How to get rid of speedwell on the lawn. Features of the cultural form of Veronica filamentous. Way out
Veronica filamentous, or filamentous, is the most delicate herbaceous plant. This is a perennial with airy white or bluish flowers. Many gardeners simply fight such a plant, expelling it from their site. It is extremely difficult to care for these flowers, especially to keep them in a certain growing area - the perennial is actively growing, turning into almost a real problem. Such energy in the growth and vitality of the plant can be directed in the right direction and used to its advantage.
Veronica filamentous: plant features
Veronica filamentous belongs to the Norichnikov family. This is a herbaceous plant with creeping shoots that almost instantly take root in the ground.
The plant is soil-rooted, low; creeps along the ground. The leaves are small, rounded, the flowers are white or blue-blue. The plant easily tolerates heat, grows in open sunny areas, but feels more comfortable in partial shade or in a completely shaded area.
This amazing plant species is rightly labeled as a “terrible aggressor.” When growing such a plant on your site, be prepared for the fact that it will spread throughout the yard with huge flowering spots, hide uneven landscapes, and grow between the tiles on the paths. So, to which group should this natural “decorator” be classified: weeds or cultivated flower plants?
As in wildlife, Veronica filamentous (photo can be seen in the article) prefers areas where trees (forest, fruit) and berry bushes grow. She loves the shade. This plant, actively growing, is ready to fill the entire yard, garden and beds, but if you properly care for it and do not give freedom to the reproduction of flowers, then this process is quite possible to control.
Agricultural technology is simple, because this fast-growing plant is so tenacious that it does not require the creation of special conditions for cultivation. But it’s still worth getting acquainted with the system of planting and caring for Veronica filamentous.
The plant thrives in areas with moderately moist soil, but also tolerates drought well. That is why there is no need to create special conditions for caring for flowers. Veronica filamentous is a plant that takes care of itself, and it is capable of being quite competitive in the fight against its neighbors. Even dandelions cannot stand the onslaught of an aggressive herbaceous plant.
Agricultural technology
The plant is unpretentious, so special skills in growing these flowers are not required. Veronica filamentous (or creeping) is able to adapt to growing in any conditions. The grass is unpretentious to soil. Most types of speedwell are moisture-loving plants, but they take short-term drought calmly and easily tolerate it.
In Russia, the plant easily survives, being frost-resistant and easily tolerating the harsh Russian frosts. Although some of the species are more delicate, for example, Veronica branched. There is a need to cover them with spruce branches for the winter.
Important! The shoots are cut and removed only after the plant has finished flowering.
After planting the plants, periodically weed the flowers, otherwise they will become wild. Veronica is fertilized twice a season.
Reproduction of Veronica filamentous
There are several ways to propagate the plant.
Seeds
The material is sown in late autumn. Flowering occurs 24 months after planting Veronica filamentous plants. In the case of spring sowing, seeds are amenable to stratification - a procedure that consists of creating an artificial temperature difference necessary for normal seed germination.
The process of growing a plant from seeds looks like this:
- Prepare a garden pot with drainage substrate.
- The seeds are laid out on the surface, sprinkled with a small amount of soil on top.
- The crops are sprayed with water. The top is covered with a film with small holes that allow the seeds to gain access to oxygen.
- The pot with planting material is placed in a cooler place in order to create special conditions for seed germination (for example, in the refrigerator), where it is kept for the next 3 weeks.
- After this period, the container is moved to a well-lit, warm place and wait for the first shoots, which begin to hatch 2 weeks after the temperature change. Care for seedlings using the standard method.
Veronica filamentous seeds are freely available and can be purchased at any specialized store.
By division
Shoots with a healthy and well-developed root system are divided and planted as separate units. The procedure is usually carried out in early spring.
By cuttings
For propagation in this way, planting material in the form of young shoots is used. The cut cuttings are placed in a container with water until the root shoots germinate or simply placed in the ground, where they take root on their own, which usually happens 10-14 days after transplantation. After this, the plant from the container is transplanted to open area soil.
Of all the above plant methods, gardeners note the latter as one of the most convenient and effective ways to propagate veronica filamentous, planting and caring for which is not difficult.
