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Florida Gardening

New weed overtaking my backyard

irma_stpete_10a

9 years ago

My sandy, unkept, sunny/shady back yard is jammed full of a weed that was barely here before. I cannot find a pic on any FL weed pic collection online (and sorry, I can't download my own pic). It looks like clover on steroids, but stands 8" high and the white flower is very tiny. Anyone recognize?

Comments (6)

zzackey
9 years ago
Oxalis?
irma_stpete_10a
Original Author
9 years ago
I'm on my way to buy a thingamabob to connect my camera to computer to download a pic.

But, since I wrote the following, thinking I could then find this weed online, here's my effort:

Forget what I wrote in entry #1.
Almost all in shade.
Now up to 14" high.
Top of plant looks like a very, very poor man's Baby's Breath .
Beginning at bottom of plant:
Taproot + branching roots from tap.
1" thru 2" above ground begins few branches.
Branches do not re-branch for 8" to 10".
Leaves are very faintly hairy on both surfaces.
Leaves alternate every 2", except at top of stem where re-branching occurs where they are opposite.
Leaves on stem oval to round, show very slight indentation(s).
Leaves after branching near top are oval.
At top of plant are flowers on 1/2" to 1" stem, usually from 2 stems that branch from end of 2" stem.
Flowers are tiny, white, accompanied by larger 3-part (indented) tiny (head of pin or smaller) green seed pod (?).

What surprises me is that as closely as I've examined this (weed) I can't find it online.

Does seem that the photo collections of "weeds" for identifying are comprised 50% of marijuana weed photos. LOL
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I think every gardener can appreciate your situation. If you have seeded veggies in rows, I have found the best way is to get down on the knees on a garden pad and pull them by hand. I can quickly pull the weeds in between the rows and then I focus on the weeds closer to the veggie seedlings. I pull them carefully, one at a time, around the vegetable seedlings. I then hill some soil around the disturbed veggie seedlings and carefully water as soon as possible to minimize plant stress. I think the number one trick is to pull weeds when they are small - they are easier to pull and have smaller root systems so the veggie seedlings are disturbed as little as possible. Once the area is weeded, maintain it by pulling some of the new weeds every time you go to the garden. If the weeds near the veggie seedlings are too big to safely pull, then cut them off with a pruning shears and continue to remove any new growth until your veggies are harvested. I do not do block planting so I have no advice to offer you if this is your seeding method other than to remove the weeds when they are young. Whatever happens, do not give up on gardening. Weeds are very frustrating but you will be better off stress-wise by accepting that this problem will occur every season. Weeds must be dealt with to get a good harvest so experiment and find what works best in your situation. Many, many weed control methods and strategies exist out there and are used with varying degrees of success. Good Luck! -Tom
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carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
9 years ago
I think I know what you're referring to - it reminds me of an ground cover that everyone was buying last year or so - something in the spurge family (milky sap when broken) - a white flowering spurge w/ a name something like 'crystal palace' or 'silver palace' or similarÃ¢ÂÂ¦? I had bought some that died out & then this came in the same area & started spreading like crazy.
irma_stpete_10a
Original Author
9 years ago
Carol, you are so right! Great photo. Thank you!
Likely I (and you?) brought this plant home as a hitchhiker in a store-bought plant. If we can't find a name, I'll try to put it on the weed forum.
Irma
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
9 years ago
You're welcome - & I was wondering if it may be a volunteer from the original, which might've been a hybridÃ¢ÂÂ¦?
Michael AKA Leekle2ManE
9 years ago
Don't forget you can take weeds in to your extension office for identification. I recently had to do this for a volunteer that quite quickly grew to shrub size. They were a bit stumped, but within a day I had a positive ID: Paper Mulberry, an invasive shrub/tree.

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