So, last year I shared a post about lovely surprises I was finding in our yard as bulbs peeked up in the Spring, perennials woke up, and bushes leafed out and bloomed. I learned the dogwood trees in our front yard had white blooms, which was exactly what I was hoping. A large bush that is falling over under its own weight is a beautiful mock orange that just needs some serious pruning.
What we thought was a dead dogwood tree is actually a lilac bush that has grown taller than the house! It gave me a better indication of what I wanted to heavily prune and save and what I wanted to remove. One of the plants I shared was a ground cover Google identified as Ground Elder or Snow-on-the-Mountain, which both sound lovely. I left it alone to bloom and thought the lacy white flowers were so pretty. I figured when I was ready to reclaim that bed for flowers or bushes, I could just weed the area and start over. Well, it turns out that Ground Elder is also known as Bishop’s Weed and Gout Weed, and when you say something like, “I’ll just pull it out when I’m ready for a fresh start”, it laughs at you. I learned that I was but a naive child when it came to the likes of this garden squatter.
The more I got to know about Bishop’s Weed, the more I disliked it and wanted to get it out of my garden beds. Unfortunately, it is all over the yard. It’s in the front garden bed, the back corner by the fence, and the garage side of the house. Last summer, Jeff and I worked together on mowing the patches as short as we could and then spraying them with a weed killer. Again, Bishop’s Weed just laughed at us. It came right back as if we had done anything.
Okay, Bishop’s Weed, this is war.
So, this spring, as its little evil shoots started popping up, I decided I would smother it with cardboard and mulch. I’ve been working on pulling and digging up as much as I can and then immediately layering cardboard over the ground and piling it with several inches of mulch.
When I was pulling some of the weeds yesterday, I felt as if I was playing Red Rover with it. With most weeds, even the nasty, thorny ones, it’s a game of tag. I see them, I rip them out by the roots one by one, and I win the game. With Bishop’s Weed, though, you try to pull one plant out and find that it has a death grip on all of its buddies. You can practically hear the roots screaming, “Hold….hold…..hold!” a la Braveheart. As with Red Rover, the strength of the team is hard for an individual to beat. And, worst of all, Bishop’s Weed is so hearty that it will grow back from the tiniest piece of root left in the ground.
In my situation, I think smothering is the only option, and, based on what I’ve read, I need to prepare for a marathon, not a sprint.
I’ve been working on some smaller patches myself over the past few weeks and my mom and dad came to help in the yard on Saturday and I wanted to work on the largest area while I had help. Before they arrived, I worked on digging out a butterfly bush I tried to kill last year. You can see it on the right side of the picture below…
In March of last year, it looked like it was dead. I was also a child when it came to butterfly bushes, so I thought if we chopped it down, that would be the end of it.
Well, we cut it down to a little nub, burned all of the dead wood, and I felt victorious.
( is our Solo Stove that we use for bonfires and burning brush.)
What I didn’t know is that a butterfly bush loves being cut back. It thanked me profusely by growing back even larger than before. Before my parents came over Saturday morning, I dug it out. It took a shovel, a machete, and my bare hands, but I was finally able to get it out. The good news is that I was able to give it to the family of the couple who owned the house, so the butterfly bush can stay in the family and live on.
As a side note, I also gave them the light fixtures from the kitchen and foyer. I learned that the foyer light belonged to the homeowner’s mother, so it’s nice that they were able to keep that piece in the family as well.
With the butterfly bush out and the area raked of leaves and sticks, we were ready to tackle the weeds.
The entire back corner between our fence and our neighbor’s fence is overrun. So, my mom and I got on our kneepads or sat on buckets and used garden knives and garden forks to pull up as much as we could. We then applied a healthy layer of cardboard, making sure every little gap was covered.
The boys carried bags of mulch around for us to spread over the cardboard to weigh it down and make it look nice. I also sprinkled some over the mulch to keep normal weeds from sprouting up in the mulch.
