Timing and persistence, important in chamberbitter control | Gardening
Do you have the weed that resembles miniature mimosa trees? If so, you’re not alone. If you don’t have it, give it a little time and it will find your landscape and/or lawn.
This common, troublesome weed is called chamberbitter or botanically Phyllanthus urinaria. It can be controlled with correct timing and persistence.
Chamberbitter is a summer annual that requires warm soil conditions to germinate. It has numerous small, round fruit attached to the undersides of its leaf stems.
Attempt control measures before chamberbitter produces seed. Once the round fruit is seen on the leaf stems, successful control becomes difficult or impossible.
To begin the battle against chamberbitter, apply a preemergence herbicide around mid-April to May 1. This will be just before the seedlings germinate and emerge.
Atrazine (sold under various brand names) or isoxaben (found in various herbicide products) provides “good” preemergence control (defined as 80% to 90% efficacy) of chamberbitter. Isoxaben is safe for all of our warm-season lawn grasses; however, atrazine will injure or kill bahiagrass and bermudagrass. Atrazine is safe to use on centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass when used according to label directions.
Once the weeds have germinated, a postemergence herbicide may be necessary. Look for herbicides labeled for use in the type of lawn grass you have containing atrazine, carfentrazone, mixtures of 2,4-D, dicamba, mecoprop (MCPP), thiencarbazone, iodosulfuron and/or sulfentrazone. Some 2,4-D, dicamba and MCPP products will severely injure or possibly kill centipedegrass and St. Augustinegrass, but are safe in bermudagrass, bahiagrass and zoysiagrass lawns, based on label directions.
Most herbicides are not safe to use in lawns during warmer summer temperatures.
Always read and follow label directions and precautions when using any herbicide!
With the exception of the preemergence herbicide isoxaben, do not use the herbicides mentioned above in plant beds. Once the weeds have germinated, about the only postemergence option in plant beds are herbicides that contain glyphosate, which is a non-selective herbicide. When using a non-selective herbicide, be sure to protect your desirable plants by directing the spray to the weed only and preventing the spray from drifting onto desirable ornamentals.
Removing weeds by hand-pulling is an option, but shaking soil from the root system may spread seeds. Once weeds are removed, a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch is effective in keeping chamberbitter out of landscape beds.
It is important that chamberbitter not be allowed to set seed by using all appropriate control methods.
Here is a link to a publication on chamberbitter control: hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/chamberbitter. You may call the Okaloosa County Extension Office at 850-689-5850 to have a copy mailed to you.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Timing and persistence, important in chamberbitter control | Gardening
