Topic: can someone help with chickweed??

[antipodes]

I have this weed that is forming all over the plot. Now it is not too bad because I find that when you pull it up, it comes out easily - is it chickweed?

It is a ground creepr, spreading over the ground, forms a fine-mesh ground cover about an inch thick, has tiny white flowers on it, when you pull it, it is "springy", as if the stems were elastic! it is fine and a bright green. Roots are very fine, but if you dig a bit, it all comes out, just shake the dirt off the tangles of fine roots.

I find that weeds that are easy to get out, I tend to leave them till I dig and plant an area because at  least the soil is protected and doesn't get hard and compacted. But some buggers like bindweed or redshank I pull right out.
Is this a leave in or a pull out???

[Ceratonia]

Does sound like chickweed - the flowers are tiny, white five-petalled star-shapes.

It's a weed which can go from germination to flowering and setting seed in only a few weeks. No need to worry about the roots being left behind, it's not like bindweed or couch grass which can regrow. It certainly does its part in maintaining soil structure, but if you let it set seed, you'll have it for years to come (if your soil is reasonably rich, you'll probably have it for years to come whatever you do...) Rabbits & guinea pigs like to eat it; i assume chickens do too.

[tonybloke]

It is chickweed, a useful groundcover plant, and also on the menu's of top restaurants!!

[greenstar]

Eat it!  Cooked with a bit of garlic and butter/olive oil - tastes like spinach.

[Thegoodlife]

yes chooks love it, & you can eat it too as mentioned it was classed as a herb back in the early 1800,s according to my dear old nan ;D full of vitamins, also acts as a great moisture holder for them dry days on the garden

[PurpleHeather]

It will keep coming back.

If you want to get rid of it then spend a week feeding it to encourage growth then spray with 'Roundup'.

it may take two sessions but do not let it flower and form seeds.