Given how labor-intensive it was, my mom and I were able to get quite a large area finished before I ran out of steam and cardboard. I also planted a Fragrant Viburnum to fill in that corner and a row of Phantom Hydrangeas. I haven’t had that variety before, but they were $12/each at Home Depot, so I thought they would be worth a try. I’m going to put most of my budget for bushes in the front since those will greatly increase the home’s curb appeal.
We are going to be replacing the fence soon, but my dad put a little patch on a section that was falling apart. I think ivy is the only thing holding sections of this fence upright! Fortunately, the posts are in good condition, so we just need to replace the pickets and rails.
Anyway, the upside to using cardboard for smothering a stubborn plant like Bishop’s Weed is that it will break down over time and become a part of the soil. It will also still allow water to pass through to reach bushes and plants you want to keep. The downside is it can be chewed on my mice and used for bedding. Apparently, certain bugs also like adhesives used where boxes were glued together, so that can be a consideration depending on the kind of critters you have in your area. I weighed these options and, given how difficult Bishop’s Weed is to pull or kill chemically, cardboard seemed like the best solution despite the downsides. I just wanted to share that info in case you’re considering it for your yard. In areas where I just had normal weeds, I pulled them out manually and then mulched heavily and added Preen. Those areas have been easy to maintain. (As a tip, I was able to get a bunch of very nice folded and clean cardboard from the recycling bins at the back of our local Walmart.)
I’ve been doing the pulling and smothering process along the side of the house and will show my progress in another post.
Since I’m a professional lawn mower now, I’ve decided I want to work on having nicer grass. I look at some of our neighbor’s yards and marvel at their impressive turf, sharp edges, and lush green lawns. I fertilized with Scott’s Turf Builder and have already noticed a difference. In addition, I’ve been seeding areas that are bare. We had a big bare spot in the front where a pine tree was removed and it was time to get it looking nice. (You can sort of see my attempt at straight mowing lines in the grass.)
There are times when this yard feels overwhelming. So much is overgrown, weedy, and needs serious attention, but it’s a process and we’ll make more headway on it each year. Despite the fact that it seems like a neverending to-do list at times, I think it’s my favorite yard we’ve ever owned.
I also own a 1970s bungalow with a mature garden with loads of ground elder. I’m just on a different continent but I can confirm that smothering is the only way to get rid of ground elder. Some areas where we used landscape fabric and pebbles it’s even growing through that. We might need to redo some areas as it’s so hard to get rid of.
It can be overwhelming but I always remember that mature gardens have a magic it’s hard to recreate. We also hired out some bigger landscaping jobs as it was too much for us and put un more hard landscaping
It’s known as goutweed here. And is the Bain of my existence. It crept through from our neighbour’s yard and because we were living away has taken over 1/3 of our property. Starting the smothering method this year with 5ml black plastic.
Weeds are such a pain, but the butterfly bush would have been lovely in front of your garage against the bare wall!
Unfortunately another downside to using cardboard under mulch is that it is a breeding ground for soil fungus because there is no air circulation. This can be detrimental to the plants and trees you want so I wouldn’t leave it indefinitely.
Reminds me of the three year long battle I waged against Spider Wort. It was everywhere and the root structure was intimidating. It’s under control now, but once in a while one will pop up. I’m watching and ready with my shovel when it happens. lol
You are so kind to return the light fixtures to that family. After we sold my parents house, my daughter commented that she’d love to have that MCM dining room chandelier. I emailed the new owner several times with the offer of a replacement chandelier of her choice, an electrician and then have my brother pick up the chandelier and either hold it for me, or ship it to me. Every single time the woman said yes, but could never follow through. The house has changed hands again, and I’m sure that chandelier is long gone. Breaks my heart, when i tried to keep it so simple for her. We’ll be looking on ebay for a similar one.
Try using horticultural vinegar for killing weeds. 30% acid or more. Best on sunny day without wind. I’ve used it to kill poison ivy in my yard.
