Dollarweed (Hydrocotyle spp.), additionally identified by the identify pennywort, is a perennial weed that loves humid, heat environments. This weed will be simply recognized by its leaves which might be very comparable in look to small lily pads with their shiny brilliant inexperienced coloration and wavy edges. Dollarweed is often noticed in St. Augustine lawns situated alongside the shoreline or close to our bodies of water, nonetheless, dollarweed additionally grows in different numerous grass varieties. Learn on to find easy methods to management dollarweed.
Though dollarweed is often confused with an identical wanting weed, dichondra, dollarweed will be distinguished by its stem development: the dollarweed stem grows from the middle of the leaf whereas the dichondra stem grows from the sting of the leaf.
Dollarweed grows near the bottom and spreads by tubers, rhizomes and seeds. Sadly, it will probably multiply rapidly all through your garden as it should type roots and create new vegetation wherever the nodes of its creeping stems contact the soil. This weed additionally develops small flowers which might be white and bloom from July to August.
Pictured above from left to proper: Dollarweed stem rising from the middle of the leaf and dichondra stem rising from the sting of the leaf.
Pictured above from left to proper: Dollarweed rising in moist environments and dollarweed flowers.
Dollarweed Non-Chemical Management
To start with dollarweed management, just a few numerous cultural controls will be applied to restrict the favorable circumstances that permit the weed to thrive. Dollarweed loves water and prospers in circumstances with overly moist soil—in truth, it will probably even proceed to develop and can float in an abundance of water. Making certain that your garden isn’t too moist can preserve dollarweed from having the ability to develop and unfold; due to this fact, lowering irrigation frequency will be very efficient, particularly in areas which have poor drainage. Take a look at our irrigation information to study extra or take into account conducting a easy irrigation audit.
Dollarweed has a greater probability of rising in areas which might be mowed too quick. Mowing on the correct peak permits the grass to develop a wholesome root system and a thick stand of turf that may preserve weeds from growing or spreading. Remember to mow your garden on the particular peak your grass sort performs finest at. Be taught extra in our garden mowing information.
Lastly, correct fertilization of the garden might help it develop a wholesome cover that’s thick sufficient to crowd out weeds. Listed here are a few of our favourite fertilizers. You’ll be able to study extra about them in Why Use Lawnifi Fertilizer?.
This weed will be tough to tug by hand as a big a part of the plant is discovered underground and will be left behind. Extra time, the elements of the plant situated underground will repopulate. If the difficulty is small and remoted to at least one space, you’ll be able to attempt to hand pull it rigorously and totally. If the issue is giant, this can be too tough.
Dollarweed Chemical Management
Chemical dollarweed management merchandise will be efficient towards dollarweed and each pre- and post-emergent herbicide choices can be found. A pre-emergent, as its identify suggests, controls weeds earlier than they germinate and seem in your garden. Publish-emergents, however, are merchandise that management presently present weeds.
Pre-Emergent Management of Dollarweed
A product that provides each pre- and post-emergent management is Hello-Yield Atrazine (lively ingredient: Atrazine). Hello-Yield Atrazine will be blended in a tank and utilized to your entire garden or to drawback areas throughout both the rising or dormant season. This product is the perfect dollarweed killer for St. Augustine and centipede lawns. Hello-Yield Atrazine is usually best when utilized whereas weeds are small or earlier than they’ve emerged if used as a pre-emergent.
Spectracide Weed Cease for St. Augustine and Centipede Lawns can be an incredible pre- and post-emergent management product for dollarweed as its lively ingredient can be Atrazine. Nonetheless, Spectracide Weed Cease for St. Augustine and Centipede Lawns is a little bit simpler to use as it may be hooked to the top of a backyard hose for an excellent spray software.
Publish-Emergent Management of Dollarweed
Just a few post-emergent choices are listed beneath. Drive XLR8’s lively ingredient is Quinclorac and it may be tank blended with water for software. SpeedZone Broadleaf Herbicide consists of 2,4-D, Dicamba and Mecroprop-P in its combination, which is a superb mixture of lively elements for broadleaf weeds akin to dollarweed. Lastly, This autumn Plus combines lively elements 2,4-D, Dicamba, quinclorac and sulfentrazone to manage dollarweed. Each This autumn Plus and SpeedZone Broadleaf Herbicide will be tank blended earlier than software.
It must be famous that the above three merchandise shouldn’t be utilized on St. Augustine or centipede lawns as each grass varieties are delicate to 2,4-D and different lively elements. When you have a St. Augustine or centipede garden, Atrazine-based weed management merchandise are the perfect choices.
Since dollarweed prefers a moist surroundings, there are lots of cultural controls that can be utilized to stop its development. If it’s good to flip to chemical controls it’s important to learn the label rigorously to make sure correct use and compatibility together with your garden. Chemical controls may cause injury to your garden when they’re used incorrectly.