Thought to have been introduced to the UK by the Romans as a staple food source, it’s safe to say Ground Elder has now established itself. Ground elder is no easy feat to clear and requires persistence to get rid of without using any harsh chemicals. In truth, you will never really get rid of Ground Elder, and even after taking drastic measures, it could be back in no time.
We will discuss ways you can try to control Ground Elder using hands-on maintenance.
As a professional Gardener, it is essential to state that you should avoid using chemical solutions as much as possible due to their adverse effects on the environment and wildlife.
What this article covers
- What tools you will need
- Is Ground Elder hard to get rid of?
- What kills Ground Elder?
- Is Ground Elder ok to compost?
- Can you eat Ground Elder?
- How to remove Ground Elder?
What tools do I need to remove Ground Elder?
I live in an area of the North West UK where Ground Elder thrives, and you can find it everywhere. As a result, I often have to deal with Ground Elder during many Gardening projects I take on throughout the year.
These are the tools I use to remove Ground Elder.
Garden Hand Weeding Tool
This hand weeding tool is my go-to weeding tool when I am out on gardening jobs. The garden weeding tool is a great multi-use kit that should be in your garden shed. It is also ideal for helping deal with ground elder removal.
Sawan Gloves
Sawans leather gloves are not only breathable but are also great to work in. They are thick enough to stop rose thorns but thin enough to offer enough movement to work in – perfect!
Japanese Hand Hoe
Another tool I often use when gardening is the Japanese Weeding Hand Hoe. You can quickly turn over the surface of the soil, exposing things like rhizomes that have broken off during the removal of Ground Elder.
With a sharpened edge, the Japanese hand Hoe also cuts the roots from the plant just below the surface, making it a great tool when weeding garden borders.
And that’s all you need. You can find the method used to remove ground elder in the last section of this article.
Is Ground Elder hard to get rid of?
Ground elder is a stern plant and is difficult to get rid of. An even better word would be ‘impossible’ as it is so good at regenerating from the rootlets or rhizomes that Ground Elder produces. There only needs to be one small rhizome left, which can develop into a crown and start taking back over where you have cleared.
As well as spreading through its root system, Ground Elder can also go to seed, making it highly efficient at regenerating.
In reality, you can only ever control the ground elder and try to keep it in check with regular maintenance. The efficiency is due to the roots of Ground Elder, which can fully regenerate a plant from a tiny section. These are called ‘rhizomes’.
How deep are the roots of Ground Elder?
Believe it or not, the roots of this highly successful plant do not get that deep. Ground elder sends its roots creeping outwards rather than down, which creates networks across the surface of your borders or garden.
The roots of ground elder only extend just below the surface, which on the bright side makes them easy to dig up.
The issue is that you will likely leave some of the rhizomes and roots in the soil as you dig them up. Due to the number of roots, it is nearly impossible to dig it up without some breaking off. Once broken off, this small rhizome can regenerate into a new plant that will spread quickly.
You can only control ground elder through regular weeding. A method that we will cover at the end of this article.
Can you live with Ground Elder?
In many respects, you do not have a choice when living with Ground Elder. Even if you completely replace the soil from a border, ground elder will find its way back quicker than you might expect.
The best form of control for Ground Elder is regular maintenance.
What Kills Ground Elder UK
Glyphosate is the only chemical that will kill Ground Elder and its roots. It will also kill many other things, as it is highly toxic to the environment, and you should only use them if necessary.
It is worth remembering that even if you use glyphosate, it is still only a temporary measure. Ground elder will be back in no time.
Will vinegar kill ground Elder?
Vinegar is a potent and non-toxic weed killer that, when applied correctly, can help remove many types of weeds. However, it is ineffective at killing ground elder, and treating them with vinegar will only kill the top growth, which is dispensable to the plant.
If you intend to kill ground elder, there is only one option, but I don’t like it.
What is the best poison to kill ground elder?
In truth, there is no ‘best’ poison to kill ground elder. The best way to control ground elder is to get in there and remove as much as you can as often as you can.
Is Ground Elder poisonous to touch?
Ground Elder is safe to touch and is not known to irritate the skin. You can eat ground elder, considered a wild edible in the foraging world.
To learn more about foraging, check out our article on Totally Wild Foraging UK.
Is Ground Elder ok to compost?
NO! Unless you want to grow an abundance of Ground Elder, DO NOT COMPOST IT! As I mentioned in the article, it only takes one little rootlet to start a Ground Elder invasion.
Is ground Elder edible?
Yes, the young leaves of the ground elder taste like parsley, which you can use similarly. Gently sautee Ground Elder with butter for the best results, like in this fantastic recipe from the Ramblers pantry (https://www.ramblerspantry.co.uk/blog/groundelder), where they cook up a lovely rice and ground Elder dish – yum.
The whole Ground Elder plant is edible, meaning you can use it in the kitchen, which includes the leaves, stems, flowers and rhizomes.
Health benefits
Yes, ground elder has a range of medical benefits. One of its common names is Goutweed, alluding to the fact people would use it to treat gout in the years gone by.
Ground Elder’s ability to treat gout is likely due to its high Vitamin C content and other nutritional values, like high iron, potassium, calcium, copper, and manganese.
How To Remove Ground Elder
I will now go through the process I use to keep Ground Elder at bay. It is time-consuming at first, but regular maintenance will keep ground elder at bay once you have cleared the area thoroughly.
Pulling up Ground Elder is useless as the leaves have evolved to detach and regrow.
- Locate a crown of Ground Elder and push your Achanfly Garden Weeding Tool or a trowel straight down around the base as far as possible.
- Gently move your hand trowel backwards and forwards, loosening the soil around the Ground Elder crown and roots.
- Grip the crown of the Ground Elder tightly and pull slowly but firmly from the ground. If you have resistance, loosen the soil more to reduce the risk of rhizomes breaking off.
- A rhizome will likely trail off to another crown as you pull up the plant. Try to follow this network, pulling up the crowns when you reach them.
- Repeat this process until the area is as clear from Ground Elder.
- Use the Japanese Hand Hoe to turn over the soil’s surface and remove any broken rhizomes.
*** DO NOT COMPOST ANY PART OF GROUND ELDER ***
You should repeat this process at least every week or two while weeding. Eventually, after a few sessions, there will only be sporadic Ground Elder crowns to remove.
Suppose you are dealing with Ground Elder in a difficult medium to turn over. In that case, the only option may be to use chemicals. It is essential to state that you should avoid harmful chemicals at all costs.
As a sustainability blog, it is essential to stand by our values. I will not promote these processes as they are unsustainable and can damage the environment.
