Benbrook residents are grappling with an unwelcome garden pest that won’t go away.
If your flowerbed is being taken over by tall, purple blooms with stubborn roots, chances are you’re dealing with spiderwort. While it may look harmless or even attractive at first, this plant is notoriously invasive and difficult to eradicate once it takes hold.
Spiderwort spreads quickly through underground roots and can return even after repeated digging. Residents have tried pulling, ignoring, and digging twice over without much success. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Here are a few proven tricks to help get ahead of it:
1. Dig Deep (and Often): When pulling spiderwort, ensure you dig several inches deep to remove the entire root. Leaving even small fragments can lead to regrowth.
2. Smother the Area: After pulling or digging, lay down thick black plastic or several layers of cardboard topped with mulch. This blocks sunlight and helps suppress new growth.
3. Apply Herbicide Carefully: For more aggressive treatment, use a targeted herbicide labeled for perennial weeds. Apply it directly to the leaves, avoiding contact with nearby desirable plants.
4. Consistency is Key: This isn’t a one-and-done fix. Keep checking the area weekly. Any regrowth should be removed immediately to weaken the plant over time.
5. Don’t Compost It: Toss spiderwort in the trash instead of the compost pile. The roots can survive and spread again.
The best defense is early detection and regular maintenance. Watch for signs of spiderwort in spring and act fast before it spreads. Your flowerbed will thank you.
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