How to remove chickweed from the garden

And this is not an easy task, because the unpretentiousness of the grass allows it to grow in any conditions. And the worse these conditions are (hardened dry soil, poor soil), the more difficult it is to free the soil from the network of tiny roots that penetrate every centimeter. The woodlouse fights for life no less desperately than a gardener fights the woodlice itself in the garden beds.

If the scientific name of the plant is translated into Russian, you get “average chickweed.” Its small flowers resemble stars. And the popular version of the name for the weed - woodlice - conveys, on the one hand, a negative attitude towards the ubiquitous weed, and on the other hand, the peculiarity of the grass. Creeping thin succulent shoots are intertwined into the finest, but very dense lace where there is enough moisture. Even on the hottest day, putting your hand into the thicket of emerald thickets, you will feel the coolness and freshness of the wet earth.

Features of the pest

Features of woodlice:

The root system is weak and fragile, so the weed is easily pulled out along with the roots.
Woodlice has elastic shoots and small egg-shaped leaves with a pointed tip.
Stems up to 15-30 cm long, highly branched, cylindrical in shape.
During the flowering period, woodlice is covered with small white flowers resembling stars.
The weed is distinguished by its extremely rapid spread, since up to 10-15 thousand seeds ripen on one plant.

Before getting rid of woodlice in the beds, you need to remember that this plant is known for its ability to grow very quickly - this leads to rapid drying out and even death of cultivated plantings, which are forced to “share” nutrients and moisture. The roots of the weed impoverish the soil, and its thickets create favorable conditions for the growth of bacteria.

Damage caused

The biggest danger greenhouse plants face is becoming a food source for woodlice infestations. By eating the roots of young shoots, they destroy the root system and the plant itself. Both leaves and all seedlings may be damaged. At the same time, soil compaction occurs, which prevents the supply of sufficient oxygen.

If the plant dies without visible signs of disease, it is worth loosening the soil around it and checking for pests. Also, checking in the dark will immediately reveal nocturnal eaters of young seedlings. Woodlice reproduce very quickly, and the greater their number, the more food they need, which means more and more shoots will die day by day. The measure will have to be taken urgently to preserve the harvest.

How to get rid of woodlice in garden beds - effective ways

Woodlice grows actively throughout the spring-summer season; this plant does not have a dormant period.
Therefore, the fight against the weed must begin immediately after its appearance, otherwise the woodlice will very quickly turn the garden plot into a dense overgrown “carpet”. There are several effective ways to get rid of woodlice in the country :

The simplest one is deoxidizing the soil before planting the main crops in the garden.
Mechanical weed removal by hand or using a Fokin flat cutter.
The use of folk and chemical means for treating woodlice during the active growing season.

The best results come from an integrated approach - by combining several methods of control, you can quickly get rid of woodlice in the beds.

Mechanical way of fighting

One of the most effective ways to get rid of woodlice in beds is mechanical treatment of the area.
This includes regular weeding and loosening of the area. An important role is played by sowing green manure and mulching the soil. How to remove woodlice from the garden :

After harvesting, the area needs to be dug up, cleared of plant debris and sowed with mustard, phacelia or other green manure. They prevent the growth of weeds and improve the composition and structure of the soil.
When weeding the beds, you should try to pull out the woodlice by the roots.
It is more convenient to dig up heavily overgrown bushes in a bunch, together with a lump of earth. You can also use a flat cutter to remove the top layer of soil.
The places where woodlice grow must be loosened regularly - due to this, the remaining weed seeds will be buried in the soil and will not be able to germinate.
In case of extensive weed infestation, the beds should be carefully dug up at least twice per season, in spring and autumn.

To remove woodlice in the garden, you can use a flat hoe, trying to go a few centimeters into the ground in order to cut off the growing point and prevent the weed from re-germinating.

Mown woodlice cannot be piled on the site - due to its unique vitality, the weed will definitely take root and germinate again. It is advisable to lay it out only on plastic film.

Mulching the area

Weeding, digging or loosening the soil must be completed with mulching.
Almost anything can be used as mulch :

trunk circles of trees and shrubs, planting holes - dandelions, nettles and other plants, humus, compost;
row spacing area – sawdust, straw, cut grass;
the area between the vegetable beds - sawdust (fresh or rotted), chopped cardboard, crushed stone, pebbles.

When using sawdust, you need to take into account that it reduces the amount of nitrogen in the soil and increases its acidity. To prevent this, sawdust can be mixed with dolomite flour.

Soil deoxidation

In order for the fight against an annoying weed to be effective, you need to take into account what kind of soil the woodlice likes.
This plant “prefers” soil with high acidity, so one of the most effective ways to kill the weed is to deoxidize it. Ways to reduce soil acidity :

dolomite flour – 350-450 g per 1 sq. m;
lime – 450-500 g per 1 sq. m, applied in autumn;
ash - can be applied in the spring, sprinkling the area in unlimited quantities.

