Chickweed Control for Turf

Common chickweed is a low winter annual, while mouse-ear chickweed is a hairy perennial. Both form mats that invade cool, moist, thin turf.

How to Identify Chickweed

Common chickweed has small opposite leaves, delicate stems, and tiny white star-like flowers. Mouse-ear chickweed is darker, hairier, and more robust.

Why It Appears in Turf

Moist shaded soil, compacted areas, fall thinning, and excess irrigation favor germination and mat formation.

Make the Site Less Favorable

• Maintain the recommended mowing height and avoid scalping.
• Correct irrigation, drainage, compaction, fertility, or shade problems that thin desirable turf.
• Repair bare areas and use adapted turf cultivars to close openings where seedlings establish.

Choosing a Turf Herbicide

Use the products below as a starting point, then match the herbicide to the desirable turf species and the weed's growth stage. Preemergence products must be applied and activated before germination; postemergence products work best on small, actively growing weeds. Repeat applications may be needed where the label allows.

Label note: Confirm the desirable turf species, use site, target weed, application timing, rate, adjuvant directions, and reseeding restrictions on the current label before use.