Although my small-scale garden is rich with blooms, greenery and fresh produce this month (all great reasons to participate in the Adventure of Gardening)… this droughty summer has provided Southeastern Wisconsin with lots of healthy, happy WEEDS!
I have some weeds in my veggie gardens and raised beds—thanks to chipmunks who often bury seeds in the strangest places— the largest contingent of assorted weeds occurs within turf grass areas.
Some weeds
can be dug out successfully, but often a tiny bit of root remains which can
regenerate an entire plant in a few weeks in some weed species. Weeds can be sprayed, if you are so inclined;
but my horticulture instructors suggested
if there are just a few weeds present, just dig-and-dispose, which is
kinder to our environment.
Annuals
and some perennials required supplemental watering this summer, but weeds can
manage well in poor quality soil, compacted soil, minimal water and crowded
conditions! Some
weeds that are tenacious and troublesome in the turf are shown here:
White
Clover
: Although clover has “some” redeeming
qualities (pollen for bees and it fixes nitrogen in the soil) clover is
tenacious and troublesome in residential turf.
If you have kids or grandkids running in the yard, they could easily
disturb bees busy collecting pollen and could get stung. I understand if dogs ingest clover, it can
cause stomach issues … and probably a trip to the veterinarian. 
White Clover
White clover has gained popularity as a turf
grass substitute— a ground cover that does not need mowing. (sorry, NOT for me!)
 |
| Black Walnut |
When a squirrel buries a nut in my garden or turf, I destroy it
immediately (as soon as tiny pinkish leaves emerge, so I can confirm it is
black walnut.)
Quack Grass
Quack
grass: (with full
root shown, pointy white spikes, can grow two feet long) This weed is invasive
and TROUBLE! Since it is a monocot, and
desirable turf grasses are also monocots, an herbicide that might kill
broadleaf weeds won’t have an effect on quack! If quack is present in your turf grasses, it
can easily send rhizomes underground and invade your weed-free garden beds.
 |
| Black Medic |
Black
Medic: This weed is tough and tenacious AND a
prolific reseeder! Each tiny yellow
flower (approx. ¼” diameter) is capable of yielding 20 -30 viable seeds per
flower. It is active during our entire growing season, and is an unwelcome resident
in the turf. (Seeds can wash into your
turf from a neighbor’s yard, which is how my problem began 10 years ago… the
Battle of Black Medic continues. I
am determined to achieve victory!)
M. Lynn
Schmid, Master Gardener
A.A.S. Landscape/Horticulture/Arboriculture
