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What is this weed and how to get rid of it

Tarun Kapoor
9 years ago

I recently bought this property and the backyard had an old patio and weeds. We cleaned up everything but had to wait for seeding until the fence guy finished his work. Today, the yard looks like this. There are primarily two kinds of weeds shown in the lower part of the picture.

Before laying seed for the new yard, I want to take the right steps. I can spray with a non selective herbicide and kill all these but i am wondering how will I uproot each of them individually because as it comes off the ground its so spread out. I am worried that after i seed the yard these things will come back like this.. ?

Please help.

Comments (12)

  • dbarron
    9 years ago

    Yep, pigweed and purslane I think...good luck...I'm sure they're in the soil bank.

  • Tarun Kapoor
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    dbarron, can you please elaborate ? what do you mean by they're in the soil bank ? any suggestions on how to clear a yard full of these ?

  • jean001a
    9 years ago

    Their seeds are in the soil seed bank. In other words, you have an unseen stash of seeds that will germinate any time you disturb the soil.

    You might like to review this info at the link below about one way to decrease the stash of seeds in the seed bank ----

    Here is a link that might be useful: stale seedbed

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    9 years ago

    AFAIK, both of these are annuals. If you mow/weed-wacker them to the ground, and keep doing so to prevent seeds from forming this year, that would help - no new seeds will be dropped. Most of the seeds sprout the following spring, but agreed with the above, likely there are still quite a few seeds that have not yet sprouted. Regardless, with regular mowing, they shouldn't affect a lawn.

    In most places, these plants would be cultivated, popular edibles.
    Amaranth.
    Purslane.

  • Kimmsr
    9 years ago

    What is the condition of the soil? It looks like compacted clay in the picture. If so then you should properly prepare that soil before seeding and tilling those "weeds" in would provide some of the organic matter that soil needs.

  • wisconsitom
    9 years ago

    And as annual weeds, they are preeminently suited to a variety of strategies. First, is this going to be planted to turf? If so, mowing itself will eventually tire these guys out and the growth of the perennial turf grass species will more than be able to overtake them. Plus, in a stand of turf-all monocots-any of the broadleave herbicides will easily vanquish these weeds. Maybe I'm not interpreting your situation correctly, but these are easy species to deal with.

    +oM

    PS...I do eat the purslane on salads now and then. Leaves are filled with juice and have a nice crunchy texture, while also having a surprisingly peppery taste.

  • Xtal in Central TX, zone 8b
    9 years ago

    I just finished harvesting my Amaranth/Pigweed. It's an edible. Getting ready to saute it with onion. Can use it as a side of greens or freeze til the next time I want to make A Wild Amaranth Quiche.

    Purslane is also edible. You might want to look this up. How great that you didn't have to plant them, water or tend nor pay for them. How much better can it be? Since I haven't used any weedkiller, I'm not worried about them. Eventually, all mine will be gone and I'll have to go outside my fence in search of a meal.

    This is just another perspective.
    Xtal

    Here is a link that might be useful: Foraging Texas

  • lazy_gardens
    9 years ago

    You probably have plenty of time to seed.

    Purslane and pigweed (amaranth palmerii). Both are edible, but ANNOYING annual weeds. Purslane tender tips are nice salad garnish.

    I would kill them with the glyphosate

    Buy the concentrate and a sprayer (Walmart's "Eliminate" is an inexpensive generic glyphosate compared to "Roundup")

    Mix a gallon it according to instructions and then add 1/4 teaspoon of a diswashing detergent. It helps the herbicide get past the waxy coating of the purslane and the hairs of the pigweed.

    Spray them thoroughly on a calm day, within a week they should be changing color and wilting. If you see any spots you missed, spray those spots.

    Water thoroughly once ... wait a week and see if any more sprout. The idea is to lure them out and then kill them.

    Dead purslane dries up and is easy to rake out. Dead Amaranth tends to break off a couple of inches above the dirt, but the stubs won't interfere with your lawn.

    ==========
    NEXT YEAR ... patrol the lawn and hand-pull any that show up. Concentrate of getting a healthy lawn and it can suppress the weeds.

  • Xtal in Central TX, zone 8b
    9 years ago

    I need to find an alternative to RoundUp. It's nice that it kills so fast, but it's showing up in Human breast milk. Regardless of how small the percentage might be, we might want to start using alternative weed killers.

    Xtal

  • Kimmsr
    9 years ago

    Those "weeds" growing there removed nutrients from the soil as they grew as well as utilized the sunlight to make more that could be used by what ever else gets planted there if they are tilled into the soil rather then killed off by poisons. I would assess the soil and determine if there is adequate amounts of organic matter in that soil, how well it drains, etc. and have a good reliable soil test done for soil pH and major nutrient levels and balance.
    Then, if needed, amend that soil and finally sow seeds or lay sod once the soil is in or heading toward a good healthy condition that will grow a strong and healthy plant. Depending on where in the United States you are your state university (Ag School) may do soil testing through the Cooperative Extension Service.
    Get a good healthy stand of grass growing there and you will not need to be very concerned about "weed" seeds in the soil.

  • emerogork
    9 years ago

    Adding insult to injury here, all weeds have milti-annual seeds. Some will sprout this year, some next year, others in following years. It is true that you can encourage more to grow just by tilling the soil so I would avoid roto-tilling or turning-over the soil.

    Glipiside (Round up) will not affect seeds even on contact. It only works on actively growing plants. It does not even affect insects. It is systemic in that it will flow to the roots and stop them from working. After a few weeks, it is no longer present.

    I have seen good results with a complete layer of new sod (and even that will have weeds) then for a few years, use good doses of a pre-emergent weed killer (it destroys actively sprouting seedlings only) such as Preen for lawns. Do NOT use Preen for gardens in lawns and do not use preen for lawns in gardens as it will be attacking the wrong seeds.

    Preen is good for 12 week cycles, I would be avid in giving a dose in every 10 weeks. Do not put it on heavier than the directions suggest as you are just wasting it.

    Have you considered a ground cover instead? You might consider miniature clover and it is drought resistant and stays green. It mows like "normal grass".

    P.S. Did you know that grasses that we use for lawns are not native to North America? BTW, neither are earth worms for that matter. (-:

  • Xtal in Central TX, zone 8b
    9 years ago

    Emerogork2,

    Would it be best to scatter the Preen for Lawns prior to a rain or can it sit there for quite some time?

    I'll try it. There's too much area to have to spray, so am I looking for a pre-emergent or a post emergent to put out in the Fall?

    Does the clover drop seed for next year? Love the fact that it adds nitrogen back into the soil
    Thanks,
    Xtal