The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

Hairy Bittercress!

United Kingdom Gb

What's that all about then? Why is it so impossible to get rid of? Why does it grow overnight? Why does it flower and seed in seven seconds??!! Why does it form a carpet between breakfast and lunchtime? Why is it in my garden?
Any replies happily read and anyone with a 'Hairy Bittercress Gun' .....hired.


On plant Naughty, Nasty Hairy Bittercress!

Images-4

Answers

 

it has a short life cycle and each flower can produce upto 300 seeds. the pods explode shooting seeds up a m away. evoluton at its best. satisfying to weed out as roots are fibrous and it composts well. rabbits like it and we can eat the washed leaves in a bitter salad. so not all bad.

26 Feb, 2009

 

Thank you Seaburn Girl ... but I would need to have a shed load of rabbits and the gut of a raving herbivore and a major shareholding in 'Hellman's to cope with it ... but helpful information so well done and thanks! :)

26 Feb, 2009

 

the trick is to get them before they flower. old saying 'one years seed 7 years weeds'. seeds lie dormant and as you fork around you bring them to the surface and then they germinate. isnt nature wonderful.

26 Feb, 2009

 

Bittercress is a PAIN. It is the only plant I know that seeds before it flowers. Actually, hairy bittercress has an even nastier cousin in the New Zealad Bittercress, This small dark plant lies flat to the surface and is almost the same colour as the soil. It then proceeds to throw its seed as far as possible and we know it as 'poppers' for this reason. All you can do is to keep hauling it out - and swearing quietly!

26 Feb, 2009

 

I totally agree, Bulbaholic! They are a menace - if you miss one, you get loads and loads of them.

26 Feb, 2009

 

They obviously have a plan to take over the gardening world Gloriosa! I suddenly took note of a weedy area in the garden that we had partly ignored, due to so much work in digging veggie beds and removing rocks, and was horrified to see it positively bursting with bittercress! A couple of hours later and I got every single one - but I'll be looking again .... and again .... and again ... until they realise there's no future for them in MY garden!

27 Feb, 2009

 

Good luck to you, Nariz - but I betcha' don't (get them all) :-).

27 Feb, 2009

 

thanks for this everyone, and Gloriosa's question made me laugh so much i nearly spilt my soup.

27 Feb, 2009

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?