Cobblers Peg (Bidens pilosa).
Cobblers Peg is also known as Beggars Tick or Farmers Friend. It is a short lived annual that has upright stems. It grows up to 1.8 m tall.
After you read this, you will be able to:
- Identify Beggars Tick or Farmers Friend.
- Know its habitat.
- Know the best way to control it.
Why is Cobblers Peg a Weed?
Beggars Tick is a very invasive weed. There are several reasons for this.
- It is a big seed producer. One plant produces over 30,000 viable seeds.
- These seeds can stay dormant for many years.
- It spreads quickly.
- The seeds disperse easily.
- Farmers Friend can grow in a wide range of habitats.
- It forms dense stands that outcompete vegetation.
- Some populations are resistant to herbicides.
It is an Environmental weed in NSW and QLD.
The distribution map is courtesy of The Atlas of Living Australia.
How to Identify Cobblers Pegs.
- The green to purple stems of Beggars Tick have a square cross section.
- It has pairs of leaves that are 2.5 to 13.5 cm long.
- These oval leaves have teeth at their margins.
- They are deeply-lobed, and have 3 to 7 leaflets.
- Heavy frosts, will kill the above ground parts of plants. However, plants can quickly grow back from the roots.
- It is able to withstand temperatures down to –15°C.
Category: Farmers Friend is a broadleaf (Dicot) weed.
Photosynthetic Pathway: Beggars Tick is a C3 Weed.
Flower: It flowers all the year round. Its small flower-heads are 5 to 15 mm across. They have multiple, tiny yellow tubular flowers in the centre. Sometimes it has white petals that are 2 to 8 mm long.
Height: Farmers Friend is up to 1.8m high. However, it is usually 20 to 90 cm tall. It doesn’t tend to produce its seed heads until it is at least 1 m high.
Leaf length: The leaves of this weed have teeth, and are 2.5 to 13.5 cm long.
Reproduction of Cobblers Peg.
- Farmers Friend spreads only by seed.
- It germinates best at temperatures of 20 to 35°C.
- The seeds need light to establish. It doesn’t tend to grow well in shade.
- The seeds can survive up to 5 years.
- Once they germinate, it produces viable seeds in under a year.
- The seeds have hooked bristles. These seeds attach to clothes and animals.
- The seeds also disperse by vehicles, water, and in agricultural produce.
- The long, dark brown or black ‘seeds’ of Cobblers Peg are 4 to 16 mm long. They have two or three barbed awns, that are 1 to 4 mm long.
Comments: Farmers Friend has a strong tap root.
Habitat: This is a weed of gardens, parks, and waste areas.
Farmers Friend is a good soil indicator weed of disturbed soils.
For more information check out our weed ID Chart.
How to Control Cobblers Peg in your lawn.
You can control this weed by cultural and chemical means.
Cultural Control of Cobblers Pegs.
- Hand weed. When you hand weed don’t spread the seed. You must make sure that you bag off the seed heads.
- Mowing. This is best done before it flowers.
- It does not compete well in the shade. This means mow at the right height for your turf type.
- Hygiene. If you or machinery moves into areas where Farmers Friend is present, wash down the machinery.
- Make sure that you do not carry the seeds on clothes to ‘clean’ areas.
Weed Management Calendar for Cobblers Pegs.
Management Calendar for Cobblers Peg | ||||||||||||
Annual but can be perennial in warm climates | ||||||||||||
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
Germination | ||||||||||||
Active Growth | ||||||||||||
Flowering | ||||||||||||
Seeding | ||||||||||||
Dormant | ||||||||||||
Manual Removal | ||||||||||||
Pre emergent Herbicide | ||||||||||||
Post emergent Herbicide | ||||||||||||
Chemical Control of Cobblers Peg.
Pre-Emergent Control of Cobblers Pegs.
- In agriculture, Pendimethalin (ProForce Battalia 435 Herbicide) has a label for this.
