Bittercress is the absolute worst garden weed

[damian]

5-10 years ago i had never seen or heard of bittercress.

Now it is easily the most annoying, pervasive weed in my yard, and the one i have absolutely no strategy for. It is basically pull early, pull often, and never stop pulling.

 

[Mmathis]

I don’t know what that one is — will have to look it up. I’m in the South, so we have our own weedy demons.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

And get to pulling it before those seeds dry, otherwise you have to wear goggles to keep them from shooting into your eyeballs as you're weeding! We call it 'exploding weed'.

 

[Hound Heaven]

And get to pulling it before those seeds dry, otherwise you have to wear goggles to keep them from shooting into your eyeballs as you're weeding! We call it 'exploding weed'.

 

[damian]

yes, that is the absolute worst. the first time i encountered it i thought a bunch of bugs were leaping off of it to attack my face.

 

[GBBUDD]

i take a blow torch to them and stop the seeds prior to flowering and before i pull it so no seeds just drop

 

[Hound Heaven]

In the west it's Goatheads. They puncture tires, go through the soles of shoes and each seed from a "head" can live 7 years.

 

[damian]

Those look fun

 

[GBBUDD]

Burn baby burn .

 

[hamstermann]

In the west it's Goatheads. They puncture tires, go through the soles of shoes and each seed from a "head" can live 7 years. View attachment 162904

And where I live they are EVERYWHERE. For a long time it seemed like every time my kids went for a bike ride I had to change the inner tube due to a flat. (Patch kits just don't work well for me and are more work than putting in a new inner tube).

 

[j.w]

In the west it's Goatheads. They puncture tires, go through the soles of shoes and each seed from a "head" can live 7 years. View attachment 162904

We have none of these on the west side of Washington state fortunately but tons when we take our bikes camping to the east side! Awful for dogs and bike tires! Need heavy duty liners for the tires! These weeds like hot temps to grow.

 

[Mmathis]

In the west it's Goatheads. They puncture tires, go through the soles of shoes and each seed from a "head" can live 7 years. View attachment 162904

I think we have those in LA.

 

[Hound Heaven]

I think we have those in LA.

Good luck!

 

[JMJ]

I think we have those in LA.

Keep them on the north end, we’ve got enough crazy foreign plants down here

 

[bagsmom]

The little "exploding popcorn" seeds of bittercress are SO ANNOYING! Vetch is another menace. It is very pretty and delicate, but spreads so easily with seeds - it gets out of control.