This is the year I vow to annihilate the mugwort from my garden . I ’m putting it in writing so that I ’m held accountable for getting disembarrass of the stuff ! Mugwort ( Artemisia vulgaris ) is an introduced weed that ’s very aggressive and can speedily catch garden beds , as it has at my sign . At first , I slip the foliage for that of chrysanthemum because the young shoots look very similar , but as the season progressed , it was quickly evident that I was false . By that point , it was too late . That was four years ago , and needless to say , I ’m still deal with the stuff and nonsense .
Mugwort is a perennial with serrate leaves that reek similar to sage and are green on top and silver underneath . The flowers are greenish white-livered and jolly non - descript . They issue from upright branches in recent summer and the pollen produced by the flowers can exasperate allergic reaction . Although I sure never countenance it to flower in my garden , at full bloom , mugwort can reach from 2 to 6 fundament magniloquent .
Because it circularise by hush-hush stems known as rhizomes , mugwort is challenge to absent . I ’ve left humble piece of rootstock behind in my effort to apprehend it up or hoe it out over the class . Each of these spell finally re - sprouts and causes the plant to spread . In hindsight , I never should have attempted to savvy or hoe those area .
Not that I would ever use them on our constituent micro - farm , but mugwort is also resistant to many common herbicides and because it ’s growing near my shrubs and perennial , I would never use it there anyway due to the risk of harming worthy plant . rather I plan to smother it .
Soon after it emerges this bounce , I ’ll make out down all the mugwort as close to the ground as potential . Then I ’ll rake up all the undercut stems and either burn them or throw them into the food waste . ( Any stem turn left behind could root ! ) Next , I ’ll cover the entire country with unwaxed , corrugate composition board , being indisputable to overlap all edge and go as close to the root of the desirable plant as potential . I ’ll wet the composition board with a hosiery and then spread 4 to 6 inches ofshredded hardwood mulchover it . The fast one from there on out will be to not disturb the composition board . Each outflow , I ’ll add together a new layer of composition board and mulch to the top of the bed , again , without disturbing the old layer . I hope this technique will put out the mugwort and transmit it pack !
Beat ( or eat ) garden green goddess with these tips :
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