Enemy takes control

The weed invasion, the dread of every gardener, is an offensive that must be stopped.

Weed invasion. If you talk to gardeners they always seem to be waiting! They wait in anguish or jubilation for rain, for sun, for relief from high winds or the burning effects of frost and ice.

They wait for spring, for the first snowdrops, and for species tulips some of which make pools of brilliant red, like spilled paint cast about under bare-leafed trees in April.

At about the same time they become neurotic and impatient about certain elements of their hobby, weeds and adverse weather conditions in particular.

They can do nothing about the weather of course, but weeds are quite another matter.

This year, my waiting for a dry day in which to do some weeding (and painting indoors and out) ran on into the closing days of August.

By then, of course, the battle was well and truly lost, and the enemy had taken control of every bed and border worth invading.

They came, legions strong as one wet day followed another, so that eventually I had to admit failure.

The nastiest of all is that sycophant dock, followed by nettles, chickweed, Welsh Poppy, wild ivy, bindweed, hairy bitter-cress and creeping buttercup.

Underground runners are the sneakiest of weeds and the most difficult to get rid of, but hairy bitter-cress runs a close second!

It may not have underground runners but it produces little white flowers which are easy to spot.

At this stage it looks innocent and unthreatening but beware its simplicity, for as soon as the flowers fade the stems elongate, the seed pods curl and lengthen, and the little seeds inside fatten and ripen.

It is then too late to take action for at the least touch to the outer covering of the seed pods they explode with a force that expels the seeds far and wide. Another generation of weeds has been born!

Essentially an annual with shallow roots it will grow all through winter in mild counties.

The perennial nightmares like ground elder, couch grass, creeping buttercup, bindweed and nettles have stronger roots because they must survive through a succession of winters.

Look at how their roots differ; nettle roots are thin, stringy affairs, yellow when exposed and they tear easily. Ground elder are thick, fleshy, off-white and hairy and lie not far below the surface so can be got at by diligent digging.

Those of bindweed however are grey-white and tubular and they grow both laterally and downwards towards the earth’s core. Any attempt at forced removal or gentle extraction will see them snap with distressing ease.

Couch grass has horrible white ‘stolons’ with pointed tips and the perennial sow-thistles grow enormously fast plump and juicy. None is easy to eradicate.

All increase readily by root portion or seed and many can reproduce a new plant from the tiniest portion left in the ground.

My plan of action therefore this autumn includes smothering all existing annual weeds with a thick layer of organic material.

Those covered will die and any weed seeds on the soil surface which are deprived of light and air will not germinate.

Anything in the organic line will suffice; well-rotted manure, garden compost, Gee-Up horse manure, or even pine-needles which are wonderful beneath acid-loving rhododendrons and other lime haters.

The perennial horrors will have to be tackled slowly and individually with strong herbicides, provided always that we get a few fine days during September and October in which to apply them.

Outdoor painting I’m afraid, will have to wait until spring.

GARDEN NOTES

¦ Cork Garden Club, Ashton School host Madeline McKeever of ‘Brown Envelope Seeds’ to speak on harvesting at their meeting on Thursday at 8pm. Visitors and new members welcome.

¦ Mallow Flower and Garden Club will host a demonstration with Kay Murphy on Tuesday, Sept 18 at 8pm in the Mercy Centre.

¦ Kanturk Flower and Garden Club meet in the Temperance Hall (next to Alley Bar) on Wednesday next at 8pm. Guest speaker Deborah Begley of Terra Nova Gardens will speak on her gardens.

¦ Congratulations to well-known D and M Garden Centre at Croagh, Co. Limerick who have recently secured a Four Star Quality Award from Bord Bia.

¦ Kinsale Flower and Garden Club will host Helen Lucas to give a demonstration on floral art at their meeting on Thursday next at 8pm in St. Multose Hall. New members and visitors welcome.

¦ Castlelyons Home and Garden Club will host Sarah Evans of the Secret Garden, Kanturk at their meeting on Thursday next at 8pm in the Community Centre. Sarah will speak on tidying the garden. The club’s autumn harvest of flowers, fruit and vegetables will also take place. Non-members welcome.

¦ Macroom Flower and Garden Club will host a demonstration with Mary Coughlan (Tralee) entitled “Something Old, Something New” on Thursday next in Coolcower House Macroom at 8pm.

¦ Clonakilty Flower Club will hold their

AGM in Fernhill House Hotel at 8pm on Monday next. New members are very welcome.

¦ Youghal Flower and Garden Club will meet on Tuesday next at 8pm in the Walter Raleigh Hotel.

¦ Ballincollig Flower and Garden Club will host D J Murphy of the Bandon Garden Centre on Monday next at 8pm in Oriel Hotel Ballincollig. Visitors welcome.