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When temperatures start to drop, many plants disappear. It's as if they go into hibernation and try to rest while getting ready to emerge in the spring. Weeds, however, are a different story. Indeed, there are many types of weeds that can survive very cold temperatures. If left to their own devices, these winter weeds can wreak havoc on your garden.
Thankfully, getting ahead of the curve can help prevent winter weeds from becoming too much of a nuisance. Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.
Bittercress is as annual weed that always makes an appearance in the colder months. Left to its own devices, it will germinate and grow until the late spring.
Bittercress is quite tough, but it is possible to get rid of it by using mulch. Spreading a two-inch (five-cm) layer across your plant beds can help suppress and kill emerging seedlings.
If mulch doesn't do the trick, you can always pull bittercress out of the ground by hand. Be sure to discard all of the plant after doing this–otherwise, it will spread more.
Next up we have chickweed, a plant this is useful for attracting pollinators in the spring, but which is a general nuisance during the winter.
Again, spreading a layer of double-ground shredded mulch can help suppress chickweed, and there is always the option of hand pulling.
Another possible way to eradicate chickweed is to grow a ground cover plant, such as creeping thyme, that will simply outcompete it.
Hairy chickweed is similar to regular chickweed, but (as you might have guessed) it is hairier, i.e. it has small hairs all over the leaves and stems.
Hairy chickweed is also less tough than common chickweed, meaning that it is easier to get rid of. A simple turf grass may stop it from germinating.
You could also use a post emergent herbicide to get rid of hairy chickweed, but you would have to use caution, avoid spray drift, and be mindful of pollinators.
Dead nettle is a winter annual that spreads if given half the chance. It is from the mint family and will take over an area if not properly controlled.
Dead nettle can thrive in most types of soil and does well in lots of different environments. Thankfully, however, it has a shallow root system, which makes it easy to remove.
When removing dead nettle from your garden, be sure to pull the entire root out of the soil. Otherwise you will not get rid of the weed successfully.
Wild onion actually has a reputation for being an attractive plant, but once it flowers and sets bulbs, it can be a real troublemaker for gardeners.
Indeed, onion grass can disperse just about anywhere, and it is not uncommon for this bulbous perennial to turn up just where you least expect it.
The best–and arguably only–way to get rid of wild onion is by pulling. Indeed, mowing onion grass will not stop it from growing, and herbicides will not kill it.
Slender speedwell is a weed that spreads through its stolons–horizontal branches at the base of the plant that produce new plants from buds at their tip.
When these weeds mature, they can spread up to several feet in either direction, competing for ground cover with desirable species, such as turf grass.
Hand pulling can be effective in eradicating slender speedwell, but only if you pull out the full plant. Another option is to lay ground fabric or cardboard over the plant.
Creeping Charlie is a very aggressive weed that will grow like crazy, even in the winter. That said, it does tend to do better in milder temperatures.
The best way to suppress creeping Charlie is to plant a ground cover, such as creeping thyme or Irish moss, in the place where it usually grows.
Creeping Charlie struggles in particular to compete with creeping thyme, so the latter can be used to starve the former of space and sunlight.
Groundsel is another invasive weed that is able not only to survive but to thrive in colder winter temperatures. The best way to suppress groundsel is with Irish moss.
Suppressing groundsel with Irish moss requires a bit of planning, however. The best time of year to plant the Irish moss is during early spring.
If you plant your Irish moss in the early spring, by winter you will have a thick carpet that prevents groundsel seeds from germinating.
Creeping oxalis is very similar in appearance to clover. It spreads quickly along the surface of soil and puts down roots from the leaf as it goes.
Creeping oxalis spreads very quickly, because when the seed pods mature they dry out and explode.
Thankfully, creeping oxalis is quite easy to eradicate. Indeed, a selective herbicide should get rid of this weed in all types of lawn.
Sources: (Martha Stewart) (Coolabah Turf)
See also: The surprising benefits of cold weather
Common winter weeds and how to get rid of them
Deal with these pesky plants once and for all!
LIFESTYLE Gardening
When temperatures start to drop, many plants disappear. It's as if they go into hibernation and try to rest while getting ready to emerge in the spring. Weeds, however, are a different story. Indeed, there are many types of weeds that can survive very cold temperatures. If left to their own devices, these winter weeds can wreak havoc on your garden.
Thankfully, getting ahead of the curve can help prevent winter weeds from becoming too much of a nuisance. Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.