The alien ? Allium

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I have been out during the last 2 or 3 days of lovely weather and started to tackle the alien takeover of part of my border. This plant ,which smells of onions, was delivered to me years ago in a batch of Allium bulbs. This severe winter has made me unable to hoe regularly and pull it out when it gets to a certain size. As the ground has been frozen so long. Fortunately I have kept myself fit by walking ten thousand steps a day, using a pedometer. As I could not cycle due to bad weather and GJ ill and anxious I should not have an accident. Or spend too long out the house to go for a swim. I have worked for 8 hours all together in the garden sorting out about 30 feet of the back part of the border and at 74 ,not an ache to show for the digging out of Knifophia and Heleniums and surviving Bonariensis. I know this is not a health forum!; but I can recommend simple walking, not strolling or garden centre pace, plus a bit of stretching. As long as it is far enough. In house, garden or to the shops the long way round! I know that will never get rid of it completely,as it is so insidious and sneaky. I intend to grow on mostly short life plants from plugs and dig them out and discard, in the worst affected part of the garden.

This little lot in amongst a Spirea and gathered at the foot of an apple tree and its supports still needs clearing out. could use spray I suppose but do not like this much

Here Chionodoxa are being swamped by this sneaky plant. My usual way is to loosen them slightly and pull them out before they swamp other plants. Not possible this year.

Here is a juvenile version of the alien invader. Shortly to be consigned to the council green bin. One reason I would never buy any of their compost if they sold it.

A slightly more mature group. These plants have an insignificant small white flower. They seem like a virus spreading round the garden.

15 Mar, 2010
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Megan75

What a nuisance for you ... tell me, I have Chives coming up all over the place which is weird as I've certainly never planted any ! Then I remembered I put some in my composter from a friend' garden 2 years ago ... could they be from that ? : o )

15 Mar, 2010

Bulbaholic

This is what I call Stinking Willy and it is a form of wild onion. There is a lot of on the banks of the burn near us but, fortunately, not in the garden. I believe that you can use the leaves in cooking.

15 Mar, 2010

Dorjac

Thanks to you both. Not a popular blog this !!!!. I suppose it must taste of onions as it smells oniony. I will try some in a stew in the slow cooker. It looks innocent enough to start with. Then the leaves grow long and strappy and flop over other plants. It forms dense clusters of small bulbs. It does disapear later on, but only after it has blocked out some early bulbs. I crush the bulbs between two boards before I dispose of them, if I can. I did have another little border where there were a lot of chives, Megan, which I cleared out last autumn. I do like chives but not too many! I am still not aching in spite of hours on end in the garden in this lovely weather.

16 Mar, 2010

Megan75

We just can't help ourselves when the weather changes, I've planted some herbs into pots today, NOT chives I hasten to add! Don't overdo it out there, little and often to start. : o )

16 Mar, 2010

Dorjac

I did give it a rest on Tuesday, as other things to do and only a little today to replant some things I dug up. I got some spray today while we were out, which goes against the grain, as I realise, at my age, and Carer to GJ, I have to be careful not to crock myself up. Still not aching though. Quite amazing what that extra simple exercise does for me.

17 Mar, 2010

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The alien ? Allium

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