White clover and out
Some weeds can be attractive but they can also be an unwelcome pest, writes David Overend.
If people can self-isolate, why can’t weeds? Two varieties in particular have made merry in British gardens this summer, one making a mess of lawns while the other has wound itself around anything growing in its path. The grass pest is that old favourite – white clover, a broad-leaved weed which robs lawns of moisture and nutrients – spreading out to take over the growing room that should be allocated to grass plants.
Getting rid of white clover should be easy – but it’s not. There are granular lawn fertilisers that include selective weedkillers, or you can use a product to dilute in a watering can or pressure sprayer and apply in a liquid form.
Whichever product you use, fit the weeding in between lawn mowings. Apply your chosen product about three days after the last cut so that the weeds have a good leaf cover and can absorb plenty of weedkilling ingredients.
Leave well alone for another three or four days after application before you mow again so that the weeds will have had ample time to absorb the weedkiller right down to the roots.
Cleavers are a different matter. Many people have no idea of its name but they certainly know what it is – a common annual weed native to hedgerows, scrub and arable land, which spreads to gardens on the fur of animals and clothing of passers-by.
They attach themselves with the small hooked hairs which grow out of the stems and leaves. The stems can reach up to three feet or more,
Although seedlings usually appear singly, rather than in great numbers
(like many other common weeds), the numerous and easily-distributed seeds mean it can soon establish itself as a constant pest, so it needs rooting out.
Galium aparine is its Latin name and hand-pulling or hoeing the weed seedlings is the easiest way to control the plant, but it’s a job which may need to be done time and again.
Strangely, there are some people who like to see cleavers in their garden – the plant is quite attractive and it rarely threatens to overwhelm other plants.