Place of plants in landscape design compositions
Sometimes a plant self-seeds on an area and does not have to be planted. The grass grows instantly. The most delicate plant of amazing beauty is Veronica filamentous. Herbaceous plants for open ground You don’t have to buy it second-hand, or look for seeds in garden stores, but bring them from the usual habitat of flowers: forests or meadows. It is often used as a design element, especially in cases where the site is to be decorated in a relaxed natural style.
These can easily be planted under berry beds, fruit trees. There is no reason to worry that the grass will draw out all the beneficial substances from the soil and the cultivated plants themselves. Such an improvised carpet in the garden will help keep the fruits falling from the trees safe and sound. In hot summers, the plant retains moisture in the soil longer, protecting it from overheating, so the trees and bushes growing around receive more useful substances and moisture.
The herbaceous plant creates a living carpet under your feet, which is pleasant to walk on barefoot. This lawn covering is not only practical, but also beautiful. The small herbaceous plant can be easily cut with a lawn mower or trimmer. It should be noted that this plant is capable of suppressing the growth of weed species.
Important! An area abundantly overgrown with filamentous veronica looks impressive not only during the flowering period of the plant, but also after it ends. Light green leaves give the area a fresh look, create coziness and additional comfort.
Tufts of filamentous veronica growing between the stones of the retaining walls of rock gardens look impressive. But such compositions already need to be controlled, otherwise the grass will grow over the entire hill and simply spoil the landscape composition.
Features of caring for the area where filamentous grass grows
Veronica can be easily removed by hand if the plant grows too large or is simply unnecessary. There should be no problems with cleaning the lawn, unless Veronica has been growing there for more than one year and its roots are too intertwined. Then you will have to use garden tools, removing the flowers along with the top layer of soil. When carrying out such work, it is necessary to ensure that not a single shoot of filamentous or creeping speedwell remains in the soil, a photo of which can be seen in the article, otherwise the extremely fast-growing flowers will again fill the entire area.
Using such a plant as a landscape decoration will add tenderness and ease to the area. Such a lawn or garden will look impressive, and individual landscape compositions will look complete. By maintaining and monitoring the growth of grass, you can control it, creating amazing beauty compositions.
I greeted her as a pleasant unexpected guest. Imagine my surprise when she began to aggressively explore the entire surrounding space, crawling into the beds, strawberries, and flower beds. She covered the earth with a real “fur coat”! No matter what I did to get rid of her, it was all in vain.
As I realized (alas, too late), this grass came to me from neighbors who, while mowing the lawn, spread it beyond the boundaries of the site. I was powerless in the fight against her. And I don’t even know the name of my enemy. Recently in one of the magazines I read an article about the love for a simple village garden with delicate flowers that our grandmothers planted, and in some lines I found a similar description: “... the most delicate creeping veronica, which will quietly cover the entire lawn with a thick blanket in a few years, or indestructible creeping plague - meadow tea (monetary loosestrife)."
Help, please, all hope is on you! And she burned and tore out. But the smallest leaf, once on the ground, immediately takes root. Is there really no salvation now?
Thanks in advance.
Victoria Mishchenko, Moscow region
Candidate of Biological Sciences Alexander Kabanov answers:
Judging by the description, veronica filamentous has settled in your place - a plant common in the Caucasus, and in last years and in central Russia. In itself, it is very pretty - against the background of low shoots creeping along the ground, numerous blue or white flowers bloom in June-August. Actively branching stems quickly take root; as a result, the plant rapidly spreads, forming a dense, dense carpet, which very soon begins to “squeeze out” neighboring plants. Despite Veronica's more than modest size, its aggressive behavior can harm much taller neighbors, especially if it ends up in a flower garden. But for a low lawn it is quite suitable, although the “friendship” after a while will end with the entire lawn consisting only of speedwell. By the way, this particular type is also used in dry streams, simulating the movement of water.
Getting rid of Veronica filamentous is difficult, but it is possible. There are quite a lot of ways. The longest in terms of time is regular weeding and loosening. Well, to speed up the process of expelling speedwell from your garden, try mulching the soil with a layer of rotted compost or peat. By the way, this is exactly how I myself fought this handsome aggressor. After several thorough weedings, I mulched the soil with humus. Of course, for a while some rather weak shoots appeared, but they were much easier to weed out. But I recommend using herbicides extremely carefully.
