Massive invasive weed problem - suggestions on getting rid of it

My camera is broken, so i can't take a picture of this horrid invasive weed that is all over my garden. I don't know what it is. It looks like a wild carrot/ queen anne's lace when it flowers, but it's leaves are broad and not at all feathery. It spreads by runners and pops up very aggressively in areas of our yard (north vancouver) that have had the soil disturbed.

We did some retaining wall building last fall and all of the area is covered in the weed which seems to resist conventional weeding.

We've covers some area of our yard in old tarps and then barkmultch to keep it down, but it's growing around the edges and have finally discovered the drainage holes.

It's driving me crazy and gives my husband a rash when his bare legs brush it.

Aside from napalming, my whole yard (just kidding) anyone have suggestion of dealing with this weed that doesn't involve chem. herbicides? Non- chem herbicides do not do anything and weed barrier aside from plastic tarps and old shower curtains, don't keep it down.

I've read of taking a tiger torch to large areas of pesky weeds, as anyone done this? what was the result? (aside from the potential fire hazard.)

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Anne

 

without a pic, can't be sure. it could be queen anne's lace or bishop's weed - they look very similar.

other than pulling it up, which would be extremely time-consuming, you'll probably be better off just using the chemicals...

either one is extremely invasive. even chemicals probably won't get rid of it - they will at least keep it somewhat in check, though.

 

Giant hogweed?

 

If it's bishop's weed ... how fast could you sell your house in the current market? Would you miss it? Really, deep down?

Seriously. I've heard of people here in Maine -- serious organic gardener types -- who literally sold their home and moved because they couldn't get rid of the bishop's weed. Once its roots get entangled with other plantings, e.g. perennials and shrubs, you've really got a Sisyphean task ahead of you.

A friend of mine paid her college-age son, over the summer, to dig up every single plant in her front garden (except the trees of course) and turn over every spadeful of dirt in an effort to clean out every last bit of the noxious roots. (You have to do this, because the plant will regenerate from any root fragments left in the soil. And of course seeds, which you can't find, will remain viable for some time.) This did not QUITE eliminate the bishop's weed, but it knocked it back to a level where, at the cost of constant vigilance, it can be ruthlessly grubbed out wherever it appears, as though it were an ordinary mortal weed.

Without resorting to chemicals, some drastic action of this order is your only recourse. And as joclyn notes, even chemicals won't completely eliminate the problem. Do you have any teenage offspring handy?

 

no wonder i'm having nightmares about the stuff!

I looked up pictures in the net and though ours doesn't have the variegation that some of the pictures of Bishops Weed show - it looks an awful lot like bishops weed.

I do love my house and I don't want to move. :( :(

and unfortunately my off spring is still rather young - though the neighbors... I wouldn't want to inflict that amount of work on the poor boy.

I think will attempt the burning of the weed before resorting to chemicals. I just hope we don't burn down out fence or house in the process.

eekk!

A.

 

Lee Valley has various tools for burning weeds. A trench and boiling water might work.

 

if the neighbor boy is looking to make some money and is responsible enough to be thorough about digging things up (and smart enough to not dig up the stuff you want to keep!) then, i'd approach him (and/or the parents) about having him do the yard work for you.

i certainly wouldn't expect a teenager to do all of it (college age would be a different story). having him do some of the digging will assist you immensely and if only a couple/few days a week, he won't get bored or overwhelmed with it...might even manage to work the whole summer and that would really get the situation somewhat under control!

 

Yes we've looked at the lee valley tool options. My father in law has a standard tiger torch so we're planning on borrowing it. I've never heard of a trench and boiling water method, can you explain it to me?

Thanks,
Anne

 

Thats a really good suggestion to ask him to help out through out the summer. He's helped us with yard work before - moving rocks for the rock garden and moving logs around. I'm sure he's love the money that would come along with it...

Thanks!
Anne

 

Hi. Maybe my suggestion is better on a smaller scale. I simply mean you could clear your side of weeds and hoe a line/trench along the boundary and check it and weed it regularly and/or take out a kettle of boiling water from time to time and pour the water along the line to cook the roots.

 

AAAAAAAAhhhhhhhh, I see! That's a very cool (or hot! rather) way to keep weeds in their place! I think once we get these little *&%#$ more confined that'll work to keep them that way. thanks,

A.