Chickweed Stellaria media
Other names: chickwittle, cluckenweed, mischievous Jack.
Life cycle: Annual/ephemeral
Dense green clumps of chickweed, up to 30cm (1ft) tall indicate rich, fertile soil, but it will grow virtually anywhere in the garden, including the cracks in paving. The sprawling stems root as they touch the soil, so large clumps can quickly form, although this is an easy weed to simply pull up in great handfuls. These prolific seeders can produce up to 15,000 seeds per plant. Fresh leafy shoots can be added to salads and are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Earth-friendly solutions: Hoe; pull up; mulch.
Moderately easy to control.
Check out some other wonderful weeds:
Dandelion Taraxacum officinale
This is an edited extract from my book Weeds: An Organic, Earth-friendly Guide to Their Identification, Use and Control.
Learn how to identify 60 common garden and allotment weeds. Find out how to enjoy, utilise and gently get rid of weeds, without the use of polluting chemical weedkillers…
Find out more about Weeds and buy the book direct from the author here.