It is called eyebrow of Venus, lady’s weed, cricket grass, centaury, cat’s weed, lambs tongue or botanically Achillea millefolium, the common yarrow. It is beautiful to look at while in bloom. Bees, bumblebees and butterflies love the plant. It is one of the most famous medicinal herbs. The wild plant is common in meadows and field margins. It is undesirable on lawns. How can it be successfully controlled?
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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 plant’s wound-healing powers. This property is used today in many areas of medicine. All above-ground parts of the plant are used medicinally. The medicinal herb is used in baths, infusions, creams, as tincture or tea. It is used for
- Colds
- skin diseases
- bronchitis and asthma
- menstrual cramps
- bladder and kidney diseases
- Digestive problems
The plant belongs to the composite plants. The white to pink flowers appear from June to autumn. Its demands on the location are low. It prefers nitrogenous soils and is considered a soil indicator.
Its propagation is by seeds or underground runners.
Why does the medicinal herb bother?
The lady’s weed, Achillea millefolium, is not poisonous. It also poses no risk of injury to children or pets because it has no thorns or spines. The flowers look pretty and are perfect for wildflower bouquets. They attract bees and beneficial insects. Why should the attractive wild plant with healing powers disappear from the garden?
Representatives of this plant genus are so robust that they displace the grass. Just like dandelions and clover, the establishment of yarrow plants disturbs the well-kept impression of the lawn. We’ll show you eight ways to successfully control the weed or integrate it into your garden in an environmentally conscious way.
Flower meadow instead of lawn
Have you ever thought about replacing your short green lawn with a flower meadow? On this, wild herbs like lady’s weed are welcome, everything is fragrant and blooming. For the environment, such areas are perfect. Perhaps dividing the area into a flower meadow and a well-kept lawn is also an alternative? With little effort, you can create an optimal habitat for beneficial insects and small animals.
Mechanical removal of the plants
If you prefer a yarrow-free lawn, remove the offending plantlets as early as possible. If the establishment is extensive, dig the plants deep to prevent propagation via root runners.
Regularly mowing
If you mow your green space regularly and keep it short, you give lady’s weed little chance to establish itself. As a result, the plant never reaches flowering and cannot reproduce by seed. Mow the grass regularly, but no shorter than 4 inches to avoid bare spots.
Scarify
Dethatching twice a year results in uniform, dense lawn growth. Weeds, mosses and matted areas are removed. The absorption of nutrients is promoted. Your green area gains vitality and resistance and yarrow does not find favorable living conditions.
Use the scarifier once crosswise and then once lengthwise. Make sure that the blades do not go deeper than three centimeters into the soil to avoid damage to the grass roots.
Beware of bare patches
After dethatching or removing moss, bare spots often appear. These are considered an invitation to the medicinal herb Achillea millefolium. Get ahead of it and sow new grass seeds immediately.
Apply lime
Three weeks is needed for the lawn to recover after scarifying. After that, we recommend spreading lawn lime. Do not use quicklime, but the milder and harmless mixtures of calcium carbonate.
Fertilize
Fertilize your lawn every two to three months. This will optimize growth and bare patches will not stand a chance. Strengthening the grass leads to the repulsion of wild weeds.
Chemical weed killers
If all the above options are not a suitable solution for you, chemical weed killers can help. The choice is weed killers, which are combined with lawn fertilizer. These strengthen the lawn and weaken the yarrow. Alternatively, agents that completely destroy the unwanted plants, called total weed killers, can be applied. These should only be applied specifically to the weeds, otherwise they will destroy the grass as well.
Note: Purchase chemical weed killers only from specialty retailers and follow the directions for use carefully. Misapplication can result in damage to the lawn or your crops, as well as adverse health effects.
Use instead of destroy
Recognize the potential of medicinal and aromatic herbs. You can find a number of interesting yarrow recipes on the Internet. You can use the plant in many ways
- for seasoning salads
- to prepare tea
- to make soaps and creams
- to mix fragrant potpourris
- to create bouquets and flower arrangements
Create your own variations. Very quickly the weed becomes a useful plant