noxious weeds beneath pine trees
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noxious weeds beneath pine trees

by Diane
(Dorchester, Ontario)

Hi Doug,
I look forward to your newsletter each week and hope you can help me. I live in Southwestern Ontario. Along the back of my property are 4 pine trees in a row which were planted by my late father 30 years ago. The two trees in the middle aren't as healthy as the two on either side. Behind the trees is a wire fence and beyond the fence are railway tracks. The ground beneath the trees (and between the fence and tracks) is overrun with noxious weeds, which spread by seed and underground runners, similar to snow on the mountain without the variegated leaves. I don't want to plant a garden beneath the trees, but I do want to get rid of the weeds and also help the pine trees to regain their health. It has been suggested that a product like Killex might work, but I'm afraid it would harm the trees. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!
Diane

Doug says that the species Aegopodium is a green leaf goutweed or snow-on-the-mountain and is a viscous spreader. The easiest and most environmentally good way to remove this plant is to lay cardboard down over top of it then mulch over top of the cardboard. You'll smother it out. Do not leave any cracks between bits of cardboard (the weed will find a way through) and do put a good layer of mulch down. Landscape fabric will also work here but similarly - do not leave and spaces for the plant to escape through.

Cardboard will rot out in a few years and the plants will be good and dead.

Your problem is that the plants on the other side of the fence (if they're over there) will likely recolonize so unless you can control those, you can't really get a long term solution.

As for Killex etc. It is no longer for sale in the province of Ontario for home use. And even if it were, I wouldn't recommend it.

The mechanical systems work -your problem is going to be the other side of the fence and re-invasion. For this reason, I'd probably go with the heavy duty landscape fabric rather than the cardboard in this situation (you don't want to garden under there and you need a long term solution).

Good luck - let me know how it works

Comments for
noxious weeds beneath pine trees

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rubber mulch
by: Doug

Personally, I think rubber mulch is an abomination that should never be allowed near a garden. Playgrounds maybe but gardens never. (but what do you really think Doug?) :-)

If this system isn't working for you - then you don't have a heavy enough underlay - a heavy enough weed barrier fabric or spaces in the fabric. I note that the commonly available light-duty weed fabric is so much junk when it comes to garden duty as I've seen grass penetrate it easily.

And you have to keep the mulch renewed or when the fabric is exposed, it will degrade faster or suffer rodent damage.

Come to think of it - thanks for comment - it gave me a chance to expand on my answer.

But speak not of rubber mulch and gardening in the same breath! :-)
mulch
by: Anonymous

when i try that kind of thing, when i use bark mulch it gets recolonized by the runner weeds very quickly, i recommend either the rubber fake bark mulch or else maybe gravel if you dont like the rubber stuff.

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