What is this weird plant and how might I eradicate it?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › What is this weird plant and how might I eradicate it?

geekIT

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#280988 23-Jan-2021 20:14

I have a fallow area in the back yard that's soon to become a driveway, so I haven't taken much notice of it for a year or so.

But it's now largely covered (40m2, approx) by this weird growth, that's immune to Roundup.

Apart from this area, it's starting to appear in several other areas, so it seems it might have aerial spores like mushrooms.

Anyone?

PS: This is Southland, 50kNW of Invercargill.

PPS: Note the slime it becomes at some stage in its growth.

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#2640705 23-Jan-2021 20:52

Liverwort, baking soda deals to it. http://www.wildfruitsofwellington.com/pests-and-diseases.html

timmmay

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#2640709 23-Jan-2021 21:05

Roundup works on almost anything, in sufficient quantities.

andrewNZ

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#2640740 24-Jan-2021 08:32

timmmay:
Roundup works on almost anything, in sufficient quantities.

Yates Zero is so much better.

SepticSceptic

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#2640742 24-Jan-2021 08:40

That dark green brown stuff is some kind of algae. Vinegar will kill it slowly.
There is a commercial product available in garden centers that will also slowly kill it. Moss and algae killer?

It spreads by spores particularly when it dries. In foot wear etc.
Damned hard to get rid of.

edge

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#2640830 24-Jan-2021 08:56

It is indeed a liverwort :-). If it's effectively a "waste" area you can get it with one of the benzalkonium chloride products (for moss/algae/liverwort). Glyphosate will also kill it - but - you will definitely need to add a surfactant (e.g. "Pulse" penetrant) to the mix. This is because the surface is very waxy and the surfactant is required to aid penetration of the waxy defense (goes for a range of other plants with waxy leaves). We used to get it on the driveway in places - I just used the tractor and backblade to scrape the surface! As SepticSceptic noted, is does produce spores which will likely remain and cause reinfestation - guess that's why its a "pest/weed"!

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Dynamike

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#2640831 24-Jan-2021 09:03

Don’t use Glyphosate (Roundup), you’ll just end up getting more of it!

Use one of the products specifically for Moss, Lichen, and Liverwort.

blackjack17

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#2640839 24-Jan-2021 09:22

andrewNZ:
timmmay:

Roundup works on almost anything, in sufficient quantities.

Yates Zero is so much better.

Yates zero is Roundup.

https://www.yates.co.nz/products/weed-control/general-weed-control/yates-zero-super-concentrate-weedkiller/ active ingredient Glyphosate

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundup_(herbicide) active ingredient Glyphosate

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geekIT

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#2640842 24-Jan-2021 09:33

Bung, Timmmay, AndrewNZ, SepticSceptic, edge, Dynamike:

To you all, thanks very much. Knowledge is power, so now I can power this creeping slimeball off my patch.
Cheers👍

EDIT: Thanks also blackjack17: Didn't see your post.

BTW: Timmmay, I've probably sprayed this stuff (with Country Mile 360 glyphosate that I buy in bulk from one of the local farm supply stores) a dozen times without effect, so I can definitely say it doesn't work. It might with a surfactant, as some of you suggested, but neat glyphosate, nope. And I always spray at around double the recommended dose.

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Bung

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#2640852 24-Jan-2021 10:56

More sunlight and drainage are the longer term fixes.

neb

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#2641228 24-Jan-2021 21:50

If you're not averse to more extreme solutions, place alternating layers of sodium and lithium deuteride near the growth and ignite them. The sodium-23 will transition to sodium-24 which emits a staggering amount of gamma radiation which will sterilise the growth as it decays to magnesium-24. Since it has a half-life of 15 hours, it'll be safe to return in about a week, and the stuff won't come back. Downside is that there are some problems with scalability.

I believe this is known as "the nuclear option".

snnet

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#2641230 24-Jan-2021 22:00

Put some dishwash detergent in with the roundup it will help make it stick to the slippery leaves :)

cokemaster

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#2641231 24-Jan-2021 22:05

I nearly fell off my chair when I read that, @neb.

Does Bunning have any good specials on Lithium deuteride or is Mitre 10 the go to place for the best price?

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neb

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#2641234 24-Jan-2021 22:09

cokemaster:
Does Bunning have any good specials on Lithium deuteride or is Mitre 10 the go to place for the best price?

I buy mine from Dodgy Ivan up the road. Problem is he only takes payment in BTC, and all the containers have "CCCP" stamped on them. I assume it stands for Central Committee for Coordinated Planning or something.

geekIT

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#2641600 25-Jan-2021 12:18

Trying to take the cheapest eradication option to begin with, I've just sprinkled baking soda over a small patch.

I read somewhere it kills liverwort in 24 hrs. Not sure if I was supposed to wet it as well, but overnight dew should do that, I guess.

Otherwise, if soda is supposed to be wetted, it'd be easier to make it into a sprayable material, methinks 🤔

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Handsomedan

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#2641610 25-Jan-2021 12:34

neb:
cokemaster:

Does Bunning have any good specials on Lithium deuteride or is Mitre 10 the go to place for the best price?

I buy mine from Dodgy Ivan up the road. Problem is he only takes payment in BTC, and all the containers have "CCCP" stamped on them. I assume it stands for Central Committee for Coordinated Planning or something.

*CIA inbound in black choppers*

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Handsome Dan does not currently have a side hustle as the mascot for Yale

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