Download Weed Hunter Cards - Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden

Garden Resource
Weed Hunter Cards
Onion Weed (Allium triquetrum),
also called Angled Onion
Identifying characteristics
This is a grass-like perennial with long, fleshy,
triangular grass-like leaves that can grow to as
long as 30–50 cm. It has white, bell-like flowers
that grow in bunches off a triangular stem in the
spring. The leaves die back every year, but the
onion-like bulb will stay viable in the ground for
many years. The leaves and bulb have a garlicky
or onion scent; flowers.
Interesting facts
uu All parts of this plant are edible: the white bulbs can be pickled and the green leaves can
be used like chives or green onions; the flowers can be used fresh in salads.
uu The juice of onion weed is said to deter moths, though this is not scientifically proven.
Management and removal
The best organic solution is to remove onion
weed by hand. Dig it up gently with a fork to get
under the roots and remove the entire bulb, as
pieces left in the ground will create new plants
(onion weed reproduces by both division and
seed). When weeding, make sure to dispose of
any roots from the bulbs in the normal rubbish
to avoid spreading the weed further through your
composting system. This weed spreads quickly
and can take some time to eradicate.
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Garden Resource
Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum),
also called Blackberry Nightshade
Identifying characteristics
This bushy, herbaceous annual is found in
temperate to tropical regions and can grow up to
80 cm high. The stems are green, but can turn
purple as the plant ages, so you may find a mix of
green and purple shades. It has long, oval-shaped,
dark green leaves, with undulating edges.
The flowers are white, star-shaped with five
points and have yellow centres. Black nightshade
berries are green at first, darkening to a very dark,
almost black colour with age. Each fruit can
contain up to 35 seeds.
Interesting facts
uu Black nightshade seeds can stay dormant in the soil for more than 40 years waiting for the right conditions!
uu This plant has food and medicinal uses around the world, but some studies show that high levels of consumption can lead to poisoning, so it is not recommended to eat.
Management and removal
The plant can become invasive and can attract nematodes, viruses and fungi that can be
detrimental to the soil and the plants growing it in, especially those of the Solanaceae family such
as tomatoes. Remove any seedlings as soon as they appear and are identified. Hand removal is the
most effective form of organic management for this weed. As flowering and seed/fruit formation
begins early in summer, spring removal of the seedlings is highly recommended. The plant can
be composted if it has not flowered; otherwise destroy it or add it to the regular rubbish to avoid
spreading the seed further afield.
Image sources: www.aphotoflora.com , en.wikipedia.org
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Garden Resource
Oxalis (Oxalis pes-capre),
also called Soursob, Soursop and
Yellow-flowered Oxalis
Identifying characteristics
Oxalis has a clover-like, three-part, dark green leaf. It grows close to the ground and spreads
quickly through a complex underground structure of bulbs. It produces small yellow flowers that
tend to grow in clusters of 3–15 per stem.
Management and removal
Oxalis requires constant and vigilant weeding by hand, making sure to remove as many bulblets
as possible from the soil. If nothing else exists in the bed or other plants can be moved or sacrificed,
oxalis can be eradicated by sheet mulching with a very thick layer of cardboard or newspaper to
deprive the soil – and therefore the oxalis seeds and bulbs – of light, and eventually the plants
will die off.
Image sources: www.dcnature.com, www.daamaaextweb.gnb.ca
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Garden Resource
Chickweed (Stellaria media),
also called Mouse-ear Chickweed
Identifying characteristics
Chickweed is a cool-season annual shrub with dark
green, oval-shaped leaves that have pointed tips. It
produces oval-shaped, hairy seed pods at the same
time as its white flowers of five petals – note the
notch in the petals is so deep that each petal looks
like two, so the flower can appear to have ten petals.
The stem has a line of fine hairs along one side only,
which will change sides at each node or leaf – this
one-sided hairiness is the best way to identify this
genus of chickweed from others in the same family.
