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How To Get Rid Of Corn Speedwell In Lawn

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Natural Methods To Get Rid Of Common Garden Weeds

How to Get Rid of Weeds in Flower Beds (4 Easy Steps)

With so much controversy surrounding the use of chemical weed killers, especially those containing glyphosate, many gardeners are turning to more organic and natural weed control methods to deal with weeds even if it means more work. If you would like to get rid of weeds without harsh chemicals, here are 10 ways to knock them out.

  • NATURAL WEED KILLERS: Post-emergent herbicides target and kill growing weeds. They are available in spray forms that enter through the foliage, or granular forms that are watered into the soil and penetrate through the roots.There are two types of post-emergent formulas:
  • Systemic formulas that absorb directly into the plant and are best on perennial weeds
  • Contact formulas that kill only the exposed part of the plant and are more useful for annuals or smaller weeds
  • Common weed killers to try:

  • Safer Brand Weed Prevention Plus
  • Stand-up weeding tool. Photo by: Jari Hindstroem / Shutterstock.

  • DIY WEED SPRAYS: Homemade salt, vinegar and dish soap mixtures can be effective on some weeds, but should be used sparingly. Although they may sound safe and harmless, the ingredients can be harmful to the soil. Too much salt can cause soil to become toxic to plants and the vinegar can change the soil pH. Also, beware of using vinegar if there are amphibians near, as it can be harmful.
  • GROUNDCOVER: Plant a quick-growing groundcover to give the weeds competition for soil and water such as creeping phlox, creeping thyme or dragons blood sedum.
  • Common Winter Annual Weeds

    Hairy bittercress;, yellow rocket; and whitlow-grass; are all members of the Mustard family, which grow as rosettes close to the soil surface before sending up flowers on vertical stems. The leaves of hairy bittercress are usually 3 inches or less in length and covered with fine hairs. The leaves of yellow rocket can be up to 6 inches long and are smooth.; Whitlow-grass has the smallest rosette of Mustard family discussed, no bigger than 2 inches in diameter. Leaves are oblong and covered with fine hairs.

    These plants all produce flowers on upright stems. Hairy bittercress and whitlow-grass both produce small white flowers with four petals, deeply lobed in whitlow-grass. Yellow rocket produces yellow flowers, again with four petals characteristic of this family.

    Henbit; and purple deadnettle; both have the characteristic square stem of plants in the Mint family. The leaves of both are deeply veined covered with soft hairs, but the leaves of purple deadnettle are triangular and the upper leaves are often purple in color. The leaves of henbit are more rounded to heart-shaped.

    Common chickweed; is a member of the Pink family that grows prostrate . It has yellow-green opposite leaves with pointed tips and dainty white flowers with five deeply lobed petals.

    For more descriptions of weeds, visit MSU;Plant & Pest Diagnostics Weeds and Plants for Identification.

    Ground Ivy Or Creeping Charlie

    Better known as Creeping Charlie, was first brought here from Europe because of its medical uses, like reducing eye irritation. This cool season perennial weed is resistant to a lot of herbicides. This weed thrives in moist shady areas, but it will grow in the sun. Also a part of the mint family, and gives off a mint smell when mowed. This weed can vary in length, from a few inches to a several feet. If trying to get rid of this weed use a herbicide that has Quinclorac in the ingredients. This is normally used for treating crabgrass, but it will effectively treat Ground ivy, Crabgrass, clover and Knotweed.

    Also Check: How To Kill Creeping Charlie In Lawn

    How To Prevent Speedwell From Coming Back

    Once youve completed the labor-intensive process of ridding your lawn of speedwell, make sure you wont see their tiny blue blooms again come spring with these steps:

    • Lawn care best practices:Keep your lawn healthy to deter a speedwell invasion. Fertilize appropriately for your turfgrass and region, aerate the soil in the autumn and mow regularly. Speedwell thrives in moist, shady areas so make sure your lawn has adequate drainage and gets lots of sunlight.

