To ensure that well-maintained green areas are not affected by Gundermann in the lawn, some countermeasures must be taken in late spring. If the plant is already established in the garden, control can be a little more challenging and often takes longer. It usually takes two growing seasons to get rid of them. This could prompt you to take the necessary steps in a timely manner so that your lawn can continue to thrive without restrictions. Here is some useful information and example control remedies to help you with this issue in the garden.
Why not leave the Gundermann in the lawn?
The so-called earth ivy or real gundel vine is an evergreen herb that is widespread and prefers shady, moist areas. It also withstands unfavorable conditions and competes intenselywith neighboring plantsabout soil nutrients. In addition, Gundermann can quickly become dominant in the lawn and displace the lush lawn grass as it grows. It is therefore a creeping ground cover that can form its roots and leaves around other plants in the garden soil. For this reason, this plant variety is considered aggressive and is often difficult to remove from lawns.
Before you destroy gundel vines in the lawn with herbicides
You can first use weed killer before using GundermannFight lawns chemically, take some preventive measures. For example, although weeding is a tedious gardening task, it proves to be an effective control method for this type of plant. The growth of the intruder on your lawn is an indicator that your grass does not have the ideal growing conditions. Instead, it is pushed out by earth ivy, which is why you could also try to leave fewer shaded areas in the garden.
Additionally, you should also check your garden soil for any drainage problems and measure its pH to prevent weeds. Another step, which can be time-consuming and costly, is to replace the affected area with shade-tolerant grass varieties. However, the roots of the gundel vine are deep and extensive, so it can continue to sprout for a while. Therefore, it is also important to remove the plant with the flowers so that no more seeds spread and further promote their growth. If these measures do not help, your only option is to use herbicides. You could also possibly use mulch orLay weed fleece, so that earth ivy cannot form shoots.
How can you recognize Gundermann in the lawn?
In order to use the correct control methods, it is also important to make sure that it is the appropriate plant variety. Although it grows very intensively in autumn, Gundel vine can be grown between March andJuly in the lawnbloom and protrude from the lawn. Here are some other typical characteristics that will help you identify weeds.
- You can easily identify earth ivy by its rounded leaves with jagged edges. These grow with petioles further away from the stem and can also reach a length of 1 to 3 centimeters.
- Another feature is its small, purple flowers that can be observed in spring and summer.
- When growing vertically, Gundel vine forms square stems, which are also a typical feature of the mint family.
- You can also recognize earth ivy by its slightly fragrant scent after mowing the lawn.
- When growing conditions are favorable, Gundermann forms a carpet in the lawn as it is a ground cover.
There are also nodes on the leaves of the earth ivy that form roots when they come into contact with the soil. This can make manual weeding difficult because each rooted node creates a new plant in the soil. In such cases, a suitable garden tool can help or you could scarify the Gundermann in the lawn to slow down new growth. The same effect can be achieved by:Grow sun-loving plantsin order to be able to naturally fight Gundermann in the lawn. Native grasses are also well adapted to the climatic conditions and should be able to provide more resistance to the gundel vine.
If you have to chemically combat Gundermann in the lawn
The most effective herbicides against earth ivy are 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and triclopyr. These are best used in the fall months, when the weather is cloudy and temperatures are lower. It is also advisable to choose a time when no rain is expected for at least 2 days after chemical application. Read the product label carefully to determine application amounts and reapplication schedule if necessary.
- Be sure to wear protective clothing and eye protection when using weed killers.
- Inspect the affected areas first, with earth ivy often growing in the shade of trees or shrubs.
- Only spray the leaves of the ground vine to prevent possible damage to the lawn or neighboring plants.
- Do not use chemicals in strong wind or sun as they may affect other crops. Any woody or broadleaf plant that comes into contact with a herbicide can be damaged or killed.
- You should then be able to notice within a few weeks that the Gundermann in the lawn is brownish and wilted. Wait at least 20 days before applying herbicides repeatedly.
- For lawns, application can only be made twice a year and must not exceed 4 liters of product per hectare per year. Be careful when applying in hot weather and only spot treat the area to avoid burning your grass.
Tips to prevent regrowth
To prevent weeds like Gundermann from returning to your lawn, you should take some preventive measures. In this way you prevent the future spread of invasive weeds on lawns:
- Perform regular lawn care to make the grass stronger and more resilient.
- When mowing the lawn, aim for a height of 3 to 4 inches. The taller blades of grass cast more shade and encourage stronger root growth in earth ivy.
- Also try to aerate your lawn by using theRake or scarify the lawnand occasionally trim overhanging branches to reduce shade.
- Water your lawn deeply in the morning, but infrequently, once a week with 1 to 1.5 inches of water, including rainfall.
- Provide your lawn with the appropriate amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium through fertilization. This makes it denser and more nutrient-rich, which makes it easier to suppress earth ivy and any other invasive weeds.
