Pineapple weed
Deal with pineapple weed, with help from our expert guide.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
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| Time to act | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Pineapple weed, Matricaria matricarioides, relishes the challenge of rooting into a well-trodden path or other seemingly unhospitable soils. When walked on the plant's leaves release a pleasant pineapple-like scent, but a single plant will flower and produce thousands of plants in its short lifetime, quickly spreading through the garden.
Symptoms
Pineapple weed will spread and root in any open ground - even in compacted earth and paths - competing with plants for nutrients and space.
Find it on
all over the garden, but particularly in lawns
Organic
Hand weed or hoe out seedlings as they appear, or smother them with a good layer of compost or mulch. Try to remove plants before they flower and seed to slow its spread.
Chemical
Use a total weedkiller. Avoid spraying on a windy day and near other desirable plants.
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