Just when I finally got the garden under control, I go on vacation and leave it to its own devices for a few days. I came home to an explosion of weeds. Where do they come from? I think I get the Preen down early enough, but that never seems to be the case. I don’t help matters by going and digging around after it’s down, messing up the protection it affords. So I pull and pull and pull. Among a long list, probably my most annoying weeds are Shepards Purse, Spotted/Prostate Spurge, Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis), Canadian Thistle and Three-seeded Mercury.
Shepards Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) has been a particularly stubborn issue for me since it blended into my succulent garden and was camouflaged by similar looking plants.
By the time I figured out it was actually a separate plant, it was everywhere. Because it’s so intertwined, the best I can do is just keep pulling it out whenever I can get to it. Between that and the grass, I finally just pulled up a whole section to tease the wanted plants from the unwanted. A lot of work, but so much better!
Spotted/Prostate Spurge (Euphorbia maculata/prostata) is another weed that seems to grow with abandonment in my yard, It’s a low growing, small leaved, poor-soil and sun-loving weed. It’s virtually impossible to distinguish the two species, so they are often considered to be one. It’s also hard to distinguish from prostate knotweed (Polygonum aviculare), but only the spurges produce a milky-white latex fluid when broken (similar to a dandelion).
Prostrate spurge will tolerate some shade but thrives in harsh full-sun baked sites. It especially loves to grow in the gaps between the bricks on my patio.
Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis) is a pretty yellow-flowered clover looking flower that I actually enjoy because it reminds me of native wood sorrels, until it starts to take over. If not controlled early, it’ll spread by both its stems and seeds and then it just looks messy and weedy in the garden.
Canadian Thistle is a relatively new issue for me. Not sure where it came from, but it sure grows BIG and prickly. I was worried it came from the thistle I was feeding the goldfinches, but the “thistle” seeds are actually Nyjer ® seeds from the African yellow daisy (Guizotia abyssinica) and are sterilized to not germinate. Maybe since I’ve attracted goldfinches to the yard, they are somehow carrying the real thistle seeds as well. In any case, to get these out I need a thick pair of gloves and a hand weeder to pull it out or try a natural weedkiller if it’s just too big. As with most weeds, you can’t just cut them since they will regrow asap.
Three-seeded mercury (Acalypha rhomboidea) was a little more difficult to identify, but is actually quite widespread east of the Rockies. It’s a tall growing weed and belongs to the spurge (Euphorbia) family. It has a shallow tap root making it quite easy to pull out, which is about its only saving grace in my mind considering how widespread it is in my garden.
What else is growing like weeds in my garden?
When I need a weed killer I use a natural mixture made from white vinegar and about a teaspoon of dish soap. Put the mixture in a sprayer and on a hot, sunny day, give the plant a good soaking. I have mixed results, but it helps often enough. I like this methods as safer alternative to Round-up, and since I’m just dousing the leaves it shouldn’t affect the pH of the soil. I also have some trusty tools I like, a good old-fashioned hoe and my more recent addition, a Hula-Ho Weeder Cultivator for larger areas.
I also have a Fiskars hand weeder and Fiskars trowel for smaller areas or things with deeper roots. All the tools work better in most soil rather than dry. I try to weed after a rainfall or watering.
It is interesting that some of these weeds like Purslane and Lamb’s Quarters are edible and Shepards Purse is medicinal. I’m too much a of a chicken to trust my identification skills to try them though. Anyone try them?
What’s the biggest nuisance in your garden? Had some recent conversations with friends about weeds and one has wild strawberries in her yard and the other has wild grapevines. Both sound bad!
I am going to keep this post, looked at it again for the photos–very helpful to have such good visuals.
Thank you,
Kit
Thanks Kit! It was interesting to identify all these weeds and understand them a bit better. Glad you found it useful.