How to Remove Chickweeds

Chickweed is commonly planted as a winter ground cover. It reseeds readily and can quickly become invasive. Weed control is the best way to keep your flowerbeds and lawn from being overtaken by chickweed.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hose
• Sprinkler
• Bucket
• Garden rake
• Garden claw
• Garden hoe
• Chemical weed killer
• Sod

1. Saturate the ground with water where the chickweeds are growing. Making the soil moist makes it easier to pull the roots up. For effective weed removal, be sure that the ground is soaked to 6 to 8 inches below the surface before you begin to pull.

2. Grasp the base of each chickweed firmly and pull straight up. Each little root that is left behind can grow into a new chickweed plant, so your goal is to remove as much as possible the first time. Put the weeds in a bucket and dispose of them properly.

3. Till the ground where the weeds have been pulled. Use a rake or claw to remove all of the root pieces that were left behind. Weed control means making sure these do not have the chance to mature.

4. Use a hoe to control new sprouts. Chickweeds can sprout quickly, making a thick patch of new growth in only days. Killing the sprouts before their roots develop is important. Continue scraping away new growth as often as possible.

5. Try a chemical weed killer as a last resort. These products are sprayed on the green leaves of the plant and kill it down to the root. They do not, however, affect seeds that haven't sprouted yet.

6. Lay fresh sod over the topsoil of a patch where chickweed has been removed. This can keep it from resprouting, and might be your best hope for long-term weed control.

Tips & Warnings

• Chemical weed-removal products can be toxic to small animals and children.