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West Midlands, United Kingdom Gb

Anyone know what these almost grass like weeds are? Possibly onion family. Not chives, they've just appeared this year in a small bed and I have a horrible feeling they will be difficult to eradicate:-(



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Answers

 

Do you mean the broad leaf 'grass'? They look like allium to me.

29 Mar, 2012

 

I,m growing allium in pots for the first time this year Ba and they do look similar to the photo

29 Mar, 2012

 

. . or do you mean the thin little grass(es)? If they have a hollow stem, they could be wild garlic. Break it and smell it to be sure. Pretty white flowers, but deep white bulblets which are quite difficult to get out.

29 Mar, 2012

 

....or, if you EVER had chives (I know you said not chives) then the blown seeds can pop up anywhere. They look like the chives I find in all sorts of places in the garden. As SB says above, break it and rub it, then smell it. They, too have hollow stems.

29 Mar, 2012

 

Hi all, thanks I meant the thin things inbetween the allium. I did pull out a shoot and it didn't smell like chives or anything really, but I did squash a little bulby thing and it smelt faintly of the onion family, could be garlicky, but not strong. I do have chives in a pot, but I don't think that's what these are as the shoots don't smell, I would be happy to be wrong though. I did wonder about wild garlic as I heard what a pest they are on GQT. They're about 12-13cm,5 inches high at the moment. Perhaps I'll just dig them aout when I can. Sheila does wild garlic spread by the little bulbs and does it work like celandine where little bits break off and you end up with more than if you had left them alone?

29 Mar, 2012

 

Did you have ornamental Alliums in the bed last year? They are very good at self seeding around themselves and many of them do not have a strong oniony smell. Wild Garlic has a very very strong scent.
There is a grass called Onion Grass which has small bulbs on the roots which smell slightly of onions (hence the name) and that is a bu....er pig to get rid of. Will remember its proper name eventually.

30 Mar, 2012

 

I've had a. purple sensation here for years Owdboggy, love them, but onion grass does look promising, I'll google it and let you know thanks. When I say promising, I mean as the answer, not a crop I want to grow lol:-)

30 Mar, 2012

 

my guess will be purple sensation seedlings. I have grown them for 5 yrs and this year for the first time i have seedlings. they are very faintly oniony

30 Mar, 2012

 

If it is the same weed that I have in my garden (which I always thought was wild garlic!) - yes, Ba, it spreads by little white bulbs which multiply, and you have to get the whole lot out if you want to get rid of it. Mine are taller though - about 24cm/10ins.

30 Mar, 2012

 

Agree with others that they are seedlings of the alliums you are already growing. I think owdboggy might be referring to Allium Cowanii......never ever have that dratted plant in your garden deliberately. Only a few allium seedlings ever get through to a flowering plant. Cowanii every last one eventually becomes a straggly leaved smelly clump that takes over if you allow it.

30 Mar, 2012

 

I think I'll leave them for a bit then and see. A.Purple Sensation have spread quite nicely in my garden, but I've not noticed these grass like things before. The tiny bulbs are white and I'm thinking the worst. Maybe a question on here soon as to how to get rid of onion grass or whatever:-(

30 Mar, 2012

 

Onion grass is Arrenhatherum elatius var bulbifera Variegatum. But it usually reverts to a plain green grass. Also known as Onion couch.
BUT, I do think the ones you have are as likely to be baby Purple Sensation.

30 Mar, 2012

 

Oh noooo I've pulled some out:-(
I blame you Owdboggy lol;-))

30 Mar, 2012

 

I think quite a lot of plants set seed unexpectedly last year......hope that is what they are Ba

30 Mar, 2012

 

Fret not I have spent part of today pulling out hundreds of them of all kinds. Just how many Allium karataviense Ivory Queen for example does one want?

30 Mar, 2012

 

Thanks Pam:-)

31 Mar, 2012

 

I wouldn't mind loads more purple sensation Owdboggy:-)

31 Mar, 2012

 

Hi there, I know it has been a long time but I got the same thing my garden. Did you eventually find what it was?

2 Feb, 2017

 

Could be Allium Cowanei. This plant has all the attributes of a real thug. It spreads by seed from its little white flowers hidden in strappy leaves. It forms other bulbs around every bulb and becomes a clump of smelly bulbs that smother other growths. My thugs are trying to take over again as I get older. They get into the base of shrubs and spread from there. I would DR trowel them out now. Respectable alliums are not dear and its not worth the risk of them being COWANEI. It makes me furious that sometimes they are sold as respectable garden plants! The mature bulbs are only a centimetre across.

5 Feb, 2017

 

Hi Dr rabie, they were allium purple sensation:-)

4 Mar, 2017

How do I say thanks?

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