Sowing green manure crops well reduces soil acidity - this can be mustard, oats, rye. Green manure can be sown immediately after the autumn harvest.

Folk and chemical remedies

The most effective way to get rid of woodlice grass in a greenhouse or in an open area is to use folk remedies that are safe for the soil, fertile soil and future harvest.

How it grows

The grass grows, completely covering the ground, and creates many problems in the countryside. When digging up the soil, small roots remain in the soil, the plant receives a new stimulus for life and grows with greater vigor. Therefore, when digging, you need to remove as many roots as possible.

Propagation by seeds

From the moment the seeds fall into the ground to a new adult plant ready for reproduction, only a month or a little more passes. Therefore, in one season, woodlice is renewed up to 4 times. One plant produces about 2500 seeds. Count how many mature seeds will fall into the ground from a continuous carpet of woodlice.

Vegetative propagation

In addition to seeds, woodlice also reproduces vegetatively. The roots of the grass are not very deep, almost on the surface, so the plant should be removed along with them.

You cannot store torn plants here on the site. You can't keep them in a compost heap either. This is the most favorable environment for growth.

If you want to use woodlice plant remains to make compost, then be prepared that this will take at least three years. This ensures that the remaining seeds will not germinate.

Hot summer is the most convenient time to combat this weed - the sun literally burns the torn grass. Some owners of summer cottages, having finished weeding, cover the ground with black cellophane. In this case, the remains of the weeds also die.

Description of woodlice

The weed has several names, although the popular definition of “woodlice” fully corresponds to its essence. This is due to the plant’s commitment to shaded areas of soil with good moisture. If the soil is also fertile, then in the warm months the woodlice reproduces very actively. The weed is famous for its vitality and high degree of adaptability. Cultivated species cannot withstand competition and are often quickly suppressed by their harmful neighbor. The thin, highly branched stems of the weed retain moisture (dew) well, which is why the plant received such an interesting name. This ability also allows the grass to survive dry periods.

Scientists classify the chickweed grass as a member of the clove family and define it as “average chickweed” or Stelláriamédia. This is an annual herbaceous plant with small flowers resembling stars in outline.

It blooms in spring and summer, usually from May to the end of August. Seeds are formed in boxes. They can be either kidney-shaped or round in shape. Like any weed, woodlice produces a lot of seeds. Up to 15 thousand of them can ripen on one plant. The seeds retain their viability for 5 years.

Woodlice reproduces vegetatively. Any part of the stem takes root and forms a new plant.

Characteristics of the weed that describe its features:

Seeds germinate when the temperature rises to + 3 °C. Therefore, already in early spring you can find green woodlice shoots at different ends of the site.
The weed has a long growing season; woodlice retains green shoots until the first frost.
Nodules form on the growing stems, which take root very easily and allow the plant to quickly conquer new areas.
The ephemeral develops within a month, then dies. At this time, still living nodules or fallen seeds become new plants. The productivity of the weed is very high. Woodlice does not have a rest period.

There is another popular name for the weed - bird's lettuce. Feathered pets eat chickweed with great pleasure. This suggests that the plant contains many useful components.

Traditional methods

What will save the site from woodlice:

1. Strong saline solution. Spaces where there are no vegetable beds are sprayed. Or once every 30–45 days the soil is covered with rock salt: per 1 sq. m – 1.5 kg.

2. Treatment of weeds with a solution: 200 ml of acetic acid, 2 glasses of water. Plus a package of lemon juice, 30 ml of alcohol, 2 teaspoons of a washing preparation (beware of getting the substance on the crop).

3. Saturated soda solution. Starwort is sprayed at a distance of 0.2 m from cultivated plantings.

4. Herbicidal soap. The grass is treated with a mixture of table salt, vinegar solution, and grated laundry soap in equal proportions.

Only with constant use of the described remedies will the wood lice completely disappear.

Why is woodlice harmful?

The list of beneficial properties is not an indication for growing woodlice weed in plots. In addition to its benefits, chickweed causes a lot of harm to cultivated species. According to its properties, the plant is classified as a weed.

Woodlice causes considerable harm:

Covering the ground with a thick blanket prevents the passage of light and air.
In areas occupied by woodlice, pathogenic microorganisms develop, which contribute to the spread of diseases.
In the density of the weed cover, garden and vegetable pests multiply.
The branched root system of woodlice prevents the roots of cultivated plants from absorbing nutrients from the soil.

In addition, garden species lack moisture and sun.

