Removing or Retaining Ground Elder: Expert Opinion from the Royal Horticultural Society's Leading Horticulturist
Tackling Ground Elder: A Pragmatic Guide
- Do We Need to Get Rid of Every Last One?Ground elder is a common invasive weed that strikes fear into the hearts of gardeners, new and experienced alike. It spreads rapidly, causing headaches by overtaking and suffocating other plants. However, its removal is not always necessary - it can support diverse insect species like beetles and moths in neglected areas of the garden.
- Should You Let Ground Elder Stay?The decision to control or eradicate ground elder depends on the available garden space. Smaller plots may not have room for this spirited ground cover, but you can utilize it in wilder sections of your garden to attract beneficial insects and enjoy foraging for edible leaves without hassle. Just remember to correctly identify the plant before consuming it.
- Ground Elder Uses and BenefitsBesides its role as a ground cover, ground elder has edible leaves that reportedly offer great health benefits. However, it is essential to understand its place in your garden to avoid it becoming a problem.
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Ground Elder Eradication, Naturally
As insects need our help more than ever, we want to minimize the impact when eliminating unwanted plants. Here are some natural ways to control ground elder without negatively affecting biodiversity:
1. Digging Out
Use a garden fork to loosen the soil around ground elder, practicing patience to prevent snapping the roots. Try to remove as much of the root system as possible during each session. Repeat the process to ensure thorough eradication.
2. Mulching and Suffocation
Cover infested areas with black plastic, cardboard, or multiple layers of cardboard topped with about 150mm of well-rotted compost. This method can improve soil quality while depriving ground elder of light and oxygen, ultimately smothering it. Allow compost to decompose before making plantings in the cleared area.
3. Overplanting with Competitive Species
Sow a fast-growing lawn seed (like utility grass) over ground elder-infested areas and use organic lawn fertilizers to promote healthy growth. This vigorous lawn growth will eventually outcompete and eliminate the ground elder.
4. Prevention
Inspect new plants and topsoil for signs of ground elder and reject any potential carriers to prevent accidental spreading.
Tips and Tools
- Digging Fork: Enhance your gardening experience with the Spear & Jackson Traditional Stainless Steel Digging Fork.
- Gardening Gloves: Protect your hands using Sarah Raven's Favourite Gloves.
- Lawn Fertilizer: Boost the health and vitality of your lawn with Viano Recovery Organic Lawn Fertiliser 10kg from Thompson & Morgan.
- Subscribe to our Home-and-Garden newsletter for tips, tricks, and inspiration on managing your garden, including controlling pests like ground elder, and styling your space with a focus on sustainability and biodiversity.
- To effectively eradicate ground elder while reducing impact on biodiversity, consider Digging Out with a Spear & Jackson Traditional Stainless Steel Digging Fork, covering infested areas with mulch or black plastic for smothering, Overplanting competitive species such as fast-growing utility grass, and preventing accidental spreading by inspecting new plants and topsoil for signs of ground elder.