    • Flower and seed pod removal: If the plant is already on your lawn, says MacKenzie, carefully remove all the flower heads before they bloom and shed seeds on the ground. This way you will reduce the probability of speedwells growth next year to a minimum.

    • Chemical herbicides: For serious infestations, you can use a pre-emergent broadleaf herbicide in the spring. Again, use with care. Herbicides may harm pets, children, pollinators and other wildlife, and applying to large areas also contaminates nearby groundwater.

    Lawn Weed Identification And Control Tips

    How To Get Rid Of Corn Speedwell In Lawn  CaetaNoveloso.com

    Corn speedwell is a winter annual weed that is classified by herbicide manufacturers as hard to control.

    It is not usually found in thick, healthy lawns but can be a problem in thin, weak grass stands and newly seeded areas; where it is capable of forming dense mats.

    Many of the pictures below were taken in shady areas, under pine trees and on the outskirts of highly maintained park lawns. I have also found it overtaking neglected lawns, in landscape beds, and growing in sidewalk cracks.

    Like many other Veronicas, this is a cute little plant with tiny, bright blue flowers; however, it is very is invasive and found on noxious weed lists.

    Some of the links in this article are;affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own. PLEASE READ MY;DISCLOSURE;FOR MORE INFORMATION.

    Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Violets

    How To Control Creeping Speedwell

    Creeping speedwell, or Veronica filiformis, is a kind of weed that can feature blue and white flowers. It is a low-lying, spreading perennial that forms a dense mat over lawns. In addition to flowers, the plant features small, roundish, light-green leaves, and it spreads through thin stolons rather than by seed. Control creeping speedwell in yards through cultivation and other natural methods because all kinds of speedwell are hard to eradicate with herbicides.

    1

    Maintain a healthy lawn. A healthy lawn does not provide an environment in which creeping speedwell can flourish. Nourish your lawn with a lawn feed appropriate for your kind of turf in spring and summer. Loosen soil in autumn to aerate it, and apply an extra layer of quality soil — to top dress the area — if necessary. Do not mow your lawn too closely to the soil because taller grass smothers creeping speedwell.

    2

    Cultivate soil to rid your property of creeping speedwell. This task can be accomplished by rototilling or hoeing affected areas. Dispose of the plant in a garbage container or allow it to dry out before adding it to your compost heap.

    3

    References

    More About Corn Speedwell

    Corn speedwell actually belongs to the plantain family, and it grows in the early spring and summer through seeds. It has low-growing, branching stems that turn upright and produce 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch flowers with white to blue petals, sometimes with darker blue stripes. The leaves grow in clusters with pointed tips but have nonserrated margins. One of their other identifying features is their hairy stems and leaves.

    The Old Farmers Almanac describes a few other varieties of speedwell, all of which are low-growing perennials. Sunny Border Blue speedwell is a hybrid that grows up to 20 inches tall with dark, purple-blue flowers. Also a hybrid, the Red Fox is renowned for its attractive, deep-pink spiked flowers.

    Things You Will Need

    • Knapsack sprayer or watering can

    • Gardening gloves

    Also Check: How To Grow Lawn Care Business

    Understanding The Crabgrass Cycle

    Crabgrass is a warm-season annual that germinates, lives and dies all in the same year. But crabgrass problems don’t end with the growing season. While they live, each crabgrass plant produces up to 150,000 seeds.1 Those seeds stay behind, ready to germinate the following spring and start the cycle all over again. Seeds that don’t germinate right away can remain viable and stick around to germinate in future years.

    Once crabgrass seeds germinate and plants emerge, mowing your lawn short won’t stop the seeds. With its low-growing, crab-like growth, crabgrass can set seed when cut as low as 1/2 inch tall1 that’s much lower than recommended healthy mowing heights;for any common lawn grass. Effective control requires preventing crabgrass seeds from ever becoming seed-producing plants.

    Low-growing crabgrass seeds escape mowers.

    Two Of The Most Problematic Weeds Your Lawn Can Have

    Common Weed With Blue Flowers

    12th May 2012

    During this period of the year, Speedwells are one of the more common difficult-to-remove weeds that will likely be appearing in your lawn. Although one of the more pretty weeds compared to others, Speedwells cause anger to anyone trying to achieve a perfect lawn.

