Cudweed is one of those weeds that repeatedly shows its head, year after year. Cudweed will pop up during June, July and August and may be familiar as it is part of the daisy family. Cudweed can be identified by its rosette growth pattern and flat, waxy leaves. The leaves and seed heads are covered in distinct fine, white "wooly" fibres.
Cudweed is an umbrella term for a few weeds, the most common Cudweeds you will find in Australia are G. Coarctatum , its leaves have a shiny top and grow fibres underneath, and G. Americanum which will feature the fibres all over.
[caption id="attachment_1830" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
[caption id="attachment_1829" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
These weeds can be found all over our service areas including: Sydney, Brisbane, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Canberra, Melbourne, Geelong and Perth.
In Spring the weed produces an erect flower stem which can grow up to 50 cm tall. This makes it easy for Cudweed to quickly take over your lawn and neighbouring lawns as the seeds can travel easily via the wind. It’s flowers are whiteish, pink or purple in colour.
Cudweed is commonly found in damaged areas and short lawns. It can be competitive and hard to deal with in turf as it has a different growth rate and texture to turf grass. Cudweed is very tough to control because of how quickly it spreads over lawns, basically leaving no empty spots behind to colonize. If you have had Cudweed in your lawn before, you will know exactly what we mean.
As difficult as Cudweed may seem though, it is manageable. It’s best to remove it by hand or with a selective post-emergent herbicide. The glossiness of the leaves actually helps in its resistance to herbicides and makes it very difficult to control. The Coochie HydroGreen Lawn Care Program features reactive and preventative treatments to rid your lawn of nasty weeds such as Cudweed.
Proper lawn care can prevent weeds from popping up in your lawn. You can prevent this weed from returning by making sure your grass isn’t mowed too short. Sometimes lawns are susceptible to weeds because they are malnourished, so make sure your lawn is fertilised regularly. The Coochie HydroGreen lawn care program features bi-monthly visits where your local technician will apply our unique 6-in-1 treatment to encourage healthy growth. You can read more about our services here!