I’m so impressed by your diligence and energy. In yesterday’s and today’s post, I am learning more about gardening from you. I am dipping my toe into gardening. There is a very small little patch I am hoping to fill in with greenery, and am taking my responsibility as a peony-owner very seriously. The original owner (first of 3) of this 47 year old home planted them. The second owner of the home (on behalf of the first owner) asked me to not pull them out. I looked at her like she was crazy. As the 3rd owner, I am honored and humbled to be the caretaker of these beauties. I do love your interior posts, but understand that garden work at this season is critical. So I am patiently waiting for your posts about your dining room, hopefully sometime this fall.
WOW you certainly have your work cut out for you with that grass situation. We are so lucky that we have good solid grass coveting the areas we want grass ! And looking at your lawn I appreciate all the work and fertilizer we put into ours over the 62 years we have lived on this property that my husband built from scratch. And no Bishops weed here ! I admire your hard work I am afraid I would have to call in a landscaper.
I wish you luck on your Bishops weed. I wanted to address the use of Preen, which we have used for years. I just had a professional landscaper redo three large areas for us and emphasized I wanted weed control as a priority. He used a product called Casseron, which he called “a high powered Preen”. It was spread on the area and then the bark added. It is supposed to last six months. It cannot be put right up to the base of a new shrub. He left about a 3 foot circle around the new plantings. It might be considered for areas that are plant free and just a cover (bark or mulch).
Your battles with Bishops weed remind me of a charming story, ‘Miss Buncle’s Book’ by D.E. Stevenson. One of the characters fought a daily battle with the bishop (which I am assuming is your Bishops weed). Charming book and still in print to my surprise as it was originally published in 1934. Much in the same vein as the Miss Read books.
We had a large parcel of land with lots of “wildflowers” growing all over. We had a tree taken down and the arborist commented on a tall, willowy plant with pretty white flowers. It resembled Queen Anne’s Lace but much taller. He told us we had Poison Hemlock! That was quite a surprise since if it gets into your system through a cut or if you rub your eye it could kill you!! It was my habit to go out into the fields and bring back some wildflowers for the table but I never did go near the Poison Hemlock…much to my relief.
Your yard will become such a haven for your family.
You go, girl!!!! You will win this war. I just know it.
Kindness about giving things back to that family. ♥ Good kharma back to you for doing so.
Your stamina is so impressive. It’s such a physical work out. No wonder I hate weeding so much, haha.
My fav part was your last line. That makes me so happy for you.
Why would you want to get rid of a butterfly bush??
I just didn’t love it or the placement of it. I recognized it’s a nice bush, though, which is why I passed it along.
Bishop’s Weed Experience
I once lived in a place where BW was rife. There were two large-ish flower beds on either side of our front porch where it kept over-taking the flowers. In small areas, I’d had success just taking a shovel and digging it up, separating out ALL of the tangled roots from the dirt. In a larger area, though, this wouldn’t work.
What I did was basically what you’re doing, but in the fall. It worked like a charm. Because I was taking advantage of the plant going dormant, placing cardboard and then a thick layer of leaves over that, the dormancy period combined with the blocking of all light worked together.
I’m sure your way will work, but you will be fighting light coming in under the cardboard and won’t have the advantage of the plant going dormant. Just a hint for you, in case you still are looking for a solution come fall.
I”ve enjoyed your email stories for years. I share your love for painting furniture, antiquing, sewing, home decorating , Scandinavian, relatives in Minn. , stoneware and just collecting many things in general.
I’m also a gardener….Now this in common!. I have spent YEARS trying to get rid of Bishop weed. I HATE them !
They came attached to a huge clump of Hostas. Of course I divided them through out my yard. I call it my devil plant , those runner roots take over.
Good luck, I’ll be watching for your MIRACLE.
