War on Weeds: Chickweed

Chickweed

 

Chickweed is a low-growing, somewhat succulent winter annual of Eurasian origins. It thrives in cool, moist conditions. Chickweed forms a dense mat of stems that creep along the ground, and may root at the nodes of the stems, which makes it harder to remove.  It has a shallow, fibrous root system and tiny white flowers. It invades lawns and gardens and can be a reservoir for insect pests and plant viruses.  The thick mats can crowd out the plants you want.

Common chickweed (Stellaria media) is also called chickenwort, starweed, winterweed, satin flower, and tongue grass. The plant is called chickweed because chickens love to eat them.  It is also edible for humans, and can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in soups, as a tea, and has a variety of herbal uses. Before ingesting this or any plant, be very sure that you have identified the plant correctly, and never eat plants from areas that may have been treated with chemical herbicides.

The seeds generally germinate in the fall, and hang on through the winter, then grow and flower in the spring. It produces many seeds, and rapidly colonizes areas before spring crops or lawns can become competitive.  It should be controlled before it flowers to prevent seeding.  After pulling the plants, remove the plant debris from the site, as chickweed can reroot from stem nodes in moist areas.

Cultivation, including hand weeding, will control chickweed if done early.  A thick, vigorous lawn will prevent weed seedlings from getting established.  Water lawns deeply and infrequently to discourage chickweed.  In flower beds, a layer of mulch at least two inches deep will reduce the number of weeds germinating as it limits the light and creates a physical barrier.  Landscape fabrics or black plastic can also be used in garden areas to block weeds between plants.  Mowing is not effective, as it can actually help the weed by removing the shading effect of taller plants.

A pre-emergent treatment such as corn gluten can be helpful if applied before weed seeds germinate. For chickweed, this needs to be in early fall. It will not be effective if applied after seedlings have already become established.