Question
HELP. I have been fighting this weed for about 10 years now, and I'm literally at wit's end. Last year I gave in and bought some Round up. Being deathly afraid of any poisons, I guess I used it too sparingly, and the weed is back this year, more than ever. I have a couple of hundred perennials that I guess I could dig up and remove the goutweed from. But what about my lilacs, rose bushes, peonies, etc. etc, etc, Do I really have to remove these, and pick the weed out of their roots too? I'm afraid that if I get the spray too close to them, it will kill them too. Please don't tell me to try and weed it up, I've tried so hard in the past and it only gets worse. I live in Bridgewater Corners VT and would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks so much in advance. Jill

Answer
Bishop's weed is one of the most invasive of weeds. Unless you use a vegetation killer, and make sure you soak it down to the roots, it will continue spreading. As you mention, this is a real problem when you have other plants in the area.

I wish I had better news, but relocating your other plants and treating the problem is your only option. My suggestion, once the other plants are moved, is to spray the area thoroughly, and then solarize the soil by placing black 2 mil plastic over the soil. The heat will kill off existing weeds and prevent any dormant seeds from germinating. Since this process takes 4-6 weeks, it is best to do it in early spring or mid-fall.

I hope this information helps. Good luck, and please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike