In order to grow and harvest a rich harvest, it is necessary to provide the plants with competent agrotechnical care, which includes not only watering and fertilizing, but also weed control. One of the difficult to remove weeds found in the gardens of summer residents is purslane, which has good germination and can choke out crops within a few days. However, if you know how to get rid of purslane, the weed will not cause problems.
Description of the weed
Purslane belongs to the Portulaca family, which includes about 100 varieties of annual herbaceous plants. Most of the species are succulents that are not found on the plots of domestic summer residents and do not cause problems for gardeners. The fight has to be carried out with one member of the family - purslane, which is considered one of the most common weeds, which, moreover, multiplies quickly and takes over large areas of the garden plot.
In Europe and Russia, this plant is found in almost all regions characterized by a warm climate. However, in recent decades, gardeners in the Non-Black Earth Region and Moscow region have also noticed this grass in their gardens, which reproduces by self-sowing, despite the frosty winters. Patches of weeds are found not only in vegetable gardens, but also in home areas, as well as in fields and river banks.
Before you start fighting a weed, it is worth studying its biological description and learning to distinguish it from other weeds. Purslane can be recognized by the following characteristic features:
- Smooth and fleshy stems, having a round-cylindrical shape and a void inside, grow up to 40 cm in height.
- They have a reddish-brown hue, and when intertwined with each other, they form a continuous creeping carpet.
- The leaf blades of the weed are large and wide, green in color with a waxy coating.
- Flowers are formed in the axils of branched stems or leaves. The weed blooms from July to August, after which it forms multi-seeded capsules. After the capsule cracks, the seeds spill out onto the ground, and a fruit forms in its place; this happens at the end of August or early September.
The danger of a weed such as purslane is due to the following factors:
- On one plant bush, about 3 million seeds are formed per season, which remain viable for 40 years.
- If you leave the boxes in the garden, then even there they will be able to ripen and be scattered throughout the area next season.
- Not only the seeds pose a threat to cultivated plants, but also all the vegetative parts of purslane, which in wet weather form aerial roots, penetrating into the soil.
- It is not enough to simply cut off an adult plant at ground level, as this will only provoke the growth of dormant buds, both at a depth of 3 cm in the ground and from the damaged above-ground part of the grass.
Are there any beneficial properties?
Despite the danger that purslane poses to gardeners, the plant has a number of useful and medicinal properties and is used in the preparation of traditional medicine.
Healing effects of the weed:
- regulates blood sugar and cholesterol levels;
- fights conjunctivitis and inflammation of the oral mucosa;
- relieves spasms and pain during urethritis and cystitis;
- normalizes the functioning of the heart muscle;
- fights helminths by influencing their muscular organs;
- removes warts;
- normalizes liver function.
Methods to combat purslane
There are several ways to combat this harmful weed, the main thing is to prevent the grass from taking over large areas of your garden plot.
Mechanical methods of struggle
Mechanical methods of destroying weeds take more time and effort than using herbicides, but they allow you to do without the use of chemicals in the garden. They are effective if there is little weed in the area.
Regular weeding
Regular hand weeding allows you to remove weed growth in time and prevent it from spreading throughout the garden. Work is carried out after each watering or rainfall, using a hoe for this purpose. It is important to completely remove the purslane root system and not cut off the top, otherwise it will quickly sprout again. After weeding, all the grass must be collected and taken outside the site, buried there or burned.
Mulching
The use of a mulch layer makes it possible to limit the germination of the weed and restrain its flowering, after which a huge number of seeds are formed. Lay mulch around cultivated plants and between rows either immediately after planting seedlings or after each watering. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that a protective layer 2-3 cm thick will not give the expected effect and will not prevent weed germination.
Digging
This method is only suitable for spring and autumn; when cultivated plants are planted, it is better to use another means to control the weed. They dig up the area with one and a half spade lengths, turning over the layers and immediately removing the roots. Since the grass is quite tenacious, you should not leave it in the garden, but immediately remove it outside the garden.
Emergency watering
Watering the area with hot water helps destroy purslane. This method is used in regions where autumn is warm. After harvesting the crop and all plant residues from the site, the soil is leveled with a rake and spilled with water heated to 50-60 degrees.Since the liquid consumption is high (it is necessary for it to wet the ground by 10-15 cm), the method is used only in small gardens.
Chemical control methods
If the weed has grown greatly, you will have to purchase chemicals. However, most herbicides are ineffective in the fight against purslane, this is due to a waxy coating on its leaves, through which the working solution of the chemical does not penetrate well. Such products as “Tornado” or “Hurricane” show good results.
Prevention measures
As a measure to prevent the spread of weeds, you should regularly dig up the garden and carry out weeding. When a small pocket of weed appears, you should immediately begin to fight it before it disperses throughout the entire area.
