Year: 2018

Corn Speedwell (Veronica arvensis) is a hard-to-control weed that blossoms in winter annually. This plant is a beautiful sight to behold when it blossoms; with slender spine, deep-green leaves and purple flowers, you forget how terrible it can be to your lawn. Corn speedwell is a member of the Plantaginaceae family, but you can set it apart by its narrow alternate leaves and near sessile seed capsules and flowers. It has four petals and sepals in the flower. It grows in non-wetlands but at a times can be found in wetlands too.

Corn Speedwell grows wildly in meadows and fields but can also be cultivated on rocky grounds as they thrive on harsh conditions where there is no competition by other plants. Its ability to replicate is favoured by its dry fruits that split open allowing new seeds to take root. Its ability to easily replicate makes it a big threat to lawns. With little moisture the seeds easily take root and the endless growth cycle continues unperturbed.

Though it can get occasional bees visiting its flowers, it doesn’t rely on insects to reproduce as the flowers can self-fertilize. It is its high level of independence from fauna that makes it a hard to crash weed.

Uses

Corn Speedwell is a weed that most lawn keepers hate, but it also has some potent medicinal properties. Herbalists appraise it for its antiscorbutic and diuretic properties. It can hence be used in treatment of scurvy, skin infections, and ulcers. It is crushed and applied externally as a healing balm. It is also used as a blood purifier.

Generally, the genus Veronica weeds are used for varied medicinal purposes, but they are a common herb in different parts of the world and their application differ with communities.

Ornamental Plant

Though some people cultivate Corn Speedwell as an ornamental plant, it can get messy as it easily overtakes various grass species in lawns and landscape beds. For ornamental use, there are other less weedy species of the Veronica genus that can well serve the purpose without posing a threat to your lawn. These include; Germander speedwell, Persian Speedwell, and Creeping Speedwell.

Control

This weed is one of the toughest weeds to control when it has blossomed. It is therefore easy to control with pre-emergence herbicides in fall (its winter sprouts germinate in fall). If you miss this critical time, it becomes entirely impossible to use herbicides to control it. The best way would be to hand weed them out of your lawn. Also make sure to uproot them before the seeds begin to scatter in the lawn.

Another reason why it is advisable to remove the weeds by hand weeding is, most herbicides will harm the grass on the lawn too. Corn Speedwell is more resistant to herbicides than most ornamental grass species used on lawns.…

The dead nettle or purple deadnettle as is commonly referred is an annual winter weed that thrives in warm areas. It is sometimes called the henbit or ‘the devouring purple monster’ which is synonymous to the effect that weeds have on the environment. The dead nettle is a member of the mint family set apart by its four-sided square stem.

They have no stinging hairs. The flowers are tubular shaped with the upper and lower lip ends inclining towards each other. The blooming season, May to June, sees the plant produce flowers in a color variety of purple, white, lavender, and pink. Four nutlet seeds are produced when the flowers boom which can be used to replant the weed for continuous growth.

It grows rapidly transforming large farmed lands into reddish purple fields. This is largely because minimal to no effort is required for it to grow and spread. It has the ability to spread out 2 feet wide and grown up to 6 to 12 inches in height. It thrives in a variety of soils namely, sandy, loamy, or clayed, provided they are low light areas. Its preference is moist well-drained soil although it can still grow in dry conditions. Inadequate moisture especially during the summer heat tends to dry it out as well.

Uses

It is not entirely a nuisance as it has numerous medicinal purposes. It is considered a diaphoretic. Astringent, diuretic, purgative, and styptic.

• Its leaves are helpful to external wounds and cuts. They help stop bleeding.
• It contains strong anti-inflammatory properties, meaning of course that it can help reduce inflammation.
• It helps to treat bad odor and vaginal discharge.
• It is also known for reducing allergies. This is due to its antibacterial and antifungal components.
• Its highly abundant in vitamin C, iron and fiber. These properties help boost immunity and fight infection.
• The oil found in its seeds is rich in antioxidants.
• The purple deadnettle is considered edible. It can be used to make salads, tea, soups, smoothies, etc. It works similar to other greens.

Caution is advised as it may have a laxative effect if taken in large quantities.

Deadnettle Control  

A pre-emergent herbicide or a post-emergent herbicide can be used to control the weeds when they are in their earliest stages and not blooming. If you prefer to not use the chemicals, mow them constantly to prevent them from blooming.

Another possible solution would be to grow a healthy lawn. The weeds don’t take well to competition so your grass is likely to win the competition for nutrients and space. Sometimes you might need a special grass blend. Your local nursery or professional lawn care experts will advise you best depending on your conditions.…