Storksbills are one of the most diverse plant genera, with an estimated 430 different species - and are also native to the entire globe, including the Arctic and Antarctic. Numerous cranesbills are often planted in gardens as flowering perennials, but others - especially native species - can mutate into unwanted weeds due to their rapid growth. Cranesbill is becoming a difficult problem to combat, especially in agriculture, and many lawn owners are annoyed by the rapidly growing herb.
How do you control cranesbill weeds in the garden?
Pesticides can be used to control cranesbill weeds in the garden, but with the risk of side effects on other plants. Alternatively, regular mowing and cutting out the plants and their roots can help prevent the spread.
Common Cranesbill Weeds
Whether you as a gardener view wild cranesbills as weeds or give them a place in the garden is entirely up to you. But be careful, because the species mentioned are extremely vigorous and crowd out other plants very quickly. Control is difficult, basically the only thing that helps is to regularly pull out or dig up the plants.
Little Cranesbill
The small cranesbill (Geranium pusillum), which is very common in our latitudes, grows to around 30 centimeters high and blooms tirelessly between May and October. The seeds ripen between June and October and can be thrown from the plant up to two meters.
Slit-leaved cranesbill
The annual slit-leaved cranesbill (Geranium dissectum) can grow up to 60 centimeters high. It prefers to grow in gardens, along roadsides and in fields. This species also throws its ripe seeds several meters away and therefore spreads quickly and over large areas.
Ruprechtskraut
The Ruprechtskraut is also known as the stinking cranesbill (Geranium robertianum) and has a very long flowering and therefore seed ripening period. The delicate, light purple flowers can be seen from April until well into autumn - the plant also produces a corresponding number of seeds. The very common cranesbill species is edible.
Meadow Cranesbill
The meadow cranesbill (Geranium pratense) grows up to 80 centimeters high and has strong purple flowers that bloom between June and August. This species also throws its seeds away - and they are also spread further through composted cuttings. As the name suggests, the meadow cranesbill prefers to grow in meadows and lawns.
Fighting cranesbills in the lawn
Some gardeners are happy about the flowering herb in the lawn, for others it is a nuisance, especially since the cranesbill spreads very quickly. There are various ways to eliminate the unwanted weeds:
- Fighting with pesticides - but has the disadvantage that other plants are also affected
- regular mowing
- Cutting out the plants including roots
Tip
To prevent the cranesbill from spreading unintentionally, you should not compost the grass cuttings, but rather dispose of them.
