For some, chickweed is a tasty addition to salads and therefore a valuable wild herb. But once it has settled in your garden, the adaptable and prolific plant can quickly become a nuisance. In this article you will find out how to identify chickweed and which control measures are really promising.

Chickweed grows mainly on nutrient-poor soil

identifying features

The annual, herbaceous wort grows between five and forty centimeters high. The thin stem is covered with fine hairs. The ovate leaves, about 5 millimeters in size, taper to a point at the end. Chickweed blooms almost all year round. The flowers are very small and pure white.

When the stalk is torn off, a piece of the inside of the shoot often remains. This is popularly referred to as chicken intestines and is a good identifier.

fight chickweed

Chickweed mainly thrives in places where the plant finds loose, moist but rather nutrient-poor soil.

Since the chickweed does not have very deep roots, it is relatively easy to weed mechanically. Make absolutely sure to remove all roots completely so that they do not sprout again from the root remains.

Chickweed does not rely on insect pollination, but is self-pollinating. Therefore, if possible, you should pluck them before they bloom. Regular scarifying of the lawn also helps contain it.

Plant gaps in the bed

Since the chickweed, as a pointer plant, mainly inhabits open spaces, you should quickly close any empty spaces that have arisen. Reseed lawns and provide additional crops in the vegetable patch.

Targeted fertilization

The chickweed prefers a nutrient-poor substrate. For this reason, experts recommend that crops and ornamental plants be sufficiently fertilized. However, you should avoid over-fertilizing, as this will do more harm than good. If you are unsure which nutrients the soil is lacking, a soil analysis will provide clarity.

Protective mulches

Mulching is very effective in suppressing weeds such as chickweed. The mulch layer hardly lets any light through, so that weed seeds cannot even sprout.

Just eat up my meat

There are actually gardeners who specifically cultivate chickweed for its health benefits. The plant contains, among other things, tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, iron and a lot of potassium. These ingredients can promote healing in the case of flu infections and joint inflammation.

The taste of chickweed is described as mild and slightly corn-like. The juicy leaves go well in salads, herb quark and herb butter. The wild herb tastes delicious chopped and spread on bread with salted butter.

tips

Chickweed is a useful pioneer plant that is extremely adaptable. It protects cracked or barren soil areas from erosion and thus prepares bare areas for colonization by other plants.

Category:

Herbs