Prerequisites for the appearance

In fact, two factors are enough for woodlice to appear:

too wet;
too dirty;

They cannot live without moisture and food. If the walls are wet under the wallpaper, there is the presence of mold - that is, woodlice. And in your garden and on your plot it is impossible to avoid their appearance. There is always water, food waste, rotting plants and secluded places where you can breed and feel comfortable.

Woodlice weed control

It’s not just beginners who want to learn about weed control methods. Even experienced farmers are interested in new methods of getting rid of woodlice from their plots. This is due to the fact that it is almost impossible to completely remove the weed. And even if it works, it’s temporary. From any small remnant of shoot or seed, the weed is reborn again. In this case, environmental conditions are not important. There are several options for action that help get rid of woodlice weed in gardens and vegetable gardens.

Mechanical method

Methods of mechanical influence refer to agrotechnical measures. The most effective in the fight against woodlice:

Using mechanical tools to eradicate weeds. If you fight manually, this method is suitable for very young plants that do not have a formed root system. But even in this case, it is better to loosen the ground with a rake in order to destroy the emerging woodlice shoots. Small white roots break off easily.
Using a flat cutter to remove a thin layer of soil using a shovel or sharp hoe. It is important to cut off the growing point to stop further development of the weed.
Timely loosening, digging, plowing of areas. These actions do not give the woodlice the opportunity to grow and form a powerful root. It is best to dig up the soil with a pitchfork several times, simultaneously selecting all parts of the weed.

Soil deoxidation

Another effective way to free a site from weeds is to deoxidize the soil. As acidity decreases, woodlice control becomes more successful. You should first determine the degree of acidity of the soil on the site so as not to make a mistake.

For those who do not have the opportunity to use technical means, plants will help:

Tricolor violet, wild mint, and horsetail are indicators of high acidity.
Chamomile, coltsfoot, clover, and dandelion love slightly acidic soil.
Quinoa and nettle are lovers of neutral soil.

Wild plants will certainly guide the farmer when determining the degree of acidity. Deoxidation is a preventive technique that allows you to reduce the number of weeds on the site. It must be repeated every year.

Video

This video will tell you how to fight weeds in the garden.

It turns out that wood lice are not only a dangerous weed, but also a pest. Both representatives cause great harm to the garden and useful plants. To prevent mass damage, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner. And if it was not possible to avoid the invasion of weeds or parasites, then you need to start fighting them as quickly as possible. This article will tell you how to get rid of ants in your summer cottage.

Prevention of woodlice

The main preventative work to combat the weed begins in the spring. Woodlice stands out well with its bright green appearance among other plants that have not yet recovered from winter.

It is good to loosen the area with a rake. This will help disrupt the weed's root system and prevent it from rising. It is important to do this immediately after the onset of heat.
Be sure to remove the entire plant, and not just remove the above-ground part.
Use proper and sharp garden tools – hoe, flat cutter, extractor.
Destroy all parts of the weed without exception. The high reproductive capacity of woodlice will allow the weed to be reborn even from small pieces of shoots or roots.
In the fall, dig up the areas where the weed was located. This needs to be done using a pitchfork and several times. Be sure to destroy all woodlice remnants.

These methods are not difficult, especially in small areas. If you use them regularly, the amount of weed will be significantly reduced. You can also regularly prepare medicinal decoctions and teas from woodlice so that the weed population does not increase.

Medicinal properties

The entire bush is considered a medicinal raw material. It is torn out by the roots and dried at temperatures up to 50°C. It is important not to overdry here, since with a long procedure the beneficial properties are lost.

The plant contains alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and their derivatives: vitamins (mainly A, C and K), lipids, waxes. The grass chickweed has medicinal properties thanks to this particular composition of substances. Chickweed is used to treat a number of diseases in different conditions:

decoctions and infusions of woodlice help relieve pain, cleanse the lungs, and increase lactation in nursing mothers; they treat the thyroid gland, liver and kidney diseases;
compresses are applied to cure hemorrhoids and relieve tumors and swelling;
the juice helps speed up the healing of wounds, ulcers, frostbite and burns, and is effective in treating rashes;
baths heal and rejuvenate the skin.

Chickweed is believed to help against cataracts. True, the effectiveness of vitamin drops based on it is possible only at the very beginning of the disease, characterized by clouding of the cornea. The herb is also used as a hemostatic, strengthening, sedative and expectorant. The herb treats disorders of the nervous system, accelerates recovery from colds, reduces pain from bruises and sprains, improves the performance of the heart muscle, and activates the production of hemoglobin.

Those who have low blood pressure or are allergic to any component of the plant should not take woodlice products.

You can prepare medicinal raw materials yourself or buy dry herbs at a pharmacy. Woodlice is a valuable plant, so before exterminating it, it’s still worth thinking about whether it’s really necessary.