Crabgrass:
Crabgrass
tops America's
list of lawn
complaints. A
fast-growing
annual that
reproduces by
seeds and by
rooting at the
lower joints.
This weed
appears from
mid-spring
through summer
when the ground
is warm. It
grows well under
dry, hot
conditions. Go
after crabgrass
as soon as it
appears in the
garden. Dig it
out by the roots
with a spading
fork or cover it
with black
plastic. Dont
let it go to
seed.
To prevent crabgrass in the future, attack the problem in two stages. In the early spring, apply corn gluten meal, an organic preemergent herbicide. Spring is when the soil is cold and the crabgrass is weakest. (Crabgrass is an annual weed, so it starts from seed every year. The preemergent herbicide prevents the seed from germinating--and if the seed can't sprout, it can't grow.) Second, re-seed your lawn in the fall. This will allow the new grass time to grow strong before the next summer's attack.
The best crabgrass preventer is a healthy, thick lawn, and soil with the proper pH balance (7.0-7.5). Perennial ryegrass is the best competition for crabgrass. It also provides some insect control, as it emits a natural poison that gives some small, damaging bugs the "flu." Fertilizing is key and must be done in the spring and in the fall. Crabgrass thrives in compacted lawns. Aeration can help. A mixture of 1 pint of hydrogen peroxide, diluted to 3 percent, per 100 square feet of lawn can help eradicate the pesky plant. Click image to enlarge.
Pigweed:
An
annual that
reproduces by
seeds. It is
characterized by
its fleshly, red
taproot. This
weeds appears in
late spring or
early summer and
likes warm
weather. Try to
pull out this
weed before it
flowers.
To prevent weeds in the future, cover your garden plot with a winter mulch, then till the garden shallowly in early spring. When you till you may bring up some pigweed seed so it's best to mulch again. Cover the soil with five layers of wet newspaper and cover that with 3-6 inches of mulch.
Pigweed can also be eaten! In June, the young leaves of Amaranthus blitum or amaranth are abundant and should be eaten because of their high nutritional content. Vitamin-wise, these greens are packed like carrots and beets and can be delicious in a tossed salad. You can also cook them as you would spinach. Native Americans used the black seeds of this plant as a ground meal for baking. Click image to see more.
Chickweed
There
are two species
of chickweed,
one perennial
and one annual.
Mouse-ear
chickweed is the
perennial, which
forms a dense,
prostrate patch
in lawns and
gardens. Common
chickweed, the
annual, is more
delicate in
appearance, with
leaves that are
broad at the
base and about
half an inch
long.
Common chickweed is easier to control. Both types have shallow roots, so they can often be removed by hoeing or hand-pulling. New plants can grow from broken pieces of mouse-ear rootstock, however, so make sure you remove the entire plant when using either method.
A healthy lawn can compete against mouse-ear chickweed if the grass is not mowed too short or too frequently. Watering the lawn deeply and infrequently will encourage the grass to grow deeper roots, which also can help it compete against chickweed. Water once every seven to ten days, and apply enough water so that it soaks six to eight inches into the ground.
If you choose to remove chickweed, do it before the weed has time to go to seed, thereby preventing future problems in your garden area. Click image to expand.
Morning
Glory:
A
common annual
that reproduces
by seeds and by
deep, horizontal
roots. This
flowering vine
sprouts in late
spring and can
be seen
throughout the
summer. This
plant can become
a big problem in
warm weather.
Try to dig out
this weed before
it flowers.
Click
image to see
more.
Quackgrass:
A
creeping,
persistent
perennial that
reproduces by
seeds. Its long,
jointed,
straw-colored
rhizomes form a
heavy mat in
soil, from which
new shoots may
also appear. Try
to dig out this
weed as soon as
you see it in
your garden.
Click
image to enlarge.
Lambsquarters:
A
fast-growing
annual that
reproduces by
seeds. This
summer weed
rapidly removes
moisture from
soil, so remove
it as soon as
possible.
Cultivate this
weed out of your
garden using a
sharp hoe.
Click
image to see
more.
Purslane:
An annual that
reproduces by
tiny black seeds
and stem
fragments. This
weed appears in
late spring or
early summer and
likes warm
weather and
rich, fertile
soil. Pull or
cultivate out
this weed as
soon as you see
it and destroy
the plant; this
weed can live in
your soil for
years.
Click image for
a closer look.
Shepherd's
Purse:
A
flowering annual
that reproduces
by seeds. It
likes cool
weather and its
yellowish-brown
seeds are
long-lived in
the ground. Try
to pull out this
weed before it
seeds.
Click image for
a closer look.
Buckhorn
Plantain:
A
hardy perennial
that reproduces
by seeds. This
narrow-leaved
weed invades
meadows,
pastures, and
lawns. This weed
appears in any
season. Hand
weed this plant
and destroy it
to remove it
from your
garden.
Click image to
enlarge.