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They came to my yard by being entwined in the roots of a clump of Hostas from my nieces yard. .Of course I divided the large plant and have it everywhere. the main problem is they grow below with a RUNNING root system, unlike most plants . I have a well and live on a lake so I don’t use harsh chemicals. I do use a mixture of a strong vinegar, epsom and salt and Dawn dish soap. works great on other weeds. I just won”t use it near my cherry tree. I too do a lot of pulling those dam weeds .
On Bishop weed. I thought I deleted half of my reply. I’m so sorry
for the repeating sentence.
The best thing to always do when deciding what to plant in your yard, is contact your local Native Plant Society or Cooperative Extension Service for a list of Native plants and shrubs (or even do a “search” online for your area). Natives do NOT get invasive and they rarely get diseases. The native birds, insects,wildlife and of course, your little ecosystem will become more and more content and will thrive! It’s a “WIN-WIN”! But I must say, once we have these aggressive alien species/non-natives on our property, it is NOT EASY eradicating them, as you are finding out! But then if you are successful enough to actually accomplish that, or at least getting them under control, we need to educate our neighbors to try to do the same. I try to share seeds or “starts” with neighbors to get them to lean that way. That’s a great icebreaker to meet new neighbors.
THX for the info on Bishop’s weed! Thank the Lord we don’t have that one! But we battle Japanese honeysuckle, garlic mustard, and snakeberry(the wild strawberry “look-alike”), among others that we ignorantly planted 30 years ago when we first moved here. That snakeberry grows all winter, even under snow!
We have had a continuing battle with wild onion for over 40 years. We have tried careful weeding, smothering, poisoning, and, as a last resort, we put down tarps, removed all the soil from the affected flower beds, replaced that soil with fresh, clean soil, and hauled the dirt-filled tarps to the dump. Two years later, those beds are FULL of wild onion. Called the state agricultural commission and their advice was to get pigs! Who apparently love wild onions, but this is a residential area, so that was a no go. I’m trying to learn to love my wild onions, since they are apparently here to stay!
I’ve been plagued with nettle (not the stinging kind) and it grows the same way with those root systems that spread all over the place. Once the sun begins to shine after winter you have to get on it within the week or they’re in there like concrete. I’ve been pulling it out by hand for several years since it first popped up and it’s under control but not eradicated. I’ll try the cardboard trick this fall and see how it goes. I really hate to resort to the chemicals. Thanks for commiserating on our mutual yard issues!!!
I bought a house w BW all over the property. I’ve heard it also spreads by the wind blowing seeds. It has ended up in brand new
flower beds and it’s a real chore to weed them. As I write this, I can see the green of BW poking through the soil (I’m in New Hampshire). Sigh….
I’ve fought the battle with bishop’s weed. What a pain! We bought our home from an elderly couple and the yard was overrun with it. Five years ago, we had our yard professionally landscaped and they eradicated it! I honestly thought it would come back but it hasn’t. They asked us to spray our weeds weeks prior to them coming. They brought in big machinery and removed the affected areas and spread new dirt and planted new and old plants. It was expensive but worth it! Nothing i did worked!
I love your humor.
LONG time gardener here. With regard to Bishop’s Weed, it is indeed war. I have a suggestion. With all the packages you receive, you must have a ton of bubble plastic. Just before the first frost (so, this is a long term goal, LOL), lay down layers of bubble plastic over the Bishop’s Weed. If you keep it clipped short over the summer, it will weaken it thereby making it vulnerable. Over the bubble plastic, add your layers of carboard. The combo of weakening it, denying water and light and the severe temps of winter will kill most of it. And it will be organic. You will need to put a few heavy stones on top so it won’t blow all over the neighborhood. In the Spring, after the danger of frost, you will be able to roll up the plastic with the now destroyed layers of cardboard and throw them away. And then watch for signs of life. You may have to do this 2-3 years in a row. I’m in Seattle, we don’t have Bishop’s Weed, we have Bind Weed AKA white morning glory. It is just as tenacious and this has worked well for me. It is also, easy, cheap, organic and it works! GOOD LUCK!!!!
