Weed identification help please

AFarmer · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2016 10:19 pm Post subject: Weed identification help please

Hello there, I am looking for help in identifiing a Weed which has taken over a patch of ground i have. Small bit of background, (Pardon the pun!) I have been planting potatoes in the space for the past 3-4years, last year i got manure from a local farm to spread on the ground to break down over the winter/spring before planting, my Spuds. After picking my Potatoes last Autumn the ground was left idle, and this spring i leveled off the ground to return to grass pasture, as i have moved my potatoe patch to a new area. Now over the past few weeks a very large amount of the below weed has cropped up and taken over ! Picture below i would very much like help if possible to identify what it is and how best to get rid of it ! I brought one to my local Ag stores and nobody in there had seen anything like it before... I do suspect it has come from the cow dung i spread last year as there was no sign of it prior to then. It is a braodleafed Weed that has some buds forming in the middle, none have yet flowered though as best i can make out but i am trying to identify what i have so i best know how to deal with it and return area to grass..any help much appreciated, thanks !

Greengage · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 7:44 am Post subject:

Sorry but I would need to see a picture none showing up with post.

Blowin · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 9:20 am Post subject:

All OK to me. Perfect pics

tagwex · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 9:23 am Post subject:

That is an unusual one, for me anyway, I think it might be Fat Hen. I know a good few weeds so I could tell you what it is not.

Greengage · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 1:00 pm Post subject:

Tagwex fast out of the blocks there, I agree. I now have a pic on different machine.
http://www.wildflowersofireland.net/plant_detail.php?id_flower=465&wildflower=Fat-hen

tagwex · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 2:01 pm Post subject:

Jaaaaysus I got one right. Wonders will never cease.

AFarmer · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 8:09 pm Post subject:

Hello all, Many thanks tagwex for the identification ! And to Greengage for that link, that certainly looks like what i appear to have, maybe i should get myself some hens now ! Thanks again for the help folks, much apreciated !

tagwex · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2016 12:10 am Post subject:

Can anyone explain the "whoa" message after the last photo.

tippben · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2016 3:29 am Post subject:

Yes, it's fat hen. Edible by the way. It cooks down like spinach. If I had that much, I'd definitely be eating some.

Sue Deacon · Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2016 8:26 pm Post subject:

Flippin' typical! Here am I TRYING to grow a close relative called Good King Henry ( and failing miserably) and there you are with a field full! Rolling Eyes

It goes back to the Bronze age as an alternative to Spinach. If you rotivate it back in you should not have any problems - unless it self seeds. But I'd make the most of a free crop first.

tippben · Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2016 9:35 am Post subject:

Weird isn't it? My mother can't grow mint, and I can't grow scallions. I once sowed Red Orache, which took over. I am trying to convince my wife that chickweed isn't too bad. I've been sneaking it into dinners. She hasn't noticed. It's "spinach".

Sue Deacon · Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2016 9:45 am Post subject:

Yeh, for me it's hairy bittercress - it's EVERYWHERE! Shame it's not water or land cress.