This weed has slowly been taking over our mulch beds for two seasons now and, this year, it has spread to the OTHER side of the house. It grows solely in our mulch beds which has a base of landscape fabric, so the root system is shallow and spread out. They're easy to pull, but the second you touch them (no matter how light of a touch is used), tiny coil shaped seed pods (I assume) leap or spring off the plant like they heard the call to abandon ship! They can spring up to a foot away, replanting themselves and continuing the cycle. The arrows in picture 1 show two of the tiny coils. I also notice very tiny seeds that drop straight off the plant, as well. Any help in a) identifying and b) permanently removing or controlling would be greatly appreciated.
That sounds like and the seed pods look like one of the bittercress tribe.Cardamine.You'll just have to keep pulling them out and try to get them before they set seed, which is not easy as they seem to spring into being fully armoured while you gone in for five minutes to answer the phone. Don't hoe them unless it's a very hot day so they wilt, or they'll reroot when your back is turned. Take them away. I don't compost them as I don't think my small town-garden compost bin gets hot enough to kill the seeds. I'm quite prepared to be put right about this, but the bittercresses and the willowherbs are such a pest to me that I let the city compost them, in the hope that they have a hotter heap.
Thank you for the reply. After reading up a bit on Cardamine, I see that it's a very large genus of over 150 species, so pinpointing the exact species may be tough. In my research, the one thing I would see over and over again is something along the lines of "pods that shoot seeds". I can probably thank a bird or other animal for transplanting it to the other side of the house (or even my shoes after walking through the mulch). In any case, I suppose it's time to buck up and beat the plant to the knock-out blow. Thank you again for your help. On a side note, I've definitely bookmarked this site and plan on visiting often.
You're welcome. I've only been reading here since January, but I've learned so much, especially about plants that I don't grow myself.
This is an annual and if you pull it before it flowers you will bring it under control. I am unsure of it's correct name but around here we refer to it as sheherd's purse. Liz
Not sure if it is the same one that you have,but over here we have the very same problem as you. In our case the culprit is ,I believe ,called Cardamine hirsuta. Common name Hairy Bitter-cress.It starts off really small and can fire its seeds when no more then half an inch high, often hidden behind a twig/stone. If left it does reach about 8inches. I think I spread it around on the soles of my shoes too. It is getting worse each year.
Luddite, That second pic you uploaded is definitely the culprit. Thanks to everyone for helping me ID this little bugger. Now, if I could only find out how to get rid of 'em (besides beating them to the punch), I'd be a happy camper. :-)
Both pictures are of the same culprit, first pic shows it before the tiny white flowers grow.Good luck with getting rid of it!!!!
That's the one I have, too. I wonder if the seeds have the same property that Flanders poppies are reputed to have, of surviving deep in the soil, and then germinating when the ground is disturbed and they see light? That's the only explanation I can think of for its tenacity when I've been thorough in my weeding as the seeds don't go that far. Gertrude Jeykll says you can eat it, but I'm always very wary of eating things on my own identification. Am I right not to compost it?
Luddite, I never let 'em get high enough to see flowers. I see them pop up, I yank them. It's hard to keep up with them though. Like Nic said, you go in to answer the phone, come back out, and there they are! Thanks again....
Don't know about you...but I'm not going to compost this one. Odd thing about it is it hasn't spread to the grassy areas yet, and I'm sure it's had ample opportunity. It's quite content germinating 2"-3" under my mulch and above my landscape fabric. <shrug>
I haven't got any grass, but now you mention it, I've not seen it in my neighbour's lawn, only her borders... that makes me think I might be right about disturbed soil, and hoeing would make things worse.
I found this while "googling" beyond this site: Hairy bittercress is an annual weed which is found on wet disturbed areas. It does best on sandy to organic soils. It can be found in landscapes, turf and in container plants. Allow soils to dry or correct drainage to prevent soils from remaining moist. That last sentence seems his seems odd to me since my mulched area has excellent drainage and is partially on a slight slope. In any case, I'll check back into this thread to let you know how my battle is progressing.
Yes that is the one here. Cardamine hirsuta. Common name Hairy Bitter-cress I weed before it flowers and I have managed to control it. The chickens scruff it up as well. I have it mainly along edgings, pots and disturbed areas. Liz Liz
I love flameweeding for cardamines! Short of borrowing a hungry turkey from my neighbor and letting it loose in the lawn, my little butane pencil torch is a fantastic way to keep the cardamines under control. Flameweeding is also super plant specific, so I can just torch the plants I don't want in the garden, and leave the others alone. Hearty endorsement here, and the basic tools are very inexpensive.
My planting's too dense for flameweeding, and my garden so tiny that if I can't keep it under control then I don't deserve so much as a window box. It's not that the cardamines crowd out other plants (I have the New Zealand one as well) but they make the place look so unkempt. And it's the way they turn up,ready to seed,so quickly,that almost makes one believe in spontaneous generation. I remember my father doing gravel paths and the drive with something from Apocalypse Now. I think it probably did him a lot of good, as there were seven of us children, and it got him out, with a purpose. He did a lot of peaceful hoeing, as well.
I really just chose that quote to link to the page because I thought it was extreme. I think I would try the other control methods on the page first. The basic info is good. I am also in an area too urban to use fire for weeding. I had never heard of this type of weed control used on a backyard scale. Could be very handy or could be very dangerous. I can imagine a lot of house and garden fires caused by people getting carried away with a torch on a dry breezy day. One also has to consider the neighbours. I imagine mine would not be too happy with the smell of burning weeds. Such methods are probably illegal in many areas as well.