- In NZ, Esplanade has a label for this weed.
Post Emergents for Cobblers Pegs.
There are several post emergents for this weed in turf.
- Quali-Pro Nutmeg (Bentazone). This is safe to use on Buffalo grass, and also controls Nutgrass.
- Quali-Pro Negate (Rimsulfuron, and Metsulfuron). Only use this on warm season turf.
- 2,4-D (amine).
- Dicamba. Do not use this on Buffalo grass.
- Campbells Stature (MCPA, Bromoxynil and Diflufenican) will suppress it. You can’t use this in the home garden.
Post Emergent Rates.
Product | Active | Chemical Group | Rate/Ha | Comments | ||||
2,4-D | 2,4-D | 4 | 1.8-3.2 L | Wet foliage. DO NOT mow lawn for 1 week before and at least 1 weed after use. DO NOT use on Buffalo grass (WA only). | ||||
Contra M. | Dicamba + MCPA | 4 | 6.5 L | Use in 250-400 L water. DO NOT use on Buffalo grass. After use do not mow for 2 days before or afterwards or fertilise within two weeks. | ||||
Dicamba | Dicamba | 4 | 1.2 L + 3.2 L of 2,4-D Amine 625 g/L | Use a minimum of 1000 L/Ha water. Do not spray on Buffalo or Bent Grass. | ||||
Stature | MCPA + Bromoxynil + Diflufenican | 4 + 6 + 12 | 2 L | Use on actively growing weeds. Complete control may take 4 to 6 weeks. You may need to reapply in 4 – 6 weeks. Use a surfactant for difficult to wet weeds. Apply in 200 to 500 L of water. Transient discolouration may occur up to 21 days following use. | ||||
Negate. | Rimsulfuron + Metsulfuron-methyl | 2 | 110 g | Apply to growing weeds and not to weeds under stress. | ||||
Nutmeg | Bentazone | 6 | 2 to 3 L/ha in 200 to 500 L of water per Ha | For best results, use on small and actively growing weeds, with good soil moisture. You may need sequential applications. Do not use more than twice within 4 weeks. The addition of a NIS such as Optispread 1000 at 125 mL per 100 L of the spray volume may improve weed control. | ||||
Warhead | MCPA + Clopyralid + Diflufenican | 4 + 12 | 5 L | You may see discolouration on kikuyu, carpet grass and Queensland blue. Do not overlap. Use an NIS. | ||||
Non Selectives For Cobblers Peg.
You cannot use any of these on lawns or turf areas to selectively remove this weed.
- Glufosinate-ammonium gives control for 4 to 6 weeks. However, it will grow back.
- Glyphosate. You can use Glyphosate. However, if water quality is an issue then use ProForce Manta Ray.
The list below is of non-selectives. These also have a long term residual, and stop any re-growth.
- Renegade. Renegade stops germination for up to 12 months. This reduces the need for chemical use.
- Numchuk Quad. This gives up to 12 months pre and post emergent control.
- Cortex Duo. Cortex Duo gives a rapid knockdown of this weed. It also gives residual control for up to 3 months. It is safe to use near trees.
Table of Non Selectives For Cobblers Peg.
Product | Active | Group | Rate/Ha |
Glufosinate 200 | Glufosinate-ammonium | 10 | 1 to 6 L |
Rapid Fire 800 | Glyphosate | 9 | 0.9 to 1.35 Kg |
Numchuk Quad | Terbuthylazine + Glyphosate + Amitrole Oxyfluorfen | 5 + 9 + 34 + 14 | 20 to 25 L |
Cortex Duo | Nonanoic Acid + Oxyfluorfen | 14 | 7 L/1000L |
Renegade | Bromacil | 5 | 3.5 to 6.5 Kg |
ProForce Cortex Duo Industrial Herbicide is a non glyphosate weed killer. It is both a non-selective knockdown & a residual herbicide. You can use this to kill seedling & young
