Spotted spurge weed can invade your lawn and garden, making it a real pain to deal with. Fortunately, if the proper steps are taken in controlling spotted spurge weed, it can be effectively controlled and eliminated from your lawn. You can even keep it from growing in your yard, to begin with! But what does this weed look like? Spotted spurge weed is a dark green plant that has red stems and grows low to the ground. It grows like a mat and will grow outwards from the center in a rough wagon wheel shape. The leaves of spurge weeds have a red spot in the center and are oval-shaped with a prominent spot which is why they are called spotted spurge. The flowers these weed produce are small and pink and the whole plant has a hairy appearance. Contact with spotted spurge has a milky white sap that can be irritating to the skin.
How to Get Rid of Spotted Spurge Weeds
If soil is compacted and in poor condition, it makes it easier for spotted spurge weeds to grow. Killing this weed is relatively easy but it’s hard to keep it from coming back. These weeds have taproots and the taproot of the spurge weed is very long with hardy seeds. If root pieces are left behind the weed will grow back. Any seeds left behind will have it sprouting up again. Because the spotted spurge weed grows in a mat-like fashion it’s a good idea to pull the weed by hand from the lawn, garden or flowerbeds. To avoid skin irritation from the sap, it’s a good idea to wear gloves when pulling these weeds. If you can pull this weed before it has a chance to seed, eliminating it entirely will be a lot easier. After the weed has been pulled, watch to see if it starts growing from the taproot again and pull it out right away. Doing this ensures the taproot will use up all of its stored energy trying to grow again and will eventually die altogether. Another effective way to control spotted spurge weed is heavy mulching with newspaper or wood mulch. This works by preventing the spotted spurge weed seeds from germinating and it also helps smother any small plants that have already started growing. Herbicide application can be tricky because herbicides only work in controlling spotted spurge when the plants are very young. If they reach maturity it’s easier for them to resist many kinds of weed killers. Late spring or early summer is when herbicides work best. This is when spotted spurge first starts to sprout. There are pre-emergent products that can work on mature spotted spurge but care needs to be taken. Some of the pre-emergent products on the market like Round-up will kill anything it comes into contact with!
Professional Weed Control
Always try and kill these weeds as soon as they pop up because spurge has prolific seed production and a great ability to take hold very quickly. It is extremely difficult to control. If the proper techniques and products are used, you won’t need to worry about a spotted spurge infestation taking over, but even the best-laid plans can lead to spotted spurge weeds growing or coming back. Contact Rentokil if you happen to see these pesky weeds making an appearance in your lawn or garden!
How to Kill Spotted Spurge Weeds in Hyrum, UT; Pull By Gloved Hand, Heavy Mulching, Pre-Emergents & More in Salt Lake County and Northern Utah
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