I have a small weed popping up everywhere in my garden. They grow to about a foot tall and have these little seed pods/flowers. I pull them up but that just seems to encourage them. How do I get rid of this nuisance? BH

It sounds like you are describing a weed called mulberryweed. It is called mulberryweed because it can look like a small mulberry tree seedling, but the name is the only characteristic they share. Mulberry weed stems are hairy while mulberry tree seedlings are not. The lower part of the stem can be dark maroon in color, but the main identifier is the small flower clusters that fade from light purple as they age.

The earliest record of mulberry weed in the United States is dated to 1964 but folklore suggests it was well established in Louisiana before then. Now mulberryweed can be found from Maryland to Florida and as far west as Oklahoma.

One of the main challenges associated with mulberryweed is that it is such a prolific producer of seeds. This combined with how it begins to produce seed at an early age helps them gain a foothold in your garden, oftentimes before you realize it. They also like to grow in and around your existing plants which makes them harder to distinguish.

Most seeds drop near the plant, but some seeds are launched up to four feet away. This plant can generate two to five generations a year, so if you let them get ahead of you, they are hard to get rid of. Primary activity for mulberryweed is April through November.

Being observant in your garden is your main defense. At the first sign of mulberryweed you should pull it out of the ground and dispose of it, being careful not to dislodge any of the seeds.

A good layer of mulch is your first defense against mulberryweed. Yes, it seems like mulch comes up a lot in our articles, but mulch truly has many benefits for your garden. This would include minimizing weeds, water conservations, and maintaining more stable soil temperatures. However, in shady, moist areas, mulberryweed can still be a problem, even with a good layer of mulch.

Hand pulling is likely your best defense since it’s problematic to spray an herbicide in your garden because the herbicide will not distinguish between your plants and the weeds. Weed preemergent can help when applied according to directions. Just know that because of mulberryweed’s ability to “launch” it’s seeds, those seeds could easily spring up outside of the treated area and return. Good luck.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.

Photo: 

Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org