How Can I Control Common Groundsel?

Do you want to try controlling common groundsel with cultural control methods?

Do you want to control common groundsel with shallow tilling?

Do you want to control common groundsel with mulches?

Do you want to try controlling common groundsel with biological control methods?

Seeds of common groundsel are not long-lived, usually remaining viable for about one year. Therefore, controlling this weed before flowering will have a great impact on the size of the next year's population. Shallow tilling or hoeing of young plants effectively controls common groundsel. Start monitoring for seedlings in early fall and remove seedlings and plants as soon as possible. Monitoring should continue through early summer. Even if all the weeds in your garden are controlled, common groundsel may still infest the area from seeds that are blown in from nearby sites.

Mulches are effective for controlling common groundsel. Seedlings cannot push through a 3-inch-deep layer of mulch. Blown-in seeds cannot establish on mulch if the surface is allowed to dry out. You will need to choose a mulch size that is large enough to allow water to pass through and the mulch surface to dry out. This is best accomplished by using coarse mulch. Fine mulch like sawdust and potting compost will absorb water and become a suitable site for the common groundsel seeds to establish. Using mulch that has large pieces is also not recommended because these types will have too much space between the pieces.

In most situations, common groundsel is easily controlled by hand removal or cutting the plant off at its taproot by hoeing. Monitoring the area regularly and removing the weed throughout the growing season will greatly reduce the impact of the weed the next year. In larger areas, the rototilling of young plants is effective. Mowing can be effective if the blade is set as close to the ground as possible.

The most promising method of biological control is the use of the rust fungus Puccinia lagenophorae. This fungus provided about 30% control in greenhouse tests. Research is being conducted to find ways to improve its efficacy. There are no insects that are effective for controlling common groundsel.

If cultural and mechanical methods cannot be used, herbicides containing diquat or glyphosate will control growing plants in home landscape beds. Only glyphosate can be used around edible crops and it will severely injure or kill any plant it touches. The sprayer tip should be shielded so that the spray does not contact any desirable plants, as either of these herbicides will injure many ornamental plants. There are no preemergent (before the plant emerges from the soil) chemical controls available for home use that are effective for controlling common groundsel.