Plant This

Re: EDITOR 24 May 2010 - 11:08:00 AM

You're going to hate this answer but the universally held primary control method for this (Tradescantia fluminensis or albiflora) is physical removal. Old-fashioned raking and hand weeding.

It sounds like you already know the limitations of weeding: underground and brittle stems breaking off and regenerating having to be committed to follow-up weeding.

The leaves and stems of this weed are water-repellent so chemicals – a last resort anyway – aren't going to be efficient and would also need a lot of following-up.

Extra steps – after removing as much as you can, bagging and disposing of ALL of it so it can't regenerate anywhere – depend on your circumstances.

If you have an area small enough for some special, intensive treatment and which doesn't need to let native vegetation regenerate naturally, hit the weed while it's down and focus on cutting off its light for photosynthesis and regeneration.

Again depending on what the area is, cultivate the soil. While most of the plants' reserves have been removed, uproot what has been left behind. Remove and dispose of anything more you spot in the process.

You could leave it a few weeks and then attack the first regrowth that will expose itself.

On cutting light, don't just mulch but put down layers of newspaper, cardboard or old carpet first. And then camouflage that with an organic mulch. Plant out this new garden bed with species that will grow well under the conditions and be in a position to spread and out-compete any regrowth. Something robust and taller – but not weedy. Make the smallest planting cuts possible into the mulch layers and repair tightly.

Keep your eye out for any reappearance of the dreaded wanderer and yank it immediately. Maintain your advantage of the old principle: the younger the weed, the more effective the control.