Chickweed is controlled with Freehand Herbicide

Chickweeds in Turfgrass.

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Chickweed is considered a weed because of its ability to spread rapidly and outcompete plants for resources. It produces large numbers of seeds that germinate quickly, form dense mats and choke out desirable vegetation. Common Chickweed (Stellaria media) and Mouse-Ear Chickweed (Cerastium fontanum) look very similar but have different leaf and stem characteristics.

After you read this, you will be able to:

Identify Common and Mouse Ear Chickweed.
Know the habitat of Common and Mouse Ear Chickweed.
Know the best options to controlChickweeds.

Why is Common Chickweed a Problem Weed?

It spreads and reproduces quickly.
Chickweed produces thousands of seeds.
Chickweed competes with plants for sunlight, water, and nutrients.
It forms dense mats that smother young seedlings and established plants.
The dense mats of chickweed can smother or overshadow young seedlings and established plants.
While individual plants can be removed, the sheer number of seeds produced requires ongoing maintenance.

Common Chickweed is a good indicator weed of heavy, poorly draining, shaded, fertile soils. In a turf situation it often indicates poor turf density.

More information on turf weeds is in our weed ID chart.

Mouse ear chickweed distribution in Australia

How to Identify Common Chickweed.

Common Chickweed is often mistaken for Mouse Ear Chickweed.

Common Chickweed.

Common Chickweed is a low-growing bright-green Winter annual. It has tiny five-petalled white flowers. However, unlike most cool-season annuals, Common Chickweed persists through the Summer if it is not exposed to heat and drought.
Common Chickweed forms large, dense patches in lawns but has a more upright growthhabit if it isn’t mowed. The hairy stems often form mats over nearby low growing plants, and the prostrate stems can root at the nodes.
Common Chickweed has hairless leaves and a single line of hairs on the stem.
Chickweed is able to grow in dense shade, and at much lower temperatures than many other weeds.

Mouse-Ear Chickweed.

Mouse-ear Chickweed is a perennial weed and has a similar growth habit, but it is a less common weed of turf grass. Its leaves are often oblong and it has hairy stems and leaves.

Table Showing Differences Between Common and Mouse Ear Chickweed.

Plant	Leaf colour	Leaf Hairs	Stems	Growth Habit	Flowers
Common	Bright Light Green	Hairless or on one edge	One line hairs on either side	Annual	Petals deeply notched
Mouse-Ear	Dark to grey green	Cover soft hairs	Forked and hairy	Perennial	Slightly notched

A good way to distinguish Common Chickweed from other plants is if you pull the stem until it breaks. With Chickweed the stem doesn’t break but stretches.

Common Chickweed reproduces by seeds and by creeping stems which root at the nodes. While the plants can grow upright, they are more likely to form prostrate mats.

Category: Chickweed is a broadleaf (Dicot) weed.

Photosynthetic Pathway: Chickweed is a C3 Weeds.

Flower: The small, star shaped white flowers are about 1 cm in diameter. They have 5 white petals, and are 1 to 3 mm long.

Height: Chickweed has a prostrate growth habit. Its stems are up to 400 mm long and 1 mm in diameter, and it has a line of hairs that run down its length.

Leaf length: The leaves of Common Chickweed are bright green, hairless, and oval shaped with a pointed tip. They are opposite, and 6 to 25 mm long.

Leaf width: Leaves are 3 to 10 mm wide.

Reproduction of Chickweed.

Most Common Chickweed, germinates in the Autumn and early Spring when temperatures are 14 to 20°C. However, in shady, moist conditions it germinates and grows through the season. Seeds often germinate straight after they mature, and they then grow vigorously, flower and set seed all within 5 weeks of emerging.

Most seedlings emerge from the soil at depths of less than 25 mm, and have a maximum emergence depth of 50 mm.

Seed: Common Chickweed produces from 750 to 30,400 seeds per plant, with an average of 2,500 seeds per plant. The seeds cling to fur, feathers and clothes, and are also disperse by water, maintenance equipment, and in contaminated soil. The seeds remain viable in the soil for over 10 years.

Comments: Chickweed has shallow fibrous roots.

Chickweed grows vigorously in cool weather, and produces seeds through the winter in mild regions.
Mouse-ear chickweed can be a problem in lawns, where it grows rapidly to fill damaged areas.
Chickweeds flower and seed within 2 to 3 months of germination.

Habitat: Chickweeds like high fertility soils and thrive in moist, high N soils. Common Chickweed is an excellent N scavenger, so you will encourage this weed if you overfeed, which results in more Chickweed growth in the Autumn. This weed prefers favours pH neutral soils and doesn’t grow well in acid soils.

How to Remove Common Chickweed.

Both cultural and chemical control can manage this weed.

