Need to Get Rid of Chick weed! - Ask Extension
I'm a 69-year-old man with a small flower bed. I've got my nasturtiums going well but there is chickweed growing in amongst them. I have a bad back ...
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Need to Get Rid of Chick weed! #874005
Asked June 20, 2024, 8:18 PM EDT
I'm a 69-year-old man with a small flower bed. I've got my nasturtiums going well but there is chickweed growing in amongst them. I have a bad back and can't do a lot of bending to pull out the chickweed. Is there anything I can do or use to get rid of the chickweed without hurting my nasturtiums?
Fairbanks North Star County Alaska
Expert Response
Howdy,
Thanks for the great question! Unfortunately, pulling chickweed is the most effective control method when it's around other broadleaf plants, like your nasturtium. Herbicides that kill chickweed will also kill your flowers. You could try cultivating the soil in between the nasturtiums with a hoe or fork. This will disturb the chickweed and keep it moderately controlled, but it won't get rid of it. You could also try applying a thick layer of mulch (2 inches) after weeding. This will help prevent the chickweed from coming back to a degree. You could try putting plastic over the beds next spring and planting through them as another form of weed barrier. Putting organic mulch over the plastic will help to protect the plastic and ensure better control. In any case, preventing the chickweed from going to seed is the key ingredient, as well as removing the plant material from the beds whenever possible (it is a prolific seeder and can sprout from stem fragments, which makes it seems like a perennial but it's really just an aggressive annual). Hope this helps! Feel free to contact us with any other questions.
Thanks!
Thanks for the great question! Unfortunately, pulling chickweed is the most effective control method when it's around other broadleaf plants, like your nasturtium. Herbicides that kill chickweed will also kill your flowers. You could try cultivating the soil in between the nasturtiums with a hoe or fork. This will disturb the chickweed and keep it moderately controlled, but it won't get rid of it. You could also try applying a thick layer of mulch (2 inches) after weeding. This will help prevent the chickweed from coming back to a degree. You could try putting plastic over the beds next spring and planting through them as another form of weed barrier. Putting organic mulch over the plastic will help to protect the plastic and ensure better control. In any case, preventing the chickweed from going to seed is the key ingredient, as well as removing the plant material from the beds whenever possible (it is a prolific seeder and can sprout from stem fragments, which makes it seems like a perennial but it's really just an aggressive annual). Hope this helps! Feel free to contact us with any other questions.
Thanks!
