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DICHONDRA DILEMMA
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A weed with green, kidney-shaped leaves is taking over my lawn. It is there year round! What is it and what can I do about it? |
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The first and only weed that comes to mind from your description is dichondra (Dichondra carolinensis), also known as pony foot because of its slightly horseshoe (or kidney)-shaped leaves. It is a warm season perennial weed of turf and does not thrive in extremely cold temperatures. Since we rarely see those temperatures in Alabama, for sustained periods of time, dichondra is green year round. There are no pre-emergence herbicides
for control. Post-emergence control may be achieved with an herbicide* containing atrazine or a combination containing 2,4D, MCPP, and dicamba. Hand-pulling or hoeing is very effective for small patches.
While dichondra is usually considered a weed in turfgrass, it can actually be managed as a ground cover. Interestingly, most of the management practices used to maintain turf also promote its growth as well! If the infestation in your yard covers a large area, you may want to consider managing the dichondra as an attractive addition to a diverse landscape, particularly in areas of partial shade where your grass will struggle to thrive. |
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