Interesting facts
uu Chickweed produces flowers and sets seed at the same time rather that flowering then seeding.
uu The leaves, stems, flowers and seeds of chickweed are all edible and highly nutritious, with high levels of vitamins C and A as well as many minerals.
uu Chickweed has also been used to make ointments and salves to aid in wound healing.
uu The plant can also serve as a mild diuretic and is considered cleansing for the urinary tract.
Management and removal
If the chickweed is not in a troublesome spot in the garden, leave it and treat it as you would any other
vegetable in the garden – USE IT! If you do need to remove it, be aware that it spreads by both seed
and stems that root at the nodes, so when pulling up, make sure you get the whole plant. Ideally you
would remove the plant before it flowers/sets seed to avoid spreading the seeds while removing it.
Image sources: www.capel.verygreen.co.uk, www.cas.vanderbilt.edu
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Garden Resource
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Identifying characteristics
Dandelion is biennial (two-year lifecycle), but it can be perennial
in the right conditions. The leaves and stems, when cut, exude a
milky white sap. The hairless leaves grow with backward-pointing
teeth, flat to the ground from a single strong tap root. A single
yellow flower grows on a long stem from the centre of the plant.
When petals are lost, the flower head becomes a fluffy ball of
seeds, from which the seeds are blown and carried by the wind.
Interesting facts
uu Dandelion means ‘teeth of the lion’, which refers to the
tooth-like petals.
uu Young dandelion leaves are edible raw, so are good in salads,
and can also be cooked. Dandelion roots can be dried, ground up and used as a coffee substitute.
uu Dandelions are ‘dynamic accumulators’, which means
their deep tap roots ‘mine’ nutrients from deep in the earth,
storing them in their roots and leaves, so when the plant dies
those nutrients are released into the top soil for the other
plants to use.
uu Dandelions tend to prefer a higher pH level (a more ‘basic’
soil), so when present dandelions are a good indication of
basic soil.
Management and removal
Leave dandelions if you can, in order to eat the leaves and take
advantage of the benefits they bring to your soil. Organic removal
of dandelions can be difficult, but if you have to remove them,
there are two possible manual methods:
uu Cut the top off and dig around the base to loosen the taproot.
Grab the root as securely as possible and give a firm tug. If the
root doesn’t give, continue to dig down around the root, wiggling
it to loosen it, and continue to trying to tug it out gently. The tap
root can be thick, but it can also easily break, and any root left in
the soil will regrow.
uu Cut the top off the plant and pour boiling water slowly onto its
centre – this will burn and kill it. To be sure to reach all the way to
the bottom of the tap root, you could remove some of the root by
the previous method and follow that by pouring boiling water into
the hole. Very strong vinegar (white vinegar boiled down to reduce
the water content) painted or carefully sprayed on the flowers and
leaves of the plant can also be somewhat effective.
Image sources: wioiv.blogspot.com, www.bioinfo.org, commons.wikipedia.org
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Garden Resource
Scotch Thistle (Onopordum acanthium);
Illyrian Thistle (Onopordum Illyricum);
Stemless Thistle (Onopordum acaulon);
Taurian thistle (Onopordum tauricum, Victoria only)
Identifying characteristics
Thistles are annual or biennial plants typically found in
disturbed or poor soils, often found along the roadside
or on rocky hillsides. They are generally of a whitishgrey, woolly appearance, with purple flower heads
emerging from a spiny/spiky casing. The stemless
variety can also produce white flowers. The Scotch,
Illyrian and stemless thistles all have similar colour,
but the stemless remains closer to the ground while
the others can get very tall. Their spiky nature makes
them harmful, so wear gloves when trying to remove
them. The flowering times do differ between the three
main varieties: Scotch flowers through August and
December, Illyrian flowers from December to February
and the stemless variety flowers between October and
December.
