Weeds---Chickweed

I have too much to do this week, so I don't have a checklist for working in my yard. I did go out to the Garden of the Sun (the Master Gardener's demonstration garden) this morning and took care of a lot of weeds. As people look out at their snow-covered gardens they may laugh at us (in the Central Valley of California) because we have weeds coming up in our yards. But, we can laugh right back at them because we have such a long growing season! I took pictures of some of the common weeds that are starting to grow at the Garden of the Sun, and hope it will help you as you work in your own garden.

Common Chickweed (Stellaria media; which means little star, in the midst) is a member of the Pink family (Pinks are a type of flower, that includes Dianthus and Carnations). Plants can grow from 4" to 12" high and spread quite far.

Chickweed has a 1/4" white flower.

Chickweed is one common weed that we have in our yards every winter and spring. You may have to click on the picture to enlarge it, to see the little seedlings that are just sprouting. This is the best time to get rid of this weed--a hula hoe works really well, just make sure the ground is not too wet. That will eliminate later weed pulling. Chickweed is prolific, meaning it throws out a lot of seeds.

This shows what Chickweed looks like as it grows bigger. It has creeping stems that root at the leaf nodes, anytime a node touches the ground. When pulling these larger weeds, the stems often break, leaving the rooted nodes to grow a new plant.

Chickweed generally grows in shady or protected areas, and can get quite large. This spot of weeds will need to be carefully pulled out, getting all of the nodes that are left behind.

Chickweed is a sweet edible weed and can be eaten right in the garden, as a spinach substitute or in a salad. It is very high in copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, silicon and zinc. It is high in calcium, chlorophyll, phosphorus, potassium, protein, Vitamin A and fat. And it is a good source of Vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine and plant sodium.

If you don't want chickweed around, then mulch is a great way to avoid this whole problem. If the mulch is thick enough, with no soil showing through, then the annual weed seeds cannot sprout as they need the sun to start growing.