Mind-your-own-business

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Wednesday, 13 March 2019 at 3:00 pm

Remove unwanted mind-your-own-business plant from your garden, with the help of tips from our guide.

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Time to act

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Mind-your-own-business, Soleirolia soleirolii, is a creeping perennial with tiny flowers and leaves. The branching stems root as they spread, forming a dense mat of foliage that few plants can grow through. The mind-your-own-business plant will soon take hold on any soil or lawn, although it's particularly prevalent in the crevices of stone walls and in damp conditions.

Symptoms

A slow-growing weed with tiny flowers and leaves. Its stems root as they spread, forming a thick mat that leaves little space for other plants to grow.

Find it on

all over the garden

Organic

It will regrow from sections of stems left behind after hoeing or weeding, so you need to be thorough when trying to get rid of it, picking out any piece of foliage. If possible, get under the roots with a spade to slice it out. If it's in the lawn, carefully remove plants in April or September, then fork over the area and replace soil, re-sowing or turfing where necessary.

Chemical

In a lawn, bed or border, spot-treat patches of the plant using a total weedkiller. For best results, bruise the plant with the back of a rake or crush it underfoot before applying. Avoid spraying on a windy day and near other desirable plants.