Interesting facts
uu Globe artichokes are a member of the thistle family.
uu Thistle seeds can remain viable in the soil for up to eight years.
in medicinal ways, including curing ulcers and reducing tumours!
uu The juice of this plant has been used for centuries
Management and removal
Unless in great numbers, thistles can be removed using
a hoe or mattock to chop away the deep tap root.
Monitor the area and quickly remove any regrowth that
can occur from parts of the tap root left in the ground.
Image sources: sco.wikipedia.org, www.luontoportii.com
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Garden Resource
Dock or Curled Dock (Rumex crispus);
Broad-leaved Dock (Rumix obtusifolius)
Identifying characteristics
All dock species tend to look very similar, especially
at the seedling stages, but telling them all apart is
not as important as identifying the plant as dock, so
that it can be managed. These two species of dock
can grow as tall as 1.2 meters if left untouched. The
plants will pop up in autumn and grow rosettes
close to the ground over winter. The flowering stem
will grow through spring and seeds will come to
maturity in the late summer, when they will drop
to the ground or be carried to other locations by
birds. Dock is a perennial plant, so the flowering
stem will die off after dropping seeds in summer,
and will over-winter as a rosette, conserving energy
and developing stronger roots for the next year’s
reproduction. It is also a deep tap-rooting plant and
can reproduce from pieces of root left in the ground
or broken off during digging or soil cultivation.
Interesting facts
uu Dock leaves are edible, with a slightly bitter taste that goes well in salads, but they do contain oxalic acid, so limited amounts are recommended.
so it was called ‘butter dock’.
similar areas.
uu Before electricity and proper refrigeration, dock leaves were used to wrap and preserve butter, uu Dock leaves can be used to remedy the sting of a nettle and, conveniently, they often grow in Management and removal
Hand removal can be effective on younger dock seedlings, but the older ones will have deeply
established tap roots that will regrow from pieces left in the ground after the top is removed.
Therefore, after the initial removal, watch for young seedlings and remove them immediately;
this will weaken the plant and eventually it will die. The best way to manage the weed is to prevent
it from establishing at all, by preventing waterlogging in the garden and removing plants prior
to flowering and going to seed. The best time to look for and remove the plant is in autumn and
winter in its rosette stage.
Image source: www.survivalogic.com
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Garden Resource
Caltrop (Tribulus terrestris),
also called Cat Head or Bindi
Identifying characteristics
This annual herbaceous plant grows flat to the ground
through autumn and summer. It can grow up to 2 metres
long with many smaller branches coming off the larger
stem. The leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of a stem
and each group contains three to eight opposite leaflet
pairs. The small yellow flowers each have five petals.
They present throughout summer and each flower lasts
only for one or two days before dying off. The fruit of the
caltrop are spiky burrs that are renowned for attaching
themselves to shoes, socks and trousers, as they are
designed to catch on the feathers and fur of passing
animals to be transported to their next location. Each
fruit can contain up to 20 seeds.
Interesting facts
uu A productive caltrop plant can produce up to 20,000 seeds in its one-year life span.
uu Seeds can stay viable for up to five years when buried in the soil.
uu Caltrop is very drought-tolerant due to its extensive root system.
Management and removal
Remove this weed before it goes to flower in summer –
just after it appears and before it can spread and produce
fruit is best, if possible. Small amounts can be hand
weeded quite easily, but wear gloves – the fruits can be
quite painful to fingers! With larger caltrops, you can cut
the plant from its central tap root and carefully gather the
plant up, taking it to the general rubbish for disposal. Do
not add it to the compost if it has any fruits or flowers,
or it will spread to the rest of the garden. Once a spot is
cleared of caltrop, you can use a piece of foam, such as a
camping mat or similar, to collect any seed or fruit that
might have fallen on the ground. Just lay the mat on the
ground with a bit of weight on top, then carefully lift the
mat up, along with the burrs, and take it to the bin where
you can scrape the seeds off and reuse the mat. Mulch
the area heavily after it has been cleared to discourage
any leftover seeds from germinating, but keep an eye out
because they are great survivors!
