New Poll! What is your worst weed?

[Nikki Arnold]

Hi everyone!

We've been pondering about the months ahead at the GYO office today and all the nasty weeds that will soon try to take over our beloved veg patches, gardens, containers - and occasionally our lives!

As we each started to compile our own hit lists (and let me tell you some were rather long) it got us wondering what weeds you fear the most and why?

We can't wait to find out which weed is the grapevine's number one enemy!



*Please note your comments may be edited and published in the June issue of Grow Your Own

[Thelma Sanders]

Bitter cress - it grows and seeds so quickly you can have thousands of seeds before you get a chance to hoe it off

and the ever present bindweed Grrrrr

[keepitgreen]

Janpanese Knot Weed! I was unaware of what this weed was that was taking over my lawn (I purchased my house in the winter)! Luckily it had spread from the neighbours garden so they sorted the problem and fingers crossed it has not returned!!

[OverWyreGrower]

Nettles! Their roots are so invasive and wide ranging!!

2nd is creeping buttercup - pretty but invasive!

[Piggle]

Definately horsetail which I involuntary made worse when I rotvated my allotment ( why did no-one tell me?)
The only gratitude I get is leaving it to dry to a crisp in the sun although I might make some into a spray to combat fungal disaese... every cloud eh.

[Dynamo]

All those in the poll plus Dock and Dandelion and that other weed that clings to you when you walk past it grow in abundance on my allotment. I wouldn't like to say which one is the most common, but the hardest to get out is Dock because of its huge roots.

[Peas'n'Kews]

Janpanese Knot Weed! I was unaware of what this weed was that was taking over my lawn (I purchased my house in the winter)! Luckily it had spread from the neighbours garden so they sorted the problem and fingers crossed it has not returned!!

There is quite a lot of legislation around Japense Knotweed - there are controls on how you dispose of it, and it is a "notifiable" weed.

Lots on tinterweb including Japanese Knotweed: The Law

[Peas'n'Kews]

Bindweed!

Nettles and bittercress are both edible, as are dandelion leaves (in small doses - its a diuretic!). so at least all these weeds have a good use.

Bindweed roots in a big tangle make me feel phyiscally ill...

[veggiechicken]

All those in the poll plus Dock and Dandelion and that other weed that clings to you when you walk past it grow in abundance on my allotment. I wouldn't like to say which one is the most common, but the hardest to get out is Dock because of its huge roots.

Sticky Willie!! (Goosegrass or cleavers if you want to be more exact)
PS Sticky Willie is not my most detested weed I just like saying it!

[Jamesy_uk]

Bindweed honestly made me give serious consideration to sterilising my entire garden after 2 weekends in a row digging it up
I found one root down over 3ft......

[vanessa m]

My neighbour is not a gardener and brambles from his garden always end up being my problem

[super trowel]

Bind weed is my biggest hassle.
But I watched river cottage last week, and this randomly loopy bloke.
He had a bath filled with water, and floating on top of that was green. Pond weed stuff.
Anyway, what he dose is place all bad weeds in this bath.
In turn kills said weed making it decompose. Then this green pond weed takes up all nutrients.
Then when he needs it, he uses this pond weed as a fertile mulch!

I always hated bind weed, because it makes its way through your compost heap.
And its always everywhere unless you burn it.
But wahay, bobs your uncle, it finally has a use.

Now everything gose in the bath including nettles and anything else I am not sure about.

[VirginVegGrower]

Couch grass - where is that on the list???

[veggiechicken]

I have all of the listed "weeds" but none of them give me as many problems as dock and dandelions. If pressured to choose one it would be creeping buttercup - but it redeems itself with its flowers!

[solway cropper]

I don't dig and I use a lot of mulches so I don't have too much trouble with weeds but couch grass from next door keeps creeping under the fence and buttercups seem to be able to grow from any last bit of root left in the ground.