Thank you so much! This is great information. I actually intended to smother it over the winter and just didn’t get around to it. I’ll try this approach next winter if the cardboard and mulch smothering doesn’t work.
Yes, I can second Chris’s recommendation of the smother kill technique!
I’ve been fighting Bishop’s Weed for more years than I have fingers and toes, and it is still winning. The best I can do is to keep digging it up as fast as I can and that at least keeps it somewhat under control. To ignore it, even for one season means it gets the upper hand. I don’t know where it came from, but it just keeps traveling to new parts of my yard all on its own. Good luck with your battle.
Best way to eradicate the Bishop weed is to continue to apply weed killer at the first signs of it popping up. It will take multiple applications to eliminate.
One thing I need to add to this discussion is that when you are putting down mulch to smother unwanted plants, it needs to be AT LEAST 10″ deep on top of that cardboard.
Also, it may take a few years of consistent pulling the stray bits, but you WILL win eventually. The key is to always be removing any top growth of the plants. This will kill the roots eventually.
Many perennial weeds have root systems that go down 20 feet, so you will NEVER be able to get all of the root pieces, and many weeds respond to furious growth when they sense that their root system has been disturbed. This is also why even poisons do not work on these plants.
I have been battling the nemesis bindweed in my current house and I can say that persistence pays off! I have whole areas of infestation that are clean now thanks to diligent weeding every year. As an organic gardener, I can say that I have never used a chemical, it is all by hand pulling, so it can be done!
Your yard is definitely a challenge with many thug plants in place. But sometimes thugs can be helpful and useful in areas where nothing else will grow. You will slowly learn which ones you like and which ones have to go!
Welcome to the war I’ve been waging for the last 40 years – mine came in some iris my sister gave me! My advice is – don’t plant anything in the areas you think are cleared until you are sure it’s gone and transplant nothing from infected areas to any other place. It is a cancer! One miniscule pice of root is all it takes to infest another garden area! Good luck!
Yes, gardening is enjoyable, but it is also work. However work is good for the body and soul. Keep it up and you will soon have a little paradise behind your house.
Also want to mention to you, Marion, and another writer (Leone) who commented above. This is about the use of PREEN. Please do not use Preen for your gardening issues. It kills honey bees and other beneficial insects. Here in Wisconsin, we have an environmental group that works at educating gardeners about the harmfulness of this chemical. The best way to get rid of weeds is with a shovel and elbow grease. Let’s garden with all creatures in mind.
I have had success with using cardboard & layers of newspapers, but after many years it has dissolved and other things take hold. Best we have found is to pick up used carpet (without any rubber backings) and lay it carpet side down, mesh side up, then cover with your dirt or in our case we have been using gravel to make paths or remove beds. Weeds, and all seem to be gone…much easier, sometimes we go to the carpet stores and ask for used carpet or left over pieces of new. It too dissolves but takes much longer…
Marian, I had to laugh when I saw this. Would you believe they SELL bishop’s weed in the big box stores here? At least they used to, not sure if they still do. Foolishly, I bought a couple of pots of it several years ago and planted it in the front yard and it has taken over and choked out everything in its path. there has been no stopping it. Butterfly bush is very popular here too, but despite the fact that butterflies like it, I do not. I have a yard full of plants I don’t want. The only things I loved, my aspen trees, decided to die last year. I will have to try the smothering method on the bishop’s weed.
In my last house, I fought BW tooth and nail, but in this house I have many other battles to wage…Pachysandra!, creeping Jenny, a noxious weed I’ve forgotten the name of, rocks (previous owners LOVED rocks!), trees dying from over pruning, oh, and butterfly bushes that pop up and grow to 6 feet tall! Love your posts!
Ladies, what a great post. We live on 10 acres with wild onions that grow everywhere, including underneath the landscape barrier; there’s no pulling them up. It smells like I’m making spaghetti every time my husband mows the lawn.