Shepherd's Purse name comes from its triangular fruit resemblance with a purse, and it's a small ruderal flowering plant in the family "Brassicaceae” and the Genus “Caspella”. Shepherd's Purse is a broadleaf, annual herb that succeeds growing up to an elevation of 7600 feet. Shepherd's Purse had naturalized itself in many parts of the world and was considered invasive in colder climates. Shepherd's Purse is the second most abundant wild species of herbs that colonize newly developed or disturbed lands, especially meadow, agricultural lands, and ornamental landscapes, including garden beds and turfgrass. Shepherd’s Purse is also ‘Protocarnivore' as its seed attracts and kills some species of nematodes that increase the fertility of the soil.
Shepherd's Purse is native to Asia Minor and Eastern Europe and is found on sites with excessive Anthropogenic activities, farmlands, and meadows. Shepherd’s Purse is also a prevalent herb in gardens, roadsides, and ornamental parks in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada, Utah, and Virginia on sandy and clayey soil with a pH between 5.0 to 8.0. It is one of the most widespread herbs in North America on moisture-rich soils. All of the US states mentioned here have declared Shepherd's Purse an invasive weed in both farmlands