Ground ivy counts as a weed for many hobby gardeners because it spreads unhindered and is difficult to remove. The dense carpets can hardly be removed without effort. Early action makes sense, but there are also alternatives to combating it.

Although the ground ivy has both decorative and medicinal value, it is not always popular

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Fight Gundermann
  3. Inappropriate measures
  4. prevention
  5. Benefits of the ground ivy
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • The mother plant of the ground ivy should be torn out by hand or with a weed puller or hoe
    • Gundermann is not destroyed by mowing the lawn
    • Ground ivy is a medicinal herb that is used, among other things, for stomach problems, coughs, sore throats and for wound healing
    • Ground ivy likes heavy, moist soil with a slightly acidic pH

    Fight Gundermann

    The ground ivy is a shallow root and develops long runners that crawl on the ground and form side shoots every eight to six inches. These side shoots grow upright and produce flowers. The plant can spread through the creeping shoots, which are rooted at many nodes. A main shoot reaches a length of up to two meters under optimal site conditions.

    This is how the ground ivy overwinters:

    • Plant is evergreen
    • Hibernation with two-leaved shoot parts
    • Rosette leaves also overwinter

    Remove manually

    Due to the shallow roots, manual weeding is easy to do. If the soil is compacted, you can loosen the areas around a mother plant with a digging fork. However, this measure can be very time-consuming depending on the spread of the plant. If sprout parts are missed and left behind, the plant can spread again. Therefore, a thorough approach is extremely important.

    How to find the mother plant:

    • Trace foothills to origin
    • look for a vigorous plant with rosette leaves
    • Find a main plant with numerous stolons

    Eliminate with weed rake and hoe

    Aids that you can use to get the plant out of the ground are easier on the back. Weed killers are sometimes referred to as dock killers because they eliminate deep-rooted plants with relatively little effort. The devices are equipped with two metal spikes that are stuck into the ground. The plants are then levered out of the ground together with their roots. A weed killer works just as well for shallow-rooted plants like ground ivy. In the bed, you can tackle the unwanted plant with a hoe.

    What you should avoid

    If you take a closer look at the growth and ecology of the ground ivy, you will quickly be able to distinguish between nonsensical and appropriate control measures. As soon as the remains of the foothills remain on the lawn, the ground ivy can spread further.

    tips

    Do without special products from the trade that are only intended to fight the ground ivy. Such agents are usually ineffective and damage the lawn.

    Not possible to destroy by mowing the lawn

    The chances of success in combating the already well-established ground ivy with the lawn mower are rather low. This measure suppresses competing plants, so that the ground ivy definitely benefits from mowing. If the mother plant has not yet spread, regular mowing can weaken it. She is sensitive to regular walking on the lawn. Therefore, the herbaceous plant prefers to grow in places that are mowed but not otherwise used.

    digression

    A location focus of the Gundermann

    Meadows are one of the main habitats of the Gundel vine, because here there is a good supply of water and nitrogen over a long period of time. The plant is particularly common in smooth oat fat meadows. It blooms together with meadowfoam and dandelion, but also with other low-growing herbs. Outside of farm meadows, ground ivy is widespread on multi-cut lawns in gardens and parks.

    Fighting by scarifying makes no sense

    Neither mowing nor scarifying helps against ground ivy in the lawn

    The term scarifying is made up of the terms "vertical" (perpendicular) and "cut" (to cut). It could be translated as “cut vertically”, because that is exactly what is done when scarifying. The rotating blades cut a few millimeters deep into the thatch. The knives usually do not reach the grass roots.

    The measure proves to be counterproductive when it comes to combating stoloniferous weeds. The above-ground creeping instincts of the ground ivy are also dismembered. However, these can then be even more difficult to remove from the surface. If shoot residues remain, they continue to grow and form new mother plants.

    Do not use chemical agents

    There are chemical total weed killers that are highly effective and also eliminate stubborn weeds. Such funds are often permissible for horticultural areas. The plants must be completely wetted to ensure optimal absorption of the active ingredient. As a result, crops also come into contact with the toxic substances. Such agents select between monocots and dicots, but not between unwanted and intentionally planted flowers.

    preventive measures

    The ground ivy can only develop well under certain environmental factors. With enough sunlight, the plant forms numerous branches. If it is shaded, the plant reduces the formation of branches. Instead, it invests the energy in the formation of leaf mass. The fine roots develop faster and more numerously in nutrient-rich soils than in nutrient-poor substrates.

    measure effect
    lawn use Increase step load disturbance
    Fertilize avoid fertilization nutrient deprivation
    lawn clippings remove after mowing nitrogen deprivation
    planting sow competing flowering plants shading
    disposal drying weeded plants on stone slabs before composting Desiccation of seeds and roots

    tips

    Ensure a dense turf, because ground ivy have a hard time here.

