Weed Infestation - What to do?

[Maizy]

I'm a newbie gardener. My backyard used to be grass. I simply tilled up some areas bordering the outside of my yard (fenced in), built some raised beds in between, and lined some areas with brick paths. It looked really pretty. Until...

About late spring the weeds came in and took over. I lost control. A ground cover with strawberry leaf shaped leaves covered every surface of everything I created. Now, mid February, I'm looking in disbelief and wondering what my options are now for the spring.

Can I spray wide leaf weed killer and expect to kill such an infestation? Do I have to till and start over? What kind of tricks are there for such a situation as mine?

Any, ANY advice welcome.

Oh yea...
I also laid a 1/2 inch thick layer of newspaper below the fresh soil I covered all my beds with as a weed preventative as well as laid down an additional weed control product (I forget the name...little white ball pellets) on top of the soil.

Please help.
I'm drowing in a sea of weeds! :cry:

[pruninggal]

Check this link and see if this is what you have.
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/cotton/WE.../buttercup.jpg

If it is, it's extremely hard to control except by manual weeding. A complete weedkiller won't do the trick either. Buttercup usually grows in moister places and in cracks. It's likely that you already had some of this as I've seen it come up many times from under newspaper.... THe only success I've had is torching it... but even then it has to be done several times before it's under control.

Perhaps someone else can give another recommendation for removal!

[Maizy]

Thanks a lot for posting. Fortunately, I don't think I have what you mentioned. What I have seems to be a ground cover of sorts (or a weed?) and it looks like the one on the left in this link except it's green (not purple). Further searches on this ground cover show the leaves to have more sharp edges whereas the one I have looks more like the one in this picture with rounded edges: http://www.bucknur.com/acatalog/pictures_24.html

[Elf]

Hi Maiz

I had look in google and found this site it looks like it could be what your looking for to solve your weed problem.

http://www.cityofseattle.net/util/la...estproblem.htm

Elf

[Maizy]

I believe what I have is called Dichondra. I guess I'll try a simple broadleaf weed killer for now and see if that works.

[pruninggal]

Hey Maizy, If it is Dichondra, it should be easy to hand pull or scrape up. Is there any reason why you don't want it around? I can understand why you don't want it in the beds but how about leaving it on the path? Also, before just spraying something, READ THE LABEL or ask the seller if it will work for what you want it too. It's no good to spray something if you don't know if it will work or not. (Plus it's not good for the plants around the area or your soil.).

Good luck and glad you don't have buttercup!

Katy

[Maizy]

Hey Katy,
Actually, I don't know what it *really* is that's growing back there. It looks like Dichondra yet the leaf has a more bubbly edge. It's really quite pretty but by the way it grew last year you would've thought I laid down all that fresh soil for it alone! I mean, it literally took over and is now a mat on top of everything. It's hard to pull up too. It's woven so tightly into the soil.

[Newt]

Hi Maizy,
I agree with pruning gal. It's best to know what you are trying to get rid of before you spray. You might want to consider vinegar as an herbicide (weed killer). Not the stuff you cook with as that's not strong enough, but the one used as an herbicide. Take a look at these sites to see what you may have. The first is the dichondra.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/diore.htm

This one is ground ivy.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/glehe.htm

Here's common mallow.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/malne.htm

Here's henbit or lamium.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/lamam.htm

Purple or red deadnettle.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/lampu.htm

Persian speedwell.

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/verpe.htm

This is the wild strawberry.

http://www.first-nature.com/flowers/fragaria_vesca.htm

Have we found it yet?

Here's the info on the vinegar.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/020515.htm
http://www.greensense.net/vinegar.html

Here's a site that offers environmentally friendly herbicides and pesticides.

http://www.gardensalive.com/prog_dis...sp?PROG_NBR=17

Newt

[Elf]

wow you realy know your sites Newt

[Newt]

Elf, thanks! I've been answering questions on forums for quite a while now and have quite a few saved up. I have all kinds of catagories I've made for 'Gardening' in my bookmarks (favorites to some people) and I use google alot to find information. :)

Newt