Purple fields and lawns

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2017

Fields and lawns are full of this weed. Doesn't winter kill either.

showcrop · Mar 30, 2017

Probably creeping charlie. I have been fighting it here in NH. It is very hardy and tough to kill but I have been making a little headway on it with broad leaf herbicide and lots of fertilizer. I am planning on liming this spring as well. This will be my third or fourth season fighting it. Last year I sprayed it maybe three times, along with weed control fertilizer. I am planning to spray for it every three weeks this year.

4520BW · Mar 30, 2017

I have always called it hen bit. It and chickweed are bad this year. Seems it likes cool weather.

Larry EC-OH · Mar 30, 2017

Yep, henbit. It's a member of the mint family (Square stem). Control is best in the fall. All you can do in the Spring is admire the purple haze.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2017

I think it should be called the invasive purple plague. It getting worse every year. Neighbor tilled his garden last fall. Now his garden is purple even after he tilled it. Some farmers are disking and the weed is still there it's so thick.

The purple plague is as bad as Asian honeysuckle. Only thing that works for me is pulling it out by hand, which is easy to do. I also find woodchips help to stop it from getting a start. I just put a layer of woodchips in my garden before planting. Hoping that will help with weed control and conserve moisture.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2017

All you can do in the Spring is admire the purple haze, while you are sneezing and blowing your nose. I think it effects me almost as bad as ragweed.

4520BW · Mar 30, 2017

Some years we fall spray to get a jump on mares tail and we have no henbit in spring. Another thing I noticed is if corn was in field the previous field there is very little, probably from the atrazine carryover. In beans stubble is solid purple around here. Goats love to eat it and I was told people can eat it also.

Tom Bowman · Mar 30, 2017

I had some tillage radish seed left over last year, and scattered it in part of my garden plot.

Where the radish grew, there is ZERO henbit. The rest of the garden is covered with Purple Haze.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2017

I went past a cornfield that farmer did nothing with it last fall, corn stalks are still there. It's full of the weed too.

Perhaps he didn't use the right chemicals last year, don't know. I just know it's the worst I've ever seen.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2017

I found last year the mower blade can kill or slow down it
spreading. I removed the wheels from riding mower and cut the
grass as low as I could in areas where it was taking over. That
seemed to slow it down.

It seems to take over lawn where grass is more in the shade and
not as healthy, around trees.

jon f mn · Mar 30, 2017

I was noticing that there is a lot of that This year, especially in Missouri. Lots of purple fields there.

1206SWMO · Mar 30, 2017

Henbit has been a problem in Missouri for the past 15-20 years..

showcrop · Mar 30, 2017

I have read that keeping the grass healthy and growing a little taller than normal helps the grass to be healthier and be able to fight back. It is always said about hay and pasture ground that the best defense against weeds is healthy grass.

4520BW · Mar 30, 2017

Its a winter annual. It seeds in the fall and grows in spring but will die out when temperature increases. The real problem is it will not let the ground dry out and seem to harbor all kinds of pests. A good dose of 2 4D and roundup will clear it up.( If its in your yard hit it with 2 4D and will clean your yard up.)I had the crap so thick a field cultivator will not go thru it.

jeffcat · Mar 30, 2017

Another one in my area that is just getting going is 'Purple Death Nettle ' You really need to aggressivly spray that stuff. I also use a weed flame thrower when I want to take on the enemy. You don't need to burn it to the ground, just scorch it good. Here is another that can get crazy. In SJ we have wild cactus. It is a native plant and sort of protected. Bunny huggers can be a bit on the unsmart side. If you look it up you will find it as 'Beaver Tail'. Very fine needles and in spring it has very large and pretty yellow flowers that feel silky smooth. Heaven help you if it gets in your lawn. For two seasons I had to very carefully crawl around with a plastic bag and a pair of heavy duty needle nose plyers. Fnally got rid of it.

Weldon K · Mar 30, 2017

That is either of two winter annual weeds becoming more prevalent in many areas whether no-tillage or full tillage. Purple Dead Nettle or Henbit.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2017

I found out the opposite. I like yo cut lawn
3 inches. That makes a healthy weed too. I
cut lawn as low as possible. Puts more hurt
to it than grass.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 30, 2017

I noticed cornfields were purple nothing in bean fields, Why?

showcrop · Mar 30, 2017

(quoted from post at 08:43:22 03/30/17) I found out the opposite. I like yo cut lawn
3 inches. That makes a healthy weed too. I
cut lawn as low as possible. Puts more hurt
to it than grass.

Must be we have different weeds. The creeping Charlie that I have thrives where the grass is sparse, and non existent where the grass is strong

WGM · Mar 30, 2017

Creeping Charlie will eventually take over any lawn, sparse or growing strong. 2-4D will knock it down easily before it flowers.

showcrop · Mar 30, 2017

(quoted from post at 16:54:22 03/30/17) Creeping Charlie will eventually take over any lawn, sparse or growing strong. 2-4D will knock it down easily before it flowers.

I have been using Trimec for 3 years. Trimec is 30% 2-4D it will kill it but only with multiple sprayings and very slowly.

Purple fields and lawns

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