    Benefits of the ground ivy

    If the ground ivy has only spread to certain areas in the garden, it can increase the ornamental value and have a positive effect on biodiversity. The herbaceous plant does not bother if it is spread out selectively, because a healthy and well-developed lawn can keep the ground ivy in check in a natural way. You can also use the herb in the kitchen.

    Important nectar plant

    Ground ivy is not a weed for everyone

    Gundel vines flower between April and July. This early flowering period makes them important food suppliers. The herbaceous plants are an important source of nectar in spring when there are few flowers. The flowers are flown to by numerous insects, which ensure fertilization. In total, the ground ivy serves as a food source for around 30 different species.

    What insects fly on the ground ivy:

    • bees: fur bees and bumblebees
    • fly: hoverflies, wool hoverfly
    • butterflies: Aurora Butterfly, Brimstone Butterfly, Green-veined White

    medicinal herb

    Gundelrebe has numerous areas of application in folk medicine. A tea helps against upset stomach and loss of appetite, diarrhea and ailments of the bile, liver and kidneys. The extract can be used to gargle with inflammation of the mouth and throat. Pastes are used externally to treat wounds.

    The Gundermann is said to have these effects:

    • relieves cough and respiratory problems
    • promotes wound healing when applied externally
    • has a slightly diuretic and astringent effect
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    kitchen herbs

    Ground ivy is rich in bitter substances, tannins, vitamin C and minerals. Its leaves have a slightly pungent and bitter taste, which is why they should be dosed wisely. As a herb, the ground ivy refines pan dishes such as fried potatoes or pancakes. It can be used in game dishes or for wild herb salads, herb quark and herb butter.

    Recipe for a summer salad:

    • Chop various wild herbs such as sorrel, chervil, yarrow, ground ivy and ground elder
    • Finely chop the onion, garlic clove and chives
    • Mix the herb salt with the fruit vinegar, pumpkin seed oil and olive oil and refine with sour cream
    • Pour the sauce over the salad and stir well

    pointer plant

    The ground ivy is a typical plant on soil with a good supply of nitrogen, calcium and phosphate. It grows mainly on heavy soils with a good water supply. Ground ivy is most commonly found on soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. However, slightly acidic soils do not cause any problems for the herb. The plant does not tolerate salt.

    frequently asked Questions

    Where does the ground ivy occur?

    The ground ivy is an indicator plant that indicates nitrogen-rich and fresh to moist soil. Although she needs light, she can hold her own between dense and tall-growing perennial competition. In order to use the amount of light optimally, the plant invests a lot of energy in the formation of leaf mass. Also, it often grows taller in shady areas. The ground ivy is typical of farm meadows and multi-cut lawns with a good supply of nutrients.

    What helps against Gundermann in the lawn?

    Ground ivy is extremely resilient and can only be removed by thorough weeding. If the remains of shoots remain, new plants will form quickly. Use a weed puller to pull the mother plant out of the ground. Carefully pull the above-ground shoots out of the lawn and make sure that no shoots break off. Regular tread loads mean that the ground ivy does not spread further.

    How was ground ivy viewed in the past?

    Long gone are the days when magic powers were ascribed to the gondola vine. As one of the nine Maundy Thursday herbs, ground ivy should protect against diseases all year round. Leaves were baked in plum cake batter on St. John's Day and added to beer as a spice.

    Pets should also benefit from the positive properties. When chickens started hatching, a wreath of ground ivy was placed around the nest. This should protect against demons. By adding ground ivy to cow feed, people hoped for better milk production.

    Why is ground ivy not only a weed but also an ornamental plant?

    If the soil moisture is sufficiently high and the soil is well supplied with nutrients, the ground ivy will also thrive in shady conditions. With its long spurs, it forms dense carpets that remain green even in winter. This trait makes the herb a popular underplanting in locations that are otherwise difficult for other flowering plants to colonize.

    Are there any cultivars of ground ivy?

    While many hobby gardeners have to think about measures to combat ground ivy, other nature lovers are bringing attractive cultivated forms of the plant into the garden. Varieties with two-tone foliage such as Glechoma hederacea 'Variegata' are particularly popular. They can be combined with various spring and summer blossoms and embellish hanging baskets and flower boxes.(16.99€)

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Vegetable garden