Detecting and fighting couch grass: four methods

In the garden, couch grass can quickly become a nightmare for any hobby gardener. She is persistent and tenacious. A lot of sweat can flow in fighting them. Below are the best ways to combat it.

Recognize root weeds correctly

First, briefly, a few remarks on the common couch grass (Elymus repens) in order to better recognize it. The root weed, also known as crawling mercury, belongs to the sweet grass family (Poaceae). In the garden it is very feared and also difficult to fight. Rapid spreading occurs through root rhizomes growing underground and, in autumn, through seeds. This can germinate for a long time in the earth. The weeds need a lot of light to grow. It is not very viable in shady locations. In addition, the weeds are good hosts for various fungal diseases. Further characteristics for recognizing the couch grass are:

• perennial
• branched runners running horizontally 3 to 10 cm below the surface of the earth
• Rhizomes from light to white in color
• Roots reach up to 80 cm in depth
• growing above ground in clumps
• upright stalks
• Height from 50 to 150 cm
• Flowering between June and August
• double row, loosely standing flower spikes
• gray - green colored
• Seed formation in the second year of standing
• loves calcareous and nitrogen-rich soils

After recognizing the root weeds on the beds, targeted action is necessary to prevent further spread and to avert damage to crops.

Note: The annual growth of the root runners can be up to one meter. A single plant can produce up to 150 daughter plants annually.

Methods of Combat

Once couch grass has settled in beds and in the lawn, it is always relatively difficult to banish it from the garden in the long term. Sometimes it is sometimes not easy to spot, usually only when it is larger, for example in the lawn. But then it is high time to fight the couch grass to prevent it from spreading further. Over time, the root weeds would displace useful and ornamental plants from the beds. However, a bit of patience and sometimes muscle strength is always required to remove the crawling mercury. There are various options for combating it and for long-term removal.

Fight by hand

A simple tearing out or chopping off would only bring short-term success in this case. New stalks would constantly sprout from the deeply rooted rhizomes. Milling or chopping of the affected areas is also not recommended, because the root runners would be crushed and come in or out. remain in the ground. A new plant can emerge from every small piece of root. Fighting by hand is a tedious affair. It can take a growing season or two to see results. But this method is still the most effective. It is best to proceed as follows:

• Carefully dig up couch grass plants with a digging fork
• include all the roots
• then pull the remaining long, flat roots out of the ground
• remove every single piece of root

As a rule, the soil, which is interspersed with couch grass, is quite loose. The worked bed should then lie fallow for a while. It is important that weeds that appear again and again are removed. There is also the option of regularly mowing the plants above ground. Even so, the root weeds can be starved out in the long term. In any case, the weeds must not bloom, otherwise they will self-sow. Furthermore, the roots should not be disposed of on the compost heap. There they can then spread again unhindered. Disposal in the residual waste is better and safer. On the other hand, they can also be used to prepare tea for coughs and colds.

Tip: Many hobby gardeners swear by planting potatoes in these areas. By shading the soil through the lush foliage of the plants, new growth is to be prevented. However, it is questionable whether there will be one hundred percent success. Just try it yourself.

Cover airtight

Another possibility is to deprive the couch grass of light and air to grow. Corrugated cardboard can be used here. This is very environmentally friendly as it almost completely rots within 12 months. In addition, a thick, opaque film also fulfills this task. The procedure is as follows:

• Design of the area in early spring
• Mow stalks close to the ground beforehand
• Spread out corrugated cardboard or mulch film over the entire area
• Cover with a thin layer of earth or bark mulch
• Cover for at least 12 months, even longer
• Plants and roots suffocate
• After clearing the area, fertilization is necessary
• Corrugated cardboard in particular deprives the soil of nutrients

Green manure very successful

Another way to combat couch grass is to do this Green manure. This successfully suppresses the growth of couch grass. At the same time, the soil is provided with new nutrients for other plants. Particularly suitable for this are:

• Winter vetch
• Rapeseed
• Oil radish
• Buckwheat
• Mustard / yellow mustard
• Phacelia
• Jerusalem artichoke
• Nasturtiums

You have to sow very densely so that the light is withdrawn from the root weeds. You can also achieve good results with marigolds. These are simply planted around the bed. The root excretions of these plants are not tolerated by the couch grass. Other plants that prevent the weeds from spreading further are:

• Bergenia
• Cotoneaster
• ivy
• evergreen honeysuckle
• thyme
• Marigolds

Tip: You should refrain from using legumes, because they additionally enrich the soil with nitrogen, which in turn promotes the growth of couch grass.

Use of herbicides

Just a few words about this, but for the sake of the environment it should not be used. Total herbicides are used here. This not only destroys the weeds, but also useful and ornamental plants. It should be used in dry, warm weather. The active ingredient is unfolded in the plant and kills it down to the roots. It is always better to take measures to prevent the spread of couch grass than to control it with herbicides.

Preventive measures

There are several ways to prevent these stubborn root weeds from spreading:

• Mow the lawn at least once a week
• balanced fertilization and irrigation of the land
• in the case of lawns, setting of root barriers or lawn edges
• Avoid nitrogen over-fertilization of the soil
• Do not undermine couch grass
• no storage of the roots on the compost
• early detection of weeds
• do not let it bloom
• Use of high-quality seeds for lawns
• Be careful when fertilizing with horse and cattle manure
• Animals eat grass, which makes it possible to spread
• Application of a layer of mulch in beds