Not even singe. We have a gas "weed wand", you just need to wave it within a few inches of the foliage and the cell damage is enough to effectively kill that foliage.
This takes a day or so to become apparrant, no "instant gratification" that is so much a requirement these days.
Thanks to all. I have just been told this invader is called Borage and there is a *huge* amount of it just the other side of the metal fence at our allotment. It keeps springing up on our woodchip path next to the fence. And its hard work to keep continually chopping at it, with an old axe i have. An allotment neighbour has just said that he thinks its best to put Black plastic sheeting down on the path that's between the fence and our growing area and then cover the plastic sheeting with more woodchip, and that should keep it from springing up. Do you think he might be right? Or is it best to use glyphosate or some kind of flame torch? Thanks.
Does it have hairy leaves and blue flowers? Does it look like anything here?
Plastic sheeting will certainly keep it down for as long as the sheeting is in place, and you'll need to keep it reasonably well weighted with a good thick layer of woodchip, but it might start popping up around the edges if you don't keep a close eye on it.
I have eliminated a patch of borage with glyphosate, and it's possible that if you spray the plants on your side of the fence, the glyphosate will spread through the root system and also kill the stuff on the other side. But there's no guarantee that that will happen, and you may find yourself dealing with it in one way or another every year, because if you don't get rid of it on the other side of the fence it will continue to come through into your plot.
Chris thanks. Such a pretty weed but how we have come to hate it.. we will try the plastic and also shouting at it. last resort is glyphosate it seems.
When it is not out of control it can be quite a useful , the missus uses some as a companion plant for her Dahlias and around the strawberries. Bees like it so it is good at attracting some to help with pollination A farmer up the road has a small field of it , not sure if that is for the oil or honey production from nearby hives which it also good for. Some use it has a herb or decoration of food dishes or posh drinks. .
G.Harman
I've heard it said that plants will do well with little more than a nod of approbation, but I've not heard that they suffer much from the opposite :-)
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