The ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) has been a valued medicinal plant for centuries and can also be used in many recipes. However, the medicinal herb can quickly become a weed in the lawn, as it can multiply rapidly if treated incorrectly.
How can you control ribwort plantain in the lawn?
To effectively combat plantain in the lawn, mow the lawn regularly and low to prevent flowers and seed formation, weed plants by hand and pull out the roots completely. Applications of lime can also help reduce the growth of ribwort plantain.
Fight the ribwort plantain with weed killers
In certain locations with the right soil conditions, ribwort plantain can multiply significantly, with the plant being a valuable component in feeding meadows for horses and rabbits. In principle, it is possible to combat ribwort plantain in the garden lawn together with other herbs and weeds using herbicides. However, you should only use these chemical weed killers if alternative countermeasures have been unsuccessful and there are no vegetable patches or fruit trees intended for consumption in the surrounding area.
Fight ribwort plantain mechanically and thoughtfully
With the right strategy, you can also mechanically combat sprawling ribwort plantain populations in the turf. To do this, first and foremost prevent the plants from self-sowing after the flowering period in summer. Mow your lawn regularly from spring onwards to a relatively low cutting height so that inflorescences cannot even form. If you only mow down the faded ribwort plantain in the summer, you will contribute even more to the further distribution of the seeds. If you cannot avoid this, you should at least use a grass catcher when mowing and compost it away from the lawn.
Weeding and processing ribwort plantain by hand
Weeding the individual plants by hand is strenuous, but it also has a decisive advantage. So you can harvest the plants grown from the ground fresh as needed and eat it in various forms:
- as ribwort plantain tea
- as natural medicine for coughs and bronchial problems
- as natural food for rabbits
- as an ingredient in salads and dressings
For the winter months you can also soak the ribwort plantain in honey or dry it to preserve it. The advantage of mechanically harvesting ribwort plantain is that the deep roots are usually completely removed from the soil.
Tips & Tricks
Since ribwort plantain is less common on calcareous soils, lime doses (€19.00 on Amazon) can be part of the strategy for combating ribwort plantain in the lawn.