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little white weeds #744540

Asked April 15, 2021, 3:26 PM EDT

HI..we have some sort of weed, low growing to the ground, small white flowers, densely spread over the ground in a fern patch..ferns are just starting to form stems. We have also seen some of these in the lawn grass. Questions:1) can we just wait for the ferns to grow and block the sunlight to the weeds 2) is there a better way to get rid of these other than hands and knees pulling...want to protect the ferns

Delaware County Ohio

Expert Response

This plant is called hairy bittercress. You certainly can pull them up, but do that before they go to seed. A pre-emergent herbicide applied in the fall will prevent new seeds from sprouting the next spring. One or two inches of mulch around the ferns will reduce weed seed germination, improve fern health and make weed pulling easier. Michigan State University has an excellent fact sheet that tells all about this plant. Check it out on line at:

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/hairy_bittercress_a_weed_to_watch_out_for

Carolyn E Replied April 16, 2021, 9:35 AM EDT

Thanks for the infor...my wife thinks it is chickweed. Does that make any difference in management?

On 4/16/2021 9:35 AM, Ask Extension wrote:
The Question Asker Replied April 17, 2021, 12:49 PM EDT

Similar approach should work for either bittercress or chickweed.

Carolyn E Replied April 17, 2021, 5:03 PM EDT

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