Image source: www.asergeev.com, www.fleurs-de-france.eu
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Garden Resource
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Identifying characteristics
An annual plant and extremely hardy, purslane grows as a thick, mat-like ground cover with
succulent stems, often with a red tinge. The oval, succulent leaves are about 1–3 cm long and
develop in clusters at the stem nodes. Small yellow flowers set at the nodes and ends of the stems.
Seed capsules are small, peaked cones, full of tiny black seeds the size of fine sand. Each plant can
produce thousands of seeds, so removal before it has gone to flower and seed is vital to reduce
spread, if that is the goal.
Interesting facts
uu Purslane can grow in almost any climate and soil, is found in Australia from the desert to the coast and was a valuable source of food for Indigenous people.
uu The stems, leaves and buds of purslane are all edible. The leaves taste slightly sour, but are quite mild. Five sprigs (about 10 cm each) can provide 550 mg of calcium, plus a good portion of your daily need of Vitamins A and C, iron, potassium and magnesium. It was also discovered in the 1980s that purslane leaves are a source of omega-3 fatty acids!
uu Purslane makes a good ground cover to grow under crops like corn, as its dense, matting nature retains moisture well and blocks out other weeds.
uu The seeds can stay viable in the soil for up to seven years waiting for the right conditions.
Management and removal
If you have the space, leave purslane in and just control the spread by removing parts of the plant
that you don’t want there. Don’t forget to use the parts you remove in salads and other dishes to
benefit from all the great nutrients the plant offers! Hand weeding and mulching are the best ways to
control this plant.
Image source: www.onlyfoods.net, en.wikipedia.org
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Garden Resource
Mallow (Malva parviflora)
Identifying characteristics
Mallow is a low-growing annual or biennial weed
with a deep tap root that it uses to ‘mine’ nutrients
and water from deeper in the soil. Its leaves look like
rounded lovehearts with serrated edges. Many long
stems grow from one central root stem, often sagging
to the ground due to weight of the larger leaves.
Flowers appear early in summer through to autumn.
The flowers can be white, pink or purple and have
five petals.
Interesting facts
uu Mallow is edible; nutritious and delicious! The ancient Romans considered it a delicacy and even today several mallow species are widely eaten throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa.
uu Like okra or marshmallow, mallow can be used as a thickening agent in cooked dishes.
Management and removal
Mallow can only spread by seed, so be sure to remove it in winter and spring before it begins to
flower. Manual removal prior to flowering or seed pod production is the best way to weaken this
plant, but it can be challenging to eradicate.
Image source: www.wildflowersofthewestvillage.com
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Garden Resource
Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola)
Identifying characteristics
Prickly lettuce is an annual or biennial that can grow
to as high as two metres. Its leaves look similar to
dandelion leaves, but this plant grows taller and the
leaves and stem are prickly. When the leaves or stem
are broken a milky substance oozes from the break.
The flowers are yellow with a dark blue stripe on the
underside of the petals.
Interesting facts
uu The young leaves of prickly lettuce can be eaten before their prickles have grown, but
after becoming prickly they is not a very palatable option.
uu The seeds can remain viable in the soil for as long as six years.
Management and removal
Prickly lettuce spreads by seed through water and wind, and via muddy tyres and shoes, so it is
best to remove it prior to its flowering and going to seed, which happens at the end of summer and
early autumn. It can be managed quite well in a standard garden by hand pulling seedlings before
they flower, but wear gloves so you don’t get poked by the prickly leaves and stem. These plants
form a strong tap root, so get as much of the root out as possible by digging down a bit to loosen
the root before pulling. This will minimise grow-back.
