/6AmFw/all

Another question is about the other plot the other side. I'm not sure what its meant to be. I've put an overview shot (3rd from the right) in the gallery, and the others are close ups (apart from the far right photo, which is the one of a weed in the veg patch proper).

Does anyone know what this part of the garden was meant to be? Are they herbs or anything useful, or just decorative shrubs? If so, I'll dig them all up and plant some useful veg I think.

[boboff]

That is a weed.

Looks like a rosemarry in there, others are shrubs.

Looks very clean and tidy to me, you will have fun!

[Millymollymandy]

It's a herb garden of sorts. The plants are in order left to right

1 not sure
2 rosemary
3 box
4 could be a curry plant or cotton lavendar. Whatever it is needs pruning back. Pinch a bit of leaf and if it stinks of curry it's a curry plant!
5 lavendar - needs pruning too. Do both of them in about a month's time.
6 the overview - can't figure out the tall thing by the fence
7 box
8 they are all weeds!

[earthworm]

Hmm, number 4 didn't smell of curry, so it must be lavender, it smelled kind of nice like that.

[Peggy Sue]

I'm tempted to hijack a bit here. I try really hard to be organic and don't do weedkiller but I have two increasign problems on my fruit patch- bindweed and chick weed. My issue is I can't get into the goosberry bushes to weed that well and have tried to just hoe over the last 3 years since they went in- now both are getting out of control as hoeing doesn't get ride of either!
Any suggestions (except daily scratch youself to death type weeding sessions!)

[earthworm]

Well, there's a tub of what I hope are weeds outside now, and a load of mud with them. Can I put that in the compost bin or is there more to getting rid of the weeds and roots?

[grahamhobbs]

I think it is acceptable even in an organic garden, if no other method feasible, to use a systemic weedkiller like Roundup applied directly to the leaves of the culprit. Some people use rubber gloves and rub the individual leaves between their hands dipped in the weedkiller, or you can paint it on with a brush. You can put polythene down to protect the soil.

As for weeds on the compost, I put everything on my heap but try to avoid weeds with seeds. Although many people say don't put couch or bindweed roots on the compost, I find they rot down or if occaisionally bindweed does grow, it's roots are so white and fleshy in the compost that they are easily removed. However unless your compost reaches high temperatures weed seeds will remain in the compost and sprout all over your ground again. Perhaps if I had ground elder I might not put that on the compost as it is very invasive and I'm not sure how it behaves if put on the compost.

The alternative to putting weeds, including those with seeds, on the comost is to put them in a tub of water, nothing survives after a time submerged in water and the water can later be used as a nutrient rich feed for your plants.

[wulf]

#1 could be what I have tentatively identified as Aubretia in my garden (most images show it covered with flowers but it is fairly dormant at this time of year). #2 has what may be Escallonia lurking at the back.

Wulf

[Green Aura]

I have two increasign problems on my fruit patch- bindweed and chick weed

Chickweed is edible - and we have a gallon of chickweed wine brewing at the moment.

Apart from using the vine as garden twine I don't think bindweed has any other uses though. It's one of the few weeds I'd be tempted to zap with a little weedkiller.

[Peggy Sue]

Yes I know chickweed is edible but I have more than I want to eat!! My prblem with the bindweed is... and I have tried painting roundup on the leaves very reluctantly one year... it winds itself up the goosberries and to do anythinng so elaborate and miss the goosberries is challenging without the thorns! The best time of year to spray if I resorted to that would be spring when I'd get the gooseberries too.
I did make the fatal mistake of composting bndweed before it was dead and it can go completely mad in your compost, mine now has fine white netting of roots throughout and really painstaking to separate- beware or you could end up like me with an established problem
Im going to try painting the leaves with roundup once again then, it seems like the only real suggestion anyone can offer no matter who I ask- sad when I really don't want to use chemicals- not a perfecrt world though

[Millymollymandy]

I hate chickweed, it's so difficult to weed out with those tenacious web of roots. Much prefer bindweed as at least that goes dormant in winter whereas my flower beds which were all nicely weeded, tidied up and mulched in the autumn are now covered in a load of chickweed, which never stops growing.