Ein gefürchtetes, lästiges Unkraut
Damit die Bekämpfung vom Giersch wirklich auf lange Sicht erfolgreich ist, sollten Sie den Giersch erst einmal richtig erkennen. Ist das wirklich Giersch in Ihrem Garten? Dieses Kraut wächst am liebsten im lichten Schatten, auf feuchten Untergründen vorzugsweise am Gehölzrand.
Lesen Sie auch
- Giersch mit Kartoffeln bekämpfen oder essen
- What does the flower of the ground elder look like?
- The ground elder during its heyday
As a next step, you should find out about the survival strategies of this weed. One thing is known: Giersch is virtually rampant. But how does he do it?
- forms root runners (up to 50 cm deep)
- spread in all directions
- it also forms shoots at a depth of 5 to 10 cm
- Seeds like to sow themselves
- Seeds remain viable for several years
Fine work: remove all root runners
What helps now? The control method of removing all root runners by hand has proven to be the most effective. Admittedly, that is tedious, but it works! For this it is necessary to remove all underground shoots or roots, because this is how the herb multiplies without being asked.
You can tear the plants out of the ground if it is a little damp. But root remains remain deep down. After an excavation, these must be read out with a digging fork, for example. They can grow up to 50 cm deep. It is ideal to use a sieve to help you sort out the root remains.
Every small piece of scrap that remains in the ground can grow into a new groundweed plant! This is how you can recognize the runners or roots:
- they are white
- they are extremely brittle
- they are at least 20 cm long
- their diameter is 2 to 3 mm
Chop - never wait for flowering!
You can also master the ground elder by chopping it off regularly. This gradually deprives the plant of its strength until it dies at some point. Always do this before the flowering starts! Otherwise you may encourage self-sowing of the seeds. It is best to start in spring.
Get rid of the ground cover with ground cover
Here is another strategy against the ground elder explained:
- suppress with ground cover
- Suitable ground cover: potatoes, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke, comfrey, knotweed
- z. B. Plant potatoes in spring (distance 20 cm)
- the thick foliage casts shadows on the ground and steals the light from the groundweed
- also take nutrients and water
- Side effect: the soil is loosened
Cover the ground elder to destroy it?
Covering the wild herb has also proven its worth. This may be your tool of choice because it takes the least amount of effort. However, this is a lengthy method. It takes 2 to 3 years and is not 100% successful.
The point is to smother the ground elder with a fleece, foil or cardboard with bark mulch. The extermination takes place gradually. The disadvantage of this method: the seeds can survive because they remain viable for many years.
Weed killer? Only if there is no other way
Chemical-based weed killers should only be a stopgap solution. Using poison in your own garden should be carefully considered beforehand. For example, the long-term consequences of herbicides containing the active ingredient glyphosate have not been clarified. In any case, this active ingredient is in a bad light.
Do not use such a spray! Not only for the sake of the environment and your own health, but also because herbicides - including those with glyphosate - are often ineffective against groundweed. The roots survive.
More options, but less effective
You can also try the following measures in the fight against the ground elder:
- do not water, but let dry out
- Mix in soil with sand, if necessary also mix in lime
- Let sheep or other grazing animals graze on the ground elder
Learn to love and eat the ground elder
Of course, things can also be very different. The choice is yours whether you view the groundfish as an enemy or as a friend. This wild plant is not poisonous, it can even be good for your health!
Giersch can be eaten! It is a tasty, free alternative to parsley, rich in vital substances. You can use it for stews, pestos and spinach, for example. The plant also helps with gout, rheumatism and digestive problems and it does your body a treat with its high content of iron, vitamin C and potassium.
Tips
Attention: The rhizomes of the ground elder are stimulated to grow by simply chopping through or cutting through.
