We've got too many "cat's ear" weeds in one of the lawns to eradicate by hand so, with much regret, I'm tempted to use a selective post-emergent herbicide. I thought it would be easy to find and order something, but a quick look around the web has got me confused by the choice and all worried by the dire warnings. Do we have any experienced lawn-keepers here who could advise?
If there are no helpful responses here try asking on uk.rec.gardening. You may have better luck though its less heavily trafficed than here.
I don't know what 'cat's ear' weeds are but SBK works well on many lawn weeds.
jonathan
Had a few people suggest that the only solution is returfing.
Luckily I'm fairly relaxed about lawns ... as long as they look presentable weeds aren't a bother (plus they're nice for insects etc).
Cat's Ear seems to have a number of names, including false dandelion and flat weed. Formal name is Hypochaeris radicata
I was just thinking if its green and not fungal then keep it.
I need a moss eradicator and something to kill the stuff that comes up around the cracks in paths and around the manhole cover on my patio. Brian
Mowing gets rid of most things except grass. The rest are got rid of by raking. If the mower's ride-on or self propelled I'd be tempted to add a weighted rake to the back & let time sort it out.
NT
Won't eradicate but will kill it - Jeyes fluid
Glyphosate assuming stuff means weeds/grass
Mark Allread presented the following explanation :
I agree and not expensive for a gallon of concentrate from ebay. It takes a week or two to respond, but it kills of most things, including grass.
One of the other names for Cat's Ear is Flat Weed - it lies flat on the ground and kills the grass in a roughly 3" diameter circle. A ride-on mower won't touch it; I suppose the scarifier might but the tap root is like a small carrot and needs to be either removed or killed.
I make up 10 litres of 2,4D in a back-pack sprayer and potter round the garden every few weeks. I've eliminated most of the lawn weeds that way.
The RHS regards it as a widlflower suitable for a wild flower garden.
Also says the leaves are edible and can be used in a salad.
These things are tap rooted, being related to the dandelion.
Ask the locals with gineau pigs and rabbits to come and collect them.
that is one approach, not the one and only one that must be followed. Repeated damage from raking lets the grass outcompete them in time. That is of course how lawns are maintained, mowing damages nongrasses more than grasses hence grasses take over.
NT
I'm sure they could be fine plants, but not when they're infesting the lawn
Which is (more-or-less) the definition of a weed.
Whatever about long term eradication the best for moss on drives etc is biological washing powder. Lidl cheapest is fine, Just sprinkle it on. It kill it stone dead but may require annual re-treatment
Your lawn is probably nitrogen deficient. Mowing and taking away the cuttings also removes nitrogen. Grass needs nitrogen. The weeds can go down deep to get as much as they need.
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