Fighting hawkweed in the lawn: this is how it works

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Fight hawkweed in the lawn

table of contents

  • distribution
  • Recognize hawkweed
  • Remove individual plants
  • Widespread combat
  • frequently asked Questions

Hawkweed is an old medicinal plant, but it can also be found on one race makes wide. Since it displaces the grass plants more and more over time, fighting it is worth considering.

In a nutshell

  • Hawkweed an ancient medicinal plant
  • reproduces both via seeds and roots
  • can spread over the entire lawn
  • Seeds after flowering like a dandelion
  • The plant must be removed WITH the root

distribution

The medicinal herb, which can be very annoying in the garden, can multiply in two different ways. This is why it is so dangerous for a well-manicured lawn:

By seeds

  • are spread by wind
  • seeds similar to those of the dandelion

About the taproot

  • once grown, roots spread out in all directions
  • The mother plant produces more and more new children
  • these become mother plants themselves

Tip: If you have a cottage garden Flower meadow then you can leave the weeds standing and only thin them out every year so that they do not spread over large areas. Because the plant belongs to the bee pastures and is therefore popular in a natural garden.

Recognize hawkweed

In order to know whether it is actually hawkweed, it is important to recognize it on the lawn or in other garden beds:

Lesser hawkweed - Hieracium pilosella
You will find the hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella) most often in your lawn.
  • hairy, rounded leaves
  • orange or yellow flowers
  • remind of dandelions
  • many different types
  • in gardens mostly the hawkweed
  • feels good on acidic and nutrient-poor soils

Tip: The best prevention against the herb is to always take good care of your lawn, apply the appropriate fertilizer, and regularly clean the grass with one Scarifier vent. This means that the seeds that are swirling in the air have no chance of getting stuck and plants that have already become stuck are removed.

Remove individual plants

If the medicinal herb is recognized in the lawn, action should be taken immediately before the plants settle in the meadow and spread:

  • remove individual plants immediately
  • Use the weed cutter
  • alternatively, pierce deep into the earth with a knife
  • Lever out weeds from below
  • remove with a long root
  • dispose of on compost
  • only if flowers have not yet formed seeds
  • in the event of seed formation in the closed bag in the residual waste
Prick weeds
It is best to remove individual plants with the weed cutter.

Note: Preventing growth in the grass is hardly possible. Because if your garden is close to meadows and paths, the white seeds will find their way onto your meadow by themselves and can settle here. Because these are widely scattered by the wind, like with dandelions.

Widespread combat

If the growth of the weeds in the lawn was recognized very late, the entire area is quickly affected. Cutting out the plants here one by one would be too much work:

  • Change soil conditions
  • Hawkweed prefers acidic, sandy soil without humus
  • Adjust nutrient balance
  • The pH value can be determined with a test from the trade
  • pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is ideal
  • if the value is too low Apply suitable fertilizer
  • scarify the lawn in addition
  • Apply new lawn seeds to bare spots
Lawn seeds
In the worst case, you will have to completely renew the lawn and sow new lawn seeds.

Note: If nothing helps and the weeds continue to sprout, you can only recreate the entire area so that you can get rid of the weeds in the long term. To do this, remove the entire turf, apply new soil and sow again.

frequently asked Questions

Is the herb poisonous?

You don't have to worry about anything here, the herb is completely non-toxic, it is even a medicinal plant that was used very often in earlier years.

Can I also cultivate hawkweed?

Of course, it is possible for you to cultivate the herb as well. Because this is an excellent bee pasture. The weeds are therefore suitable for fastening a slope, because the tap roots prevent the earth from sliding off again as quickly here. It can also be cultivated in a tub, which prevents undesired spreading via the roots. There are cultivars that have a sterile flower.

Is it enough if I mow the lawn regularly?

Unfortunately, if you want to get rid of the hawkweed, just mowing the lawn is not enough. Because this only removes the above-ground parts of the plant. However, the roots can continue to grow and multiply underground.