Specific Weeds
What is Purslane and How Do I Control It?
Purslane is an unwelcome weed that mars the beauty of a well-maintained lawn. The key to preventing it from invading your yard is to learn how to identify and control it.
When it comes to purslane, most people have a love it or loathe it relationship. Because it’s edible, some companies actually sell purslane seeds to a small set of enterprising folks who want to grow it so they can cook with it or feed it to the chickens. To virtually everyone else, though, purslane is an unwelcome weed that mars the beauty of a well-maintained lawn. The key to preventing it from invading your yard, of course, is to learn how to identify and control it.
What is Purslane?
Purslane is an annual weed that grows in the summertime throughout North America. While it prefers moist, nutrient rich soils, purslane isn’t picky and will also do quite well in poor quality soil and drought conditions. The plant has a fleshy, reddish stem and yellow flowers, with rounded, teardrop-shaped leaves. Instead of growing upright, it tends to sprawl on top of the ground. One of the biggest challenges with purslane is that each plant produces loads of tiny black seeds, so it can overrun your lawn if you don’t take quick, bold action.
3 Ways to Avoid a Purslane Invasion
-
Maintain Your Lawn
A thick, lush lawn is its own best defense against marauding weeds like purslane, producing an extensive root system that leaves no room for weeds to take up residence. To encourage a thick lawn, you'll need to feed it 4 times a year to ensure it’s getting the nutrients it needs, and raise your mower height so you don’t cut the grass too short.
-
Don't Pull Purslane by Hand
If you try to get rid of purslane through hand-pulling, you’ll be wasting your time. That’s because if you miss even the tiniest part of a stem or root, not only will the plant just keep growing, but it may even produce new plants.
-
Kill It with Roundup® For Lawns
The best time to tackle purslane is when plants are still small and haven't yet developed a strong root system. Take action by applying Roundup® for Lawns, which is specially formulated to kill weeds without harming your lawn when used as directed. For solo pop-up plants, reach for Roundup® for Lawns1 Ready-To-Use, but for large patches of purslane, Roundup® for Lawns3 Ready-To-Spray or Roundup® For Lawns2 Concentrate is a better choice.