Speedwell filamentous (filamentous) is a charming perennial plant with delicate blue or white flowers, which many garden owners expel in every possible way. Indeed, Veronica is difficult to keep within certain limits: it tends to break out of any obstacles and quickly clogs flower beds, lawns, paths and vegetable gardens. The growth energy and vitality of this aggressor can be put to good use.
Description of Veronica threadlike
Or filamentous (Veronica filiformis), belongs to the family Norichnikovye (Scrophulariaceae). It has creeping shoots that instantly take root at any opportunity. There is no point in describing the agricultural technology, this fast-growing plant turned out to be so unpretentious and tenacious. This charming appearance of Veronica would rightly be given a tag with the inscription “terrible aggressor”. On our site, veronica filamentous spread in huge light spots across the lawn, covered many uneven spots, and filled the spaces between the paving slabs. There is especially a lot of it in the part of the site where forest trees rise. We also allowed her to live among the stones near the decorative pond. Veronica filamentous feels great under fruit trees and currant bushes. She is ready to fill the flower beds and strawberry beds, but she is no longer allowed there.
It's low ground cover plant with tiny rounded leaves and small white or blue-blue flowers (they close in bad weather) it calmly tolerates full sun, partial shading and even shade. It grows well with moderate moisture and does not die from drought. That is why Veronica filamentous need not be created with special conditions and her customs should not be taken into account. She is able to take care of herself, to defend her interests in competition with neighboring plants. Even dandelions look helpless under the pressure of an aggressive neighbor.
Veronica threadlike in landscape design
Veronica filamentosa can not be bought from hand, not propagated with seeds, but brought from the forest, meadow or from the side of the road. Sometimes she appears on the site herself. The grass grows quickly and can be used as a full-fledged element landscape design. Especially when the site is decorated in a natural style. This ground cover plant should be left under berry bushes and fruit trees, especially in dry, hot summers. Veronica filamentous will not take away their nutrition or moisture. A carpet of it, spread under apple and pear trees, will keep the fruits that have fallen from the tree safe and sound.
In the hot summer of 2010, speedwell saved many plants in our garden. The soil underneath remained wet and uncompacted for a long time. The bare ground was then completely cut up by deep cracks. When watering, all the water (and there was not so much of it) went deep into them without a trace. No hoe could take the petrified earth.
Speedwell filamentous can be used to create a soft carpet or delicate covering. It's so nice to walk on it barefoot. It can be cut perfectly with a lawn mower, trimmer and garden shears. It must be said that Veronica filamentous suppresses the growth of many weeds. Yes, and she looks lovely. It is worth noting that Veronica, which blooms en masse in May - June, does not lose its attractiveness even after flowering has ended. The lawn mower doesn't damage it either. Light green foliage maintains a feeling of freshness, creating a feeling of coziness and comfort. Tufts of Veronica filamentosa can be left to grow between retaining wall stones and in rock gardens. Of course, only under careful supervision.
Veronica can be easily removed manually if it has become too annoying or unnecessary. There are no problems when the grass “runs into” neighboring plants. If there is an undesirable mass growth of veronica, it must be removed along with the top layer of soil. The main thing is not to leave any shoots in the ground. On Internet forums, many people warn about the threat of total overgrowing of the area with Veronica threadlike. They are absolutely right. But only when this incredibly fast-growing and resilient plant is left to its own devices.
Speedwell filamentous or filamentous is a plant with soft blue or white small flowers, which often greatly bothers owners of summer cottages. Indeed, it is aggressive in its vitality and almost invincible - it quickly clogs not only paths, lawns, flower beds, but also vegetable gardens. On the one hand, this vitality and indomitable energy can be put to good use, on the other hand, it greatly interferes with useful plantings and is considered one of the most annoying weeds. In this article we will tell you how veronica filamentous is destroyed on the lawn in various ways.
Features of filamentous speedwell
It has thin, creeping, easily rooted shoots, which is why it is considered an aggressor plant. She does not like wet soil, but will survive well both on it and on dry soil during the hot summer. When frozen, it is easily restored.