Image source: www.nikos-manitarielassonas.blogspot.com
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Garden Resource
Clover (Trifolium repens),
also called White Flower Clover
Identifying characteristics
White clover is a very common weed found in turf
or lawns and is usually a sign that the soil is low
in nitrogen. Clover leaves have three leaflets, with
one leaf per thin stem growing from a central root
system. Each leaf has a circular white marking
across the base of each leaflet, forming a complete
circle around the stem. The stems creep along
the ground and root at the joints in the stem (the
nodes), forming large clumps. Clover flowers are
usually white, sometimes slightly pinkish, and
form in heads on the end of thin stems.
Interesting facts
uu Clover is a ‘nitrogen fixing plant’, which means it can produce its own nitrogen from the air and requires very low nitrogen in the soil.
the amount of nitrogen fertiliser required to keep their lawn healthy, because the clover adds nitrogen to the soil.
uu Some people actually plant the pink variety of clover along with their grass seed to reduce Management and removal
Clover does not have a deep root system and is easily managed by hand pulling and mulching. As
clover breaks down in the soil it will release all its stored nitrogen, so mulching over it to deprive it
of light so it dies and feeds the soil is a useful option.
Image source: www.ppl.purdue.edu
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Garden Resource
Cleavers (Gallium aparine)
Identifying characteristics
Cleavers is a herbaceous annual. A bright green plant, it can grow up to a metre high and form dense
mats of foliage. The lance-shaped leaves are narrow and grow in whorls, that is 5–9 leaves emerge
from a single node on the stem. The stem itself is thin and quadrangular, i.e. if you cut the stem, its
cross section is square. The tiny flowers are white and have four petals. The stems and edges of the
leaves are covered with tiny hooks that grab onto other plants and animals, as well as fences. The
seeds are also covered with hooks, and each plant may produce up to 1000 brown-grey seeds.
Cleavers is widespread but is most likely to be found in temperate climates in fertile and moist
areas.
Interesting facts
uu To ‘cleave’ is to hold on to something. The tiny hooks on cleavers actually make it feel sticky.
uu Purslane makes a good ground cover to grow under crops like corn, as its
dense, matting nature retains
moisture well and blocks out other weeds.
uu The seeds can stay viable in the soil for up to seven years waiting for the right conditions.
Management and removal
Cleavers can be removed by hand quite easily but it’s best to do so when the plants are small. The
life cycle of the plant is only about eight weeks, so removing it before it has started to set seed will
help stop the weed spreading to other parts of your garden.
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Garden Resource
Capeweed (Arctotheca calendula)
Identifying information
Capeweed is an annual plant. It forms a dense mat
and chokes out other plants underneath and around
it. In pasture, capeweed can grow up to 80 cm across
and 30 cm high. In a school or home garden a large
capeweed could be 20–30 cm across.
Capeweed has a long taproot and a rosette of greygreen leaves that are deeply lobed. The leaves range
from 5–25 cm long and their underside is pale to
white and feels soft and downy.
The capeweed ‘daisy’ can grow up to 2 cm wide and is actually made up of many florets (small flowers).
The outer flowers or ray florets (the ‘petals’) have a yellow upper-side (sometimes with a dark purple to
brown base) and a grey-green to purplish-green underside. If you look very closely, the inner dark circle
or ‘eye’ is made up of many tiny dark florets.
Capeweed germinates from autumn and dies off over summer. It’s very common in temperate areas
where land has been disturbed. It can indicate soil that lacks calcium and magnesium.
Interesting facts
uu Capeweed’s name reflects its origin in the Cape Province of South Africa. Other names include cape daisy, cape dandelion or African marigold.
uu Grazing animals can eat capeweed, but large quantities can cause problems. Chickens love it.
Removal and management
The best way to remove capeweed is to use a garden fork to loosen the soil around the long taproot and
then pull it out by hand, bringing as much of the root structure as you can. You will need to regularly
check and remove capeweed, but after it is brought under control it is manageable.
Chipping the capeweed out and leaving the taproot in the ground will result in more capeweed growing.