    If your lawn has Speedwell, it can become deeply infested in a short period of time, affecting the vast area of your lawn. Treating and recovering your lawn at this stage becomes very difficult as there isnt enough grass to help re-establish the turf.

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    Speedwell And Chickweed In New Lawn

    We took a county extension office workshop last year on lawn renovation. We followed their instructions and the results of our soil test last fall to kill off old lawn and start a new one . Grass came up–not super thick, but looked pretty good, and we were able to mow once in November, followed by a second fertilization at Thanksgiving. We thought we were done until next fall, with the exception of mowing in the summer.

    This spring we have a huge amount of weeds. The extension office has identified them as chickweed and speedwell . There are way too many to pull. I have read somewhere that we have to get rid of them now before they seed. Is it too late? When do they seed? What is the best way of killing them? Then what? Do we also have to lay down a pre-emergent of some kind for perennial weeds, or is this best addressed all in one step? Please help!Thanks!

    Woodrush Hairy Coarse Leaves

    If the conditions are right this weed can be present in the lawn all year round though it is most obvious during its flowering period in the early spring. Often mistaken for coarse grass this stubby grass like weed has very hairy coarse leaves with a dark bobble like seed head. Forms large patches in the lawn by sending out stolons to create new plants.

    This plant favours wet acidic conditions but it appears now to establish in any lawn to some degree regardless of acidity.

    • Likes sandy or acidic soils though any lawn can be infested
    • Adding ground limestone may help but may also invite other weeds and coarser grasses
    • Hairy leaves prevents contact between leaf and weed killer so is hard to kill
    • The plant is also resistant to most weed killers
    • Digging them out is the best approach
    • Though not guaranteed it is possible to treat with weed killer in late summer or autumn when the hairs on the leaves are less prevalent.A repeat application will more than likely be needed 6 weeks after the first

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    Corn Speedwell And Its Prevention

    Corn speedwell is a perennial ground cover that can behave like an invasive weed. Though many people like corn speedwell and other species of it for ground cover, it can be invasive. Its distinguishing characteristics are its small, white to blue flowers and hairy covering. Left unattended, it can take over parts of lawns, creating a real problem for property owners.

    Even though lawn maintenance can prevent speedwell from taking over, herbicides may be needed. There are two kinds of corn speedwell herbicides: preemergent and postemergent. The first can be used as a preventive measure, and the second is an option if the speedwell is starting to grow.

    You can try a spray for smaller areas and concentrated ones for bigger areas. Dilute concentrated products with water and use a knapsack sprayer or a regular watering can. There are online resources that show what times of the year corn speedwell germinates in different USDA plant hardiness zones. This can help you figure out when to apply the herbicides.

    How Do You Treat Speedwell In A Lawn

    How To Get Rid Of Corn Speedwell In Lawn

    How to Remove Germander Speedwell and Slender Speedwell From Your Lawn

  • Remove it by Hand.
  • Try Killing it with a Spot Spray Weedkiller.
  • Spray the Whole Lawn With a Selective Weedkiller Concentrate.
  • Hire a Professional.
  • Chemical Control: Corn Speedwell is classified as hard to control with herbicides. The most effective approach is to apply pre-emergence herbicides in the fall to prevent seeds from sprouting. Winter annual weed seeds germinate in the fall, therefore, this is the best time to prevent them with pre-emergence herbicides.

    Also, can you eat Speedwell? Persian speedwell can be a very bitter plant, especially the mature ones. That is why it is recommended to eat this plant for sustenance only during times of famine or necessity. With that being said, the leaves and shoots of this plant are indeed edible.

    Herein, what does Speedwell look like?

    There are several types of Speedwell, all with numerous small, lobed leaves and small flowers, which vary in the color and can be white, blue, pink, and purple. The leaves grow in pairs and have scalloped edges, while heart-shaped seed pods grow on the stem below the flowers.

    How do I kill celandine in my lawn?

