It is called the eyebrow of Venus, lady's weed, cricket grass, milfoil, cat's weed, lamb's tongue or botanically Achillea millefolium, the common yarrow. It is beautiful to look at when in bloom. Bees, bumblebees and butterflies love the plant. It is one of the most famous medicinal herbs. The wild plant is often found in meadows and on the edges of fields. It is undesirable on lawns. How can you fight them successfully?
Plant characteristics
The botanical name of the medicinal plant refers to its namesake, the legendary Greek hero Achilles. He is considered the discoverer of the wound-healing powers of the plant. This property is now used in many areas of medicine. All parts of the plant above ground are used medicinally. The medicinal herb is used in baths, infusions, creams, as a tincture or tea. It is used for
- Colds
- Skin diseases
- Bronchitis and Asthma
- Menstrual problems
- Bladder and kidney diseases
- Digestive problems
The plant is one of the daisy family. The white to pink flowers appear from June to autumn. Your demands on the location are low. It prefers nitrogen-rich soils and is considered a soil indicator.
They are propagated by seeds or underground runners.
Why does the medicinal herb bother you?
The lady's weed, Achillea millefolium, is not poisonous. It also poses no risk of injury to children or pets because it has no spines or thorns. The flowers look pretty and are perfect for wildflower bouquets. They attract bees and beneficial insects. Why should the attractive wild plant with its healing powers disappear from the garden?
Representatives of this plant genus are so robust that they crowd out the grass. Just like dandelions and clover, the establishment of yarrow plants disrupts the well-kept appearance of the lawn. We'll show you eight ways you can successfully combat wild weeds or integrate them into your garden in an environmentally friendly way.
Flower meadow instead of lawn
Have you ever thought about replacing your short green lawn with a flower meadow? Wild herbs such as lady's weed are welcome here, everything smells and blooms. Such areas are perfect for the environment. Perhaps dividing the area into a flower meadow and a well-kept lawn is an alternative? With little effort you can create an optimal habitat for useful insects and small animals.
Mechanical removal of plants
If you prefer a yarrow-free lawn, remove the annoying plants as early as possible. In the case of extensive settlements, the plants must be dug up deeply to prevent propagation via root runners.
Mow regularly
If you mow your green area regularly and keep it short, you hardly give ladyweed a chance to establish itself. As a result, the plant never flowers and cannot reproduce through seeds. Mow the grass regularly, but not shorter than 4 centimeters, to avoid bald patches.
Verticutting
Scarifying twice a year leads to even, dense lawn growth. Weeds, moss and mats are removed. The absorption of nutrients is promoted. Your green area gains vitality and resilience and the yarrow does not find favorable living conditions.
Use the scarifier once across and then once lengthwise. Make sure that the blades do not go deeper than three centimeters into the ground to avoid damaging the grass roots.
Be careful with bald spots
Bare spots often appear after scarifying or removing moss. These are considered an invitation to the medicinal herb Achillea millefolium. Get ahead of him and sow new grass seeds immediately.
Apply lime
The lawn needs three weeks to recover after scarifying. We then recommend sprinkling lawn lime. Do not use quicklime, but rather the milder and harmless mixtures of calcium carbonate.
Fertilize
Fertilize your lawn every two to three months. This optimizes growth and bald spots have no chance. Strengthening the grass leads to defense against wild herbs.
Chemical weed killers
If all of the above options do not represent a suitable solution for you, chemical weed killers can help. You can choose from weed killers that are combined with lawn fertilizer. These strengthen the lawn and weaken the yarrow. Alternatively, products can be used that completely destroy the unwanted plants, so-called total weed killers. These may only be applied specifically to the weeds, otherwise they will also destroy the grass.
Note:
Buy chemical weed killers only from specialist retailers and follow the instructions for use carefully. Incorrect use can damage the lawn or your crops as well as he alth problems.
Use instead of destroying
Recognize the potential of the medicinal and spicy herb. You can find a number of interesting yarrow recipes on the Internet. You can use the plant in many ways:
- for seasoning salads
- for making tea
- for making soaps and creams
- for mixing fragrant potpourris
- for designing bouquets and arrangements
Create your own variations. The weed quickly becomes a useful plant!
