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Bittercress - Remove or keep? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by PlaidBaron@lemmy.world to c/permaculture@lemmy.world

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Hi all. I have quite a lot of hairy bittercress in my garden. I think it rode in on the compost I got this year. Ive been removing it from directly around my pea plants but in the open spaces of the garden where its really taken off, Ive surrendered and let it be.

My question is this: Should I be removing it or should I leave it as a kind of live mulch. It doesnt appear to be hindering my peas or other plants in that bed but if it will do long term damage to the soil Id rather take care of it now.

Anyone have any experience with it. Is it worth the effort of removing or do I just let it be?

Thanks!

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[–] PlaidBaron@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Thanks for the info. I had not actually tried to eat it for some reason, even though I know it is edible. I guess I got so focused on it as a mulch. It seems to be dying off, as it does here in late summer so I will try it next year. In any case, I decided to leave it in.

This particular garden bed used to be a flower bed with very poor soil, so it isnt a surprise. Ive been working on imporving the soil quality and growing food in it instead. This is my first year of it though, so its a learning curve.