Invasive Bishop's Weed
While the garden's spring cleanup scheduled for today was a washout, a few gardeners braved the elements to meet and share plans. One of the gardeners, Kay, identified some Bishop's Weed growing in one plot, and suggested immediate action before it spread to other areas.
Also known as ground elder and goutweed, Bishop's Weed is a highly aggressive, non-native, and invasive perennial plant introduced from Europe and Asia in the 1800s. All parts of the plant are used medicinally, but in the community garden is only serves to choke out growth of cultivated flowers and vegetables.
Digging out the plant is tricky, as the roots break easily and new growth can come from the tiniest fragment left behind. While we did dig up what growth we found, we're sure the invasive root system is still thriving. Kay, who has done some research on controlling the plant, applied a 30% vinegar solution to the plot which was then covered with black plastic which will remain in place for at least a year. Called "solarization", the plastic sheet will trap solar heat, raising soil temperature to up to 140°, killing weed seeds, pathogens, and pests in the top 6–18" of soil.
Fortunately a spare bed was available for the person assigned this plot so that they can continue to enjoy a year working in the garden.
A frost earlier this week also caused some issues - asparagus spears almost ready for harvesting turned to mush, newly planted hardy kiwi vines lost their leaves (hopefully new ones will appear!) and cold soil has lead to delayed plantings. There is nothing unusual about this, but it is frustrating after the long, cold winter - we are all trying to contain our impatience as we look forward to a productive year in the garden!
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