| Author | Content |
| jillbu Vergennes, VT May 9, 2008 | Hi folks, I decided to loosen up my compacted mulch in my front garden. I found a monster, anywhere that the landscaping fabric overlapped, I found a vine-y type weed. I have enclosed a picture below. I am pulling it and trying to take as many of the seed pod things with it as I can, but wanted to try and treat the mulch surface to keep it from growing more. Hopefully someone knows what it is? Thanks Jill in vermont
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| ViburnumValley Scott County, KY Zone 5b May 9, 2008 | Sure looks like the root system of something that forms nodules (usually a leguminous species; I think the nodules are ways of converting nitrogen into useful forms). Do you have a black locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) in the vicinity? Your picture looks just like what I wrestle with any time I dig around one here. |
| jillbu Vergennes, VT May 9, 2008 | actually I do have a huge black locust tree on the other side of the sidewalk. Its the bane of my existance, when i win the lottery its coming down! interesting that it would be sending out so many seed/root nodules? so if that is what i'm pulling up.. should i be pulling it up? it has really compacted the mulch on the garden so that air/water is not moving thru well. also, what is the best way to dispose of the stuff i have already pulled up? i don't want any more locust trees sprouting up? This message was edited May 9, 2008 11:31 AM |
| Resin Northumberland (UK) Zone 9a May 9, 2008 | They're not seeds, just root nodules, which the tree uses to convert nitrogen from the air into fertiliser. Both the tree and other nearby plants are able to use the nitrogenous fertiliser so made. Resin |
| ViburnumValley Scott County, KY Zone 5b May 9, 2008 | [quote]...interesting that it would be sending out so many seed/root nodules? so if that is what i'm pulling up.. should i be pulling it up? it has really compacted the mulch on the garden so that air/water is not moving thru well. also, what is the best way to dispose of the stuff i have already pulled up? i don't want any more locust trees sprouting up?[/quote] I'm suppressing a little mirth. Not at your expense, mind you, but at the predicament in which you are found. The black locust is exploiting the situation in which it resides. It has roots throughout that area, and where you've placed landscape fabric and mulch covering, you have created an interface that apparently is quite to the locust's liking. Lack of air/water movement lower means that the tree's roots are hitting the spot where there IS air/water to accumulate. The tree roots will not have caused any compaction. Use of landscape fabric as a barrier to things coming up from below also prevents things from above going down (such as free passage of air/water and total prevention of decomposed organic matter supplementing soil conditions). Removal of these roots is OK, but that will trigger a reaction from Mr. Locust. Robinia pseudoacacia is a well-known colonizing plant. Root disturbance often (always) activates a suckering response as a method of self-preservation. As you cut and remove these roots, there will be dormant buds along the remaining roots that will sprout to make many more small stems. So...disposal of what you've cut off already is not really an issue. Having more sprout up - that's a different question. You may want to stop cutting off more roots for the moment. |
| jillbu Vergennes, VT May 9, 2008 | yeesh.. well.. i stopped pulling and cutting and just loosened up the mulch. I guess we wait and see what happens. At some point we are planning on cutting down the icky locust tree but i'm told it takes YEARS for the root system to stop growing.. thanks for everyones help and info. I appreciate it and look forward to watching the list and learning more |
| ecrane3 Dublin, CA Zone 9a May 9, 2008 | I'd also get rid of the landscaping fabric in the garden bed, it's fine for underneath pathways and patios, but your garden will be healthier without it. |
| growgirl59 Saint Louis, MO May 9, 2008 | I agree with ecrane3 - landscape fabric is not a natural or healthy way to grow a garden. I know that's not your original inquiry, but I never pass up a chance to throw in my 2 cents about the use of landscape fabric in the garden. YUCK! |