Veronica filamentous or filamentous - this is what this plant looks likeThe description and characteristics of Veronica filamentous are presented in the table:
| Characteristics | Description |
| Plant type | herbaceous |
| Family | Norichnikovye |
| Decorativeness | decorative flowering, ground cover |
| Soils | fertile, moderately fertile, poor, drained, sandy loam, waterlogged, clayey, loamy |
| Soil moisture | dry, wet, moderately wet |
| Lifespan | annual, biennial, perennial |
| Illumination | partial shade, direct sunlight |
| Reproduction | seeds, cuttings, division |
| Boarding time | Spring Summer Autumn |
| Distribution area | Western and Southern Europe, Caucasus, Iran, Asia Minor |
If you do not get rid of Veronica filamentous in time, it can completely take over your garden. It is a low-growing plant with tiny, rounded leaves and charming flowers that close in bad weather. It's almost useless to fight her. She takes care of herself and easily wins the fight against other weeds.
If you want to get rid of it, then thread-like speedwell can be removed from the site along with the thin top layer of soil, without leaving a single shoot. If it has not grown too much, it can be weeded by hand. As a last resort, you will have to resort to the use of selective herbicides.
However, it is so attractive in appearance that, for example, it can be planted among fruit trees and shrubs. Here it does not interfere with cultivated plants. But in the spring it decorates the earth with its color. Moreover, speedwell prevents the soil from compacting and drying out.
Veronica filamentous and landscape design
Filamentous speedwell blooms in the spring at the same time as forget-me-nots. It can be used to make a beautiful dense lawn, which, however, will have to be cut short to avoid self-seeding. It can also unobtrusively fill the voids between paving slabs. It is also good to plant on retaining walls and slopes to strengthen the soil. Another plus: its activity suppresses the growth of many weeds.
This is what this weed looks like on the lawn close up This plant is good to leave under fruit trees and bushes, especially in hot summers, also because it will not be able to take away moisture and nutrition from them. If fruits from apple and pear trees fall on a veronica carpet, they will not be damaged. Speedwell filamentous can be planted and grown as a delicate covering - it is very pleasant to walk on barefoot. It is easy to cut with garden shears, a trimmer, or a lawn mower.
Veronica filamentous blooms in May-June, but remains attractive even after flowering. Its dense, light green foliage maintains a fresh and attractive appearance. However, its growth must be strictly controlled. When planted in a new place, it initially seems withered and lethargic. But slowly and inexorably it grows and appears in all its glory next spring.
Veronica may well show off on your site in the form of a beautiful flower bed together with other flowers, however, if you do not care for it properly, then soon it will consist of only filamentous veronica.
How to deal with Veronica filamentous on the lawn
Despite its “angelic” appearance, the delicate filamentous veronica is still a serious enemy of the lawn. Rapidly spreading, it is capable of killing lawn grasses, capturing more and more new areas. And at the same time, it reacts weakly to herbicide treatment.
Indeed, its appearance often indicates that the composition of lawn grasses is of very poor quality, and the conditions for keeping them are unsuitable. Veronica filamentous loves constant, abundant moisture, which does not benefit most lawn grasses (with the exception of bentgrass). In hot summers, 1-2 waterings per week are enough, even on sandy loam soils, with an irrigation dose of 1 bucket per 1 square meter. m.
Daily watering in small doses promotes the proliferation of Veronica filamentous and the development of diseases of lawn grasses. This aggravates the condition of the lawn, especially in those areas that are poorly ventilated. In the fight against filamentous veronica, you need to know that in damp areas it can reproduce only by segments of the stem.
Tip #1. Trimmers and mulching with cut grass will not help control speedwell. Perhaps collecting it in a bunker and removing it from the site will help.
How to fight Veronica filamentous with herbicides
Gardeners often make mistakes: they treat weeds at the wrong period of development, select the wrong concentration or time of day. Weeds are most sensitive to herbicides in the spring growth phase. Resistance to them increases sharply during flowering and seed ripening - at this time, herbicides have no effect on speedwell, like other weeds.