Cultural Control of Common Chickweed.

Maintain turf density by fertilizing, mowing at the right height, and irrigating appropriately.
Mowing is not effective to control Mouse-Ear Chickweed, as it encourages plants to adopt a vigorous prostrate growth habit.
Hand removal is however effective as this weed pulls out easily. It is important to remove Chickweed before any seeds develop. You get the best results if the soil is moist when you hand pull it. Make sure to bag off the plants and remove any vegetative material off site. Chickweed re-roots from stem nodes in moist areas.
Healthy, plant populations that do well in shade will outcompete Chickweed.
Grass selection is also important. Choosing the wrong turf seed or grass type can have serious implications in Common Chickweed management.
Improve drainage.

Chemical Control of Common Chickweed.

Chemical control of Common Chickweed is best in the Autumn and early Spring when plants are small. It is difficult to control Chickweed in cool weather, when the plants are large, and have a dense vegetative mat.
Sulfonylurea resistance in Chickweed exists in the UK. So remember to regularly rotate your chemistry.
MCPA and 2,4-D are not very effective against Common Chickweed.

Pre-Emergent Control of Common Chickweed.

Prodiamine (Onset 10GR, Spartan, or Barricade).
S-Metolachlor (Pennmag).
Propyzamide (ProForce Checkpoint).
Pendimethalin (ProForce Battalia 435).
BASF Freehand Herbicide.
Esplanade Herbicide.

Post Emergent Control of Common Chickweed.

ProForce Warhead Trio.
Stature Herbicide.
Dicamba. Do not use on Buffalo grass
Casper Turf Herbicide is registered in South Africa. Do not use on Buffalo grass
Duke Herbicide.
ProForce Contra M.
Recondo Herbicide.

Table of Post Emergent Herbicide Rates for Common Chickweed.

Product	Active	Chemical Group	Rate/Ha	Comments
Casper	Prosulfuron + Dicamba	2 and 4	800g-1Kg	Apply from Autumn to Spring. Use high rates in cool months or if high weed pressure. Control takes 4 to 6 weeks. Use an NIS at a rate of 0.25 to 0.5% v/v.
Contra M.	Dicamba + MCPA	4	6.5 L	Apply in 250-400L water. DO NOT use on Buffalo grass. After use do not mow for 2 days before or after application or fertilize within two weeks.
Dicamba	Dicamba	4	1.2L + 3.2L of 2,4-D Amine 625g/L	Use a minimum of 1000L/Ha water. Do not spray on Buffalo or Bent Grass.
Stature	MCPA + Bromoxynil + Diflufenican	4 + 6 + 12	2L	Apply to actively growing weeds. Complete control may take 4 to 6 weeks. A repeat application maybe needed 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 application.
Duke	Iodosulfuron	2	100g	Always use an NIS or Overtake Oil. Use in 200-500 L/ha water.
Recondo	Trifloxysulfuron	2	225g	Use an NIS at 0.25% v/v (1000 g ai/L), 0.42% v/v (600 g ai/L) or Overtake Oil at 1%v/v. Ensure uniform placement onto leaves & into crowns. Water volume is 400 to 800 L/ha. You may need a repeat application in 4 to 6 weeks. Allow at least 6 weeks before overseeding. You may see discolouration on Qld Blue and Zoysia.
Warhead	MCPA + Clopyralid + Diflufenican	4 + 12	5 L	You may see discolouration on kikuyu, carpet grass and Queensland blue. Avoid overlapping. Use an NIS.

Non Selective Control of Common Chickweed.

You cannot use any of these on lawns or turf areas to selectively remove Chickweed.

Glufosinate-ammonium provides control for 4 to 6 weeks, but it regrows and recovers due to the limited movement of glufosinate.
Glyphosate. You can use Glyphosate but if water quality is an issue then use ProForce Manta Ray.

These are non-selective but also have a long term residual and stop any re-growth of Chickweed.

Renegade. Renegade stops germination of Chickweed for up to 12 months. This reduces the need for multiple herbicide applications.
Numchuk Quad. This gives post and pre emergent control for up to 12 months.
Cortex Duo. Cortex Duo gives a rapid knockdown of Chickweed, and residual control for up to 3 months. It is also safe to use around trees.

Table of Non Selective Herbicides for Chickweed.

Product	Active	Chemical Group	Rate/Ha
Glufosinate 200	Glufosinate-ammonium	10	1-6L
Rapid Fire 800	Glyphosate	9	0.9-1.35 Kg
Numchuk Quad	Terbuthylazine + Glyphosate + Amitrole Oxyfluorfen	5 + 9 + 34 + 14	20-25L
Cortex Duo	Nonanoic Acid + Oxyfluorfen	14	7L/1000L
Renegade	Bromacil	5	3.5-6.5Kg