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Weed Identification and Control

Weeds are one of the most common and frustrating lawn care problems. This website has tips and advice on preventing and controlling weeds as well as countless images to help identify the weeds causing you problems.

Lawn and Turf Aeration

Aerating the lawn is one of the most beneficial tasks for the lawn. It helps create a healthy growing environment in the soil and eliminates many lawn care problems. We have information on the different types of aeration and the benefits of each.

Thatch

Thatch is the accumulation of organic matter between the grass plant and the soil. Although a small amount is acceptable and is beneficial to the lawn, too much can cause major problems.

Creating a Problem Free Lawn

Most gardeners desire a thick green carpet of grass, free of weeds, moss and other common lawn problems. This is easier to achieve than most people think.

Feeding the Lawn

All lawns require feeding at various points throughout the year to help maintain good turf vigour. We have tips and advice on what fertiliser to apply for the optimum results.

Showing posts with label smooth hawksbeard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smooth hawksbeard. Show all posts

Saturday, 9 June 2012

Smooth Hawksbeard

Crepis capillaris

smooth hawksbeard
General - Smooth Hawksbeard can be an annual or biennial. It is not normally a problem on mown lawns and turf but can occasionally be a problem during dry periods. The weed forms as a rosette type weed with a deep taproot.

Leaves - The leaves are similar to those of dandelion but are smaller in size. The leaf is narrow with deeply toothed lobes.

Flower - Smooth Hawksbeard flowers are very similar to other Dandelion like weeds such as Cats Ear and Autumn Hawkbit. The distinct yellow flowers can be seen between June and October.

Roots - Smooth Hawksbeard has a long fleshy taproot.

Habitat - This weed prefers dry, sandy, free draining soils.

Cultural Control - Physically remove individual plants by hand weeding taking care to remove the whole taproot. Maintain adequate turf vigour with a balanced fertiliser program to encourage a thick sward which will prevent the invasion of weeds.

Chemical Control - Chemicals should ideally be only used as a last resort after all other cultural methods have been exhausted. Choose a selective weed killer that contains 2,4-D and mecoprop-p or 2,4-D and dicamba or alternatively a weed killer containing fluroxypyr should be equally effective. A further application may be needed to control Smooth Hawksbeard.