    You can either spend the time and dig it out or you can buy Roundup. Spray Roundup on the leaves and it goes into the roots.Killing the roots is critical. What makes lesser celandine so difficult to get rid of is that it produces tubers under the ground.

    Also Check: How Do I Fill In Bare Spots In My Lawn

    Types Of Common Weeds & How To Treat Them

    Weeds fall into categories just like other plants: annual or perennial, and broadleaf or grassy. Determining which group youre targeting will help determine how and when to treat them, giving you better weed control.

    • Annuals grow from seed each year and die off at the end of the season or are killed by the first frost.
    • Perennials come back year after year and spread by seeds and roots.

    How To Kill Crabgrass And Prevent It From Returning

    Once crabgrass gets started in your lawn, those coarse, unattractive weeds seem to live and spread forever. But unlike lawn weeds that do live several years, crabgrass plants only live a single year. What they do in that year, however, has long-lasting consequences for your lawn. Understanding how crabgrass works and how to break its cycle can help you get rid of crabgrass and keep it gone.

    Recommended Reading: How Much Oil In A Push Mower

    How To Eradicate Speedwell In Lawns

    Related Articles

    The University of Massachusetts Extension Center for Agriculture classifies corn speedwell as a perennial that can become a problem weed for property owners. There are around 500 species of speedwell, and because corn speedwell in particular can be quite invasive, you will likely need an effective corn speedwell killer to eradicate it.

    How Do You Kill Corn Speedwell

    Wild Flowers in my Yard [fixed]

    4.2/5Speedwellsspeedwellcontrol

    Chemical Control: Corn Speedwell is classified as hard to control with herbicides. The most effective approach is to apply pre-emergence herbicides in the fall to prevent seeds from sprouting. Winter annual weed seeds germinate in the fall, therefore, this is the best time to prevent them with pre-emergence herbicides.

    One may also ask, what is corn speedwell? Speedwells are pretty, blue-flowered perennials that look attractive in a flower-rich lawn. However, their ability to root quickly, even from small sections, means they can quickly get out of hand in both lawns and borders.

    Subsequently, one may also ask, how do I get rid of Speedwell?

    How to Remove Germander Speedwell and Slender Speedwell From Your Lawn

  • Remove it by Hand.
  • Try Killing it with a Spot Spray Weedkiller.
  • Spray the Whole Lawn With a Selective Weedkiller Concentrate.
  • Hire a Professional.
  • Is corn speedwell edible?

    Profile of the Speedwell Plant. Speedwellalso known as Veronica, Birdseye, and Gypsyweedis a well-known weed that you can find in your front yard, backyard, or garden. The variety Veronica Americana is edible and nutritious and has been used in a tea to alleviate symptoms of allergies and asthma.

    Also Check: Putting Lime On Your Lawn

    Aerate Your Lawn To Relieve Soil Compaction

    Soil compaction occurs when you use a lawn heavily. This could be kids spending the summer playing on it or certain areas being used regularly, like the washing line or the route the postman;takes over your lawn to get to the letterbox.

    However it happens, the activity on the lawn pushes the soil particles under the surface, closer and closer together. This squeezes out water and air while at the same time, making the ground harder.

    This does two things;

  • It starves the grass of the nutrients it needs to produce food and grow, and
  • It makes it hard for the roots to grow because the ground is so hard.
  • Aerating the lawn involves spiking it and/or removing cores of turf via hollow tining .

    Aerating creates holes that are usually 2-3inches deep in the surface of the soil. These holes allow water, air and nutrients to work their way into the soil to the root zone of the grass. The grass can then consume these nutrients, produce food and grow strong, resulting in a lawn full of healthy grass with no room for Slender Speedwell to grow in.

    Just because Speedwell loves fertile soil doesnt mean you should avoid fertilising your lawn.

    Grass grows best in soil that is rich in Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous.

    Remember, the best way to prevent weeds from growing is to create the best conditions as possible for grass growth. This leaves no room for weeds to germinate.

    So fertilise your lawn.

    Your grass will thank you for it.

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