Everything you need to know for Black Medic Weed Control:
Black Medic is a plant/weed that we see quite often in Central Indiana. It is a non-native annual that produces bushy yellow flowers. This weed goes by a few different names. It may also be referred to as black clover or hop clover. We will give you some insight on this plant and how to get rid of it if you want a thick lush lawn. Weed Control and Fertilization treatments are a great option in preventing Black Medic from coming up in your lawn.
This is an image of what Black Medic looks like.
Where can you find Black Medic:
Black medic is a non-native annual that is very common to see, but can be controlled with proper weed control. It grows in just about any condition however, it likes low nitrogen environments. You can find it in landscape beds around shrubs and plants, in the lawn, in cracks in the driveway, meadows, etc. It also likes partial shade to full sun. With that being said, it can grow just about anywhere, but it is fairly easy to get rid of with proper weed control.
Growing Season for Black Medic:
This non-native weed typically is seen blooming late spring to early fall. It will grow up to 2.5 feet tall, but usually it is low growing and sprawls across the ground. If left untreated, it will continue to grow the entire season.
Weed Control.. How to treat Black Medic:
Weed Control is pretty basic. There are 2 pieces… Is the weed in a landscape bed by itself or is it mixed in with grass?
If the weed is in a landscape bed, the best weed control practice is to spray the weed on a sunny day with little to no wind with a product that includes Glysophate. Make sure you read the product label and follow all the directions before you spray anything. The mix rate must be consistent with the directions for the product to be effective.
If it is in the turf, then you will need to spot spray with a product containing Quinclorac. Quinclorac is a selective herbicide that only acts on specific plants and leave the grass alone. Make sure to read the label and follow all directions. Make sure to know which variety of grass you have in your lawn to know which weed control product you are safely able to use.
Next, you will want to do cultural weed control. That means you need to adjust the environment to help prevent the weed. Black Medic likes compacted soils so you will want to cultivate the landscape beds and add mulch to your landscape beds as a prevention strategy. Next, you need to aerate and overseed your lawn with a hardy grass variety like Turf Type Tall Fescue. The goal is to grow a lawn so thick that weeds have no room to grow. Now this will take a few years, but can be achieved if your goal is a healthy thick lawn. By aerating and overseeding, you are providing a natural weed control remedy because there will be less room for the weed to grow if the lawn is thick.
Need Weed Control help?
If you need any help with fertilization and weed control, feel free to give our office a call at 317-748-3153. We service Indianapolis, Broad Ripple, Meridian Kessler, Westfield and Fishers. We know sometimes it is best to bring in the professionals to take care of the dirty work. If you wish to request a free estimate via our website, click here. If you are looking for another great source, we recommend the Purdue Turf Science Program.