However, Veronica is already quite resistant to most drugs. At first glance, the first treatment has virtually no effect on it. But in fact, its growth stops. And with subsequent treatments, its amount is significantly reduced.
This is what weed flowers look like close up If you have just begun to develop the area, then before sowing the lawn grass, glyphosate-based products are very effective in controlling speedwell and its extermination - Tornado, Hurricane, Round-Dup, etc. Later, when the lawn is already in the stage of active growth, preparations are used Lontrel, Dicamba, Lintur, which also stop the growth of the weed. Veronica is most sensitive to herbicides during the period of bud formation - then the treatment is very effective.
When working with herbicides, it is important to act strictly in accordance with the recommendations for the concentration of drugs and their consumption over a certain area. If the instructions indicate that one ampoule should be dissolved in 3 liters of water and treated with the resulting solution on 1 hundred square meters, then you should not try to spray 2 or even 3 hundred square meters with this amount. On the other hand, you shouldn’t make a stronger solution in the hope that the effect will come faster. All deviations from the rules are fraught with unpredictable consequences.
The main thing is that your lawn grows in normal conditions, that it is properly cared for, and that the grass is most suitable for your site. Then, in order to get rid of “uninvited guests” - filamentous speedwell and other weeds, one or two hand weedings at an early stage of their appearance will be enough for you.
Why do weeds appear on the lawn?
Veronica filamentous, like other creeping weeds, reproduces well on a lawn with thinned grass. To determine the level of activity of these weeds, before mowing, it is recommended to comb the lawns for some time, lifting the lashes with a rake. This will help to capture weeds during mowing, while simultaneously stimulating the tillering of lawn grass.
Weeds on the lawn are quite common. This problem occurs for several reasons:
- due to improper preparation of the area;
- due to illiterate selection of lawn mixtures;
- due to poor care.
Removing weeds is the number one task for every high-quality lawn. Indeed, when weeds appear, its decorative appearance significantly deteriorates. Lawn grasses lose their characteristic bright green color, become depleted, and begin to grow poorly. In the absence of proper care on a neglected lawn, weeds quickly crowd out delicate lawn grasses, so the fight against them must be carried out continuously.
The main source of weeds is the soil in which weed seeds are hidden. Why is removing weeds from your lawn so important, and how can they harm your lawn? The main thing is that weeds spoil the decorative appearance of the lawn, making it unkempt and unkempt. In addition, weeds draw moisture and nutrients onto themselves, preventing lawn grasses from developing normally. Because of this, lawn coverings degenerate and die.
Tip #2. It is also necessary to fight weeds on the lawn to prevent the development of various diseases on it, which are sometimes very difficult, if not impossible, to cure.
The weed must be removed from the lawn, because it can bring many different diseases and pests to it. Weeds can lurk in the soil for many years without losing their germination capacity, and they germinate when exposed to favorable conditions. They quickly begin to make themselves felt if, for example, organic fertilizers get into the soil during the creation of a lawn. After all, birds can also carry weed seeds onto the site.
Agrotechnical methods of weed control
The most effective method of controlling weeds on lawns is hand weeding. The first time it should be done about 20 days after you sowed the lawn, when the root system of the weeds is still quite poorly developed. If perennial weeds appear on the lawn - dandelion, field sow thistle, etc. - they are dug up along with the root system.
Perennials are the most durable weeds. They are dug out with a narrow scoop or knife. In this case, the root systems of the weeds are buried as deeply as possible. Manual weeding is a rather labor-intensive process, but it often turns out to be the most effective. After this, the damaged soil must be thoroughly compacted and watered.
Chemical methods of weed control
Chemicals produced to kill weeds are called herbicides. Today, selective action drugs (Lontrel-300, etc.) are used to control weeds on lawns. Their peculiarity is that they have a selective mechanism of action that suppresses weed growth, while the lawn remains intact and unharmed.
Tip #3. You can completely clear your lawn of weeds, in particular its above-ground part and root systems, by using such a popular drug as Magnum.
Chemicals are used in warm, windless weather when the grass is dry. This enhances processing efficiency. Before using any medications, you need to carefully read the instructions. After using herbicides, do not rush to mow the lawn - you can resume this procedure and do it regularly only a few days after spraying. If necessary, re-processing must be done after some time.
