Weed growth over autumn, winter and now moving into spring, has been phenomenal.
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Gardening expert Reg Kidd says it's time to act and get rid of them from your lawns and properties.
Many of the weed seeds have been sitting in the soil during the drought waiting for the right conditions (moisture, temperature and lack of competition) to germinate.
Many weed seeds can sit there for years, and even decades, waiting for the ideal time.
WHICH WEEDS
Cr Kidd said earlier in the year in paddocks around Orange we saw the growth of mallow. The growth was unseasonal and in some cases the growth was up to 1.5 metres tall.
Then we saw the dreaded Patersons Curse appear in paddocks and in lawns.
And then a large rosette plant started popping up everywhere. It was on footpath verges, sports fields, parks and in people's yards and lawns. It is capeweed.
Capeweed is an autumn/winter germinating, stemless, rosette-forming herb with broad, deeply-lobed succulent leaves 30-250 centimetres long with white, furry hairs underneath.
Yellow-petalled daisy flowers about 40 millimetres in diameter with a black-brown centre appear on individual 200 millimetre stalks in spring.
CONTROL
As the ground is soft you can endeavour to dig them out before they set seed.
You can also spot-spray them out with a weed wand.
Cr Kidd said he used a popular systemic, non-selective herbicide to good effect on masses of weeds at his property.
HERBICIDE
However, he said with many weeds, particularly capeweed, appearing in his lawn he will be using a selective herbicide (there are various brands) that contain the active constituents MCPA and DICAMBA.
This controls many weeds that appear in turf including bindy-eye, catsear, capeweed, clovers, chickweed, dandelions, lambs tongue, slender thistle, wireweed and more.
You must read the label, follow the instructions and not use it for anything other than what it is designed for.
Wear personal protective clothing as directed. Mix, apply and follow the instructions as per the label.
Now is a good time to tackle the weeds in your lawn.
With all the recent rain you can expect a proliferation of weeds in your lawns and garden beds this spring.
MORE INFORMATION
Grab a copy of the free pocket guide Weeds of Central and Western NSW by regional weed authorities and councils.
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