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Hawkweed is an old medicinal plant, but it also likes to spread on a lawn. Since it will crowd out the grass plants more and more over time, combating it is worth considering.

In a nutshell

  • Hawkweed an ancient medicinal plant
  • reproduces by both seeds and roots
  • can spread over the entire lawn
  • Seeds after flowering like a dandelion
  • Plant must be removed WITH 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 beautifully manicured lawn:

through seeds

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

About the taproot

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

Tip: If you have created a cottage garden with a flower meadow, you can also leave the weeds and just thin them out every year so that they don't 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:

Hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella) is the most commonly found in your lawn.
  • hairy, rounded leaves
  • orange or yellow flowers
  • remind of dandelions
  • many different types
  • in gardens mostly the little hawkweed
  • feels good on acidic and nutrient-poor soils

Tip: The best prevention against weeds is if you always take good care of your lawn, apply the right fertilizer and regularly aerate the grass with a scarifier. So the seeds swirling in the air have no chance to settle and plants that are already settled are removed.

Remove individual plants

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

  • remove individual plants immediately
  • Use weed killers
  • alternatively dig deep into the ground with a knife
  • Lever out weeds from below
  • remove altogether with long root
  • dispose of on compost
  • only if flowers have not yet formed seeds
  • in the case of seed formation in a closed bag in the residual waste
It is best to remove individual plants with the weed puller.

Notice: It is hardly possible to prevent growth in the grass. Because if your garden is near meadows and paths, the white seeds will get to your meadow all by themselves and can settle here. As with dandelions, these are widely scattered by the wind.

Large-scale combat

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

  • changing soil conditions
  • Hawkweed prefers acidic, sandy soil without humus
  • Adjust nutrient balance
  • pH value can be determined with test from the trade
  • pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is ideal
  • is the value too low apply appropriate fertilizer
  • additionally scarify the lawn
  • apply new lawn seed to bare patches
In the worst case, you have to completely renew the lawn and sow new lawn seeds.

Notice: If nothing helps and the weeds continue to sprout, then you can only replant the entire area to get rid of the weed permanently. To do this, remove the entire sod, apply new topsoil 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 that you also cultivate the herb. Because it is an excellent bee pasture. The weeds are therefore suitable for slope stabilization, because the earth does not slip off so quickly here thanks to the taproots. Cultivation in a bucket is also possible, as this prevents unwanted 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 hawkweed, simply 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.

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Garden design