Hawkweed is an old medicinal plant that is also often grown in the garden. However, if it spreads too much, it becomes a nuisance. In the lawn, the herb crowds out the grass plants, creating bare spots. Fighting it is complex. This is how you destroy the non-poisonous wild weed.
How can you effectively combat hawkweed?
To successfully control hawkweed, you should cut the flowers immediately to prevent seed dispersal. Then prick out the hawkweed including the roots and pull out all the runners. Repeat this process if it occurs again.
Permanently destroy hawkweed
Hawhawkweed spreads in two ways in the garden. The flowers of the plants turn into dandelions, similar to dandelions. The seeds are scattered widely by the wind.
The plant also forms long taproots that sprout underground runners. This means that the hawkweed also spreads in the immediate vicinity of the mother plant.
If hawkweed is not kept under control, dense carpets will develop over time. These carpets work well on embankments because they hold the soil together. However, the spread is undesirable in the garden and especially in the lawn.
Fighting hawkweed
- Cut flowers immediately
- Cut out hawkweed
- Look for foothills and move out
Do not allow hawkweed to bloom in the garden if you want to prevent it from spreading. Once the plant has developed the winged seeds, the spread can no longer be stopped.
How to cut out hawkweed
When combating it, it is important that the long taproots are pulled out as completely as possible. Never just tear off the herb superficially.
To combat hawkweed, choose a day when the soil is well moistened, for example after a long downpour. Then the soil can be loosened more easily.
Prick the soil around the herb with the spade or a digging fork and loosen the soil. You can then pull out the roots. Hawkweeds can also be removed from the lawn using the weed cutter (€8.00 on Amazon).
Always destroy hawkweed immediately
The hawkweed must be cut out as soon as possible. The older the perennial plants get, the denser and deeper the roots reach into the soil.
Tip
Hawkweed is a good pasture for bees because of its yellow and orange-red flowers. If you want to grow the herb in the garden, it is better to plant it in a pot so that it cannot spread via the roots. Also choose cultivars that develop sterile flowers.