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Garden Resource
Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastroris)
Identifying characteristics
Young shepherd’s purse forms a rosette 10–20 cm
wide with long lobed leaves. It can be mistaken for
a dandelion, but unlike a dandelion the points on
the leaves face outward, away from the rosette, and
it has no milky sap.
When it matures, shepherd’s purse sends up a
flower stem with a cluster of tiny white fourpetalled flowers at the end. The stem may be up to
90 cm long, but is more commonly around 20 cm
long.
The plant’s name comes from the seed pods, which
are said to resemble the bag a shepherd carried –
they are flat, brown and heart-shaped, with a line
up the centre.
Shepherd’s purse is very widespread and often
found in parks, ovals and grassy areas. It is a
member of the mustard family.
Interesting facts
uu Shepherd’s purse is used to stop internal and external bleeding, and in traditional Chinese medicine to improve blurry vision.
the earliest edibles to appear after winter.
uu The leaves and pods are a delicious peppery addition to salads in spring, and they’re one of Removal and management
Like other tap-rooted weeds, the best way to remove shepherd’s purse is to loosen the soil gently
with a garden fork and carefully remove the plant and as much of the root mass as possible.
As the seeds are sticky when mature, wash your equipment carefully after use and take care not to
catch seeds on your clothes – they are sticky enough to catch tiny insects so be careful!
Image source: www.geograph.org.uk
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Garden Resource
Stinging Nettle (Urtica urens or Urtica dioica),
also called Common Nettle
Identifying characteristics
Stinging nettle is a herbaceous perennial (it dies down over winter) from the northern hemisphere.
It grows straight up, to between 120 and150 cm tall, and grows in clumps in many cases, spreading
via underground rhizomes. The leaves are arranged oppositely along the stems, and are egg-shaped
with serrated or toothed edges. Young leaves have short hairs and longer ‘stinging’ hairs on the
upper leaf surfaces. Older leaves are mostly hairless, except for the long stinging hairs on the lower
leaf surface.
Interesting facts
uu If nettles are growing in your garden it is a good sign that the soil is high in nutrients, and most
especially phosphorus.
uu Nettles are edible and taste similar to spinach, but you should only use the young, tender net-
tles, and cook them well to remove the toxins. They can also be dried for nutrient-rich teas.
uu Nettle makes a good fertiliser tea for the garden, but make sure you dilute it before use.
uu If you are stung by nettles you may find your skin comes up in red welts that sting and hurt – it
is said that rubbing dock leaves on the affected area can remove the pain.
Management and removal
The best organic solution for nettles is to remove them by hand, as they tend to pull out easily. You
will need to wear gloves, and long, thick sleeves are essential. Push the top of the plant over so you
aren’t brushing the leaves unnecessarily, firmly grip the base of the plant, then pull it out. Better
still, rake them out when they are young using a hoe.
Image source: www.merioneth48.blogspot.com
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Garden Resource
Couch Grass (Elymus repens),
also called Bermuda Grass or Florida Grass
Identifying characteristics
Couch grass is a low-growing perennial grass with fine leaves about 3 mm wide and 5 cm long.
It spreads via runners along or under the ground, or even via pieces of runner that have been
discarded. It also spreads by seed. The leaves are a grey-green colour.
Interesting facts
uu Couch grass is an Australian native and is often planted for lawns.
uu It can escape easily, invading areas such as garden beds, and is often considered an invasive weed.
Management and removal
Couch grass is difficult to remove once established. Hoeing shallowly to expose the rhizomes to
the air may result in them dying after a few days, but any pieces still left in the soil will continue
to grow. A better way is pulling the grass out by hand, working your way along the runners between
clumps, taking care to remove all the pieces. Alternatively, try smothering them. Dig a trench
around the affected area, making sure you cut through any runners. Cover the area with a thick
layer of newspaper, followed by a thick layer of straw mulch. Leave this for 4–5 months, by which
time the mulch should have rotted and the couch grass died. Dig over before going ahead with
your garden bed.
Image source: www.missouribotanicalgarden.org
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