However, many people use this weed to decorate their garden plots, instead of large carpet flower beds and even instead of the lawns themselves. Rubric “Question-answer”
Question No. 1. Is it still possible to defeat weeds - filamentous speedwell and others?
You won’t be able to get rid of weeds once and for all, because even if you succeed on your lawn, they will come back to you from neighboring areas. To avoid them, it is necessary to carry out constant prevention. First of all, you need to carefully and systematically care for your lawn.
For example, before sowing a lawn with grass, it must be left fallow. Lawn care activities include: mowing, cleaning, watering, fertilizing, regular control of diseases and earthworms. To prevent weeds from growing, they must be pulled out before the seeds ripen, otherwise they will scatter around throughout the area.
Question No. 2. Is it true that weeds can be removed with a rake?
Veronica filamentous and other weeds with creeping root systems readily grow on unkempt lawns that are infrequently mowed and fertilized. To combat such weeds, you need to regularly comb out the lawn grass with a special rake: they grab the weeds and easily pull them out. During this procedure, the root system of the lawn grass is also stimulated, and as a result, its intensive growth.
VERONICA - a serious enemy of the lawn. Ways to fight. Lawn care
Despite its pleasant appearance, the fragile and thin Veronica filamentous is a serious enemy of the lawn.
Her grip is not according to her “build”.
In the most advanced cases, it spreads rapidly, clogs lawn grasses, spreads on its feet, capturing more and more new areas. And it reacts poorly to herbicide treatment.
What should you do and in what order if you have a weed on your lawn?
First of all, you need to see how the main crop - lawn grass - feels. If the plants are 5 cm apart from each other and the soil is visible between the shoots of cereals, then a weed will certainly settle in the voids.
Then you need to clearly understand what the uninvited “stranger” likes, and what the lawn grasses themselves (let me remind you that the grasses must be carefully selected both by type and variety). Sometimes the appearance of a weed simply indicates the unsuitable composition of lawn grasses and very unsuitable conditions for them.
Veronica filiformis loves constant, even moisture and even waterlogging. Most lawn grasses (except bentgrass) do not benefit from waterlogging. In such heat as last and this summer, 1-2 waterings per week were enough even on sandy loam soils, but the irrigation dose should have been at least 1 bucket per 1 sq.m. Well, daily watering in small doses not only promotes the reproduction and prosperity of veronica, but also helps the development of diseases of lawn grasses and, therefore, further worsens the condition of the lawn. This is especially noticeable in poorly ventilated areas.
It is useful to understand how a new plant reproduces. Veronica in damp areas is often propagated simply by cuttings of stems. Conclusion - no trimmers, no mulching with mowed grass, only collection in a bunker and removal from the site.
It remains to understand what happens to speedwell when treated with herbicides. Here, mistakes are often made such as treating weeds at the wrong stage of development, incorrect concentration and time of day. All weeds are more sensitive to herbicides during the regrowth period, especially in the spring. During flowering, and especially during seed ripening, their resistance increases sharply, and herbicides no longer have an effect on weeds. But Veronica itself is quite resistant to many drugs. After the first treatment, she does not seem to suffer. But if you take a closer look, you will find that its growth stops. With subsequent treatments (1-2) its numbers are greatly reduced.
What to process? If the area is just being developed, then before sowing the veronica is well destroyed with preparations based on glyphosate (Hurricane, Round-Dup, Tornado, etc.). But when the lawn is already growing, it is better to use Lintur and Dicamba. Lontrel also stops the growth of the weed. The greatest sensitivity to herbicides in Veronica is observed in the bud formation phase; at this time, treatments are very effective.
When working with herbicides, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations on the concentration of the drug and the flow of working fluid over a certain area. That is, if it is written that, for example, an ampoule needs to be dissolved in 3 liters of water and sprinkled with this solution on 1 sq. it worked. Any deviations from the rules lead to unpredictable consequences.
Well, most importantly, on a lawn growing under normal conditions, with appropriate care and the use of grasses that are most suitable for a given area, weeds are introduced with great difficulty, and, as a rule, 1-2 times manual weeding per early stages it is enough to get rid of them.
