Italian Arum has turned up in my yard and I'm looking for control
methods. Digging it out is a start, but acknowledged to be difficult.
Glyphosate is said to be ineffective against the roots.

I've heard of folks tucking bindweed plant tops into plastic bags,
spraying herbicide in the bag and tying the bag around the plant
stem. Given time (months) that is said to kill the entire root.

Yet another story suggests the use of herbicide cocktails on plants
resistant to glyphosate. I'm not a fan of herbicides, but this may
be a case for expdiency over principles.

Thanks for reading, and any thoughts/experiences.

bob prohaska

On Sat, 27 May 2023 15:32:26 -0000 (UTC)
bob prohaska <bp@www.zefox.net> wrote:

>Italian Arum has turned up in my yard and I'm looking for control
>methods. Digging it out is a start, but acknowledged to be difficult.
>Glyphosate is said to be ineffective against the roots.
>
>I've heard of folks tucking bindweed plant tops into plastic bags,
>spraying herbicide in the bag and tying the bag around the plant
>stem. Given time (months) that is said to kill the entire root.
>
>Yet another story suggests the use of herbicide cocktails on plants
>resistant to glyphosate. I'm not a fan of herbicides, but this may
>be a case for expdiency over principles.

I've used Crossbow on Horsetails:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum

https://www.amazon.com/Dow-Crossbow-Herbicide-Brush-Killer/dp/B004TGNLJ8/

Neighbor clued me in to it and gave me a gallon or so. I use it
sparingly, smells like chemicals too but does the job. Horsetail laughs
at Glyphosate. Works good on Poison Ivy too but Glyphosate will work
if it isn't too big yet.

Another possibility is Garlon. That's what the Power line crew sprayed
under the lines and was able to take out Autumn Olives with it...

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI

Leon Fisk <lfiskgr@gmail.invalid> wrote:
>
> I've used Crossbow on Horsetails:
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum
>
> https://www.amazon.com/Dow-Crossbow-Herbicide-Brush-Killer/dp/B004TGNLJ8/
>
> Neighbor clued me in to it and gave me a gallon or so. I use it
> sparingly, smells like chemicals too but does the job. Horsetail laughs
> at Glyphosate. Works good on Poison Ivy too but Glyphosate will work
> if it isn't too big yet.
>
> Another possibility is Garlon. That's what the Power line crew sprayed
> under the lines and was able to take out Autumn Olives with it...

I'd like to avoid chemical control if it's possible. There are other plants
nearby that I'd like to preserve. I'm not an organic gardener with a capital
O by any means but tend to save toxics for last resorts.

One article mentions use of heat (boiling water) to kill the bulbs and
tubers. The notion of injecting low pressure steam immediately crossed
my mind. I gather it's been tried commercially in Europe but am not aware
of how well it worked. It's essential to heat and kill the tubers,
herbicide sprays generally cause a top kill that regrows or is replaced by
new, dormant corms and seeds.

I've reached out to https://www.weedtechnics.com/contact/ to see if they
have any experience but they seem to advertise surface treatment rather
than underground.

If anybody has tried boiling water or steam for weed control please post
your experince.

Thanks for writing,

bob prohaska