Bishop's Weed & Weedeaters - what have I done?

21 years ago

Before I left for our vacation, I very neatly edged the lawn of our new home with our weedeater. Growing around said lawn is a lot of Bishop's Weed, some of which got caught up in the whirring and chopping. Anyway, now I've returned and I see that Bishop's Weed, formerly kept back from the lawn by an landscaping edge, has "jumped" over and is growing in my grass. Almost exactly where I did my work. Okay, exactly where I did my work. So my question is: do you think the B.W. just JUMPED over suddenly or does it have something to do with the bits of B.W. getting caught up in the whirring and chopping and thereby possibly being disbursed into my lawn, unbeknownst to little old me? And if that is likely the case, then what am I do about wanting to edge my lawn but not disturb the B.W. - is there a time to avoid it because it's more likely to get spread by being chopped up by the weedeater?

HELP!

Robin

Comments (4)

sunshinedaydream
21 years ago
I'm sure they spread by underground runners~ bishops weed is lovely, however is terribly invasive, I ended up ripping all of mine out, and it was a chore. Unfortunately, it will keep popping up wherever it chooses....
BruMeta
20 years ago
It could have spread by seed (it does, you know) that had not yet sprouted when you whacked. New seedlings are apt to appear at any time in its growing season, so be sure to snip the flowers off this year. Digging it out is a real chore because its white roots, so brittle and easily broken, remain "alive" when left in the ground.

I think bishopÂs weed was sent here by the Soviets during the Cold War. Probably brought back by Sputnik from Space.
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MeMyselfAndI
20 years ago
Do you mean Aegopodium? Unless the landscape edge is about 1/4 mile wide, it won't stop this stuff.
triciae
19 years ago
Dig it immediately or it will be eating small dogs & cats by next summer! Dig, dig, and dig some more. The white roots will break off and you MUST get every last piece. Your mission will be difficult but we have faith in you. I agree that the Soviets brought this plant during the Cold War. Seriously, remove it. It's much worse than LOV. It will literally consume your lawn and then march onwards towards the house...trust us...get rid of it.

When I first moved to NE, I'd never seen this plant before. There was some growing on a homesite that was being cleared to make room for a grocery store. I dug some up and planted it. By the third season, my one shovel full had spread 20'. It took another five years to mostly get rid of it. Even then, every spring a small little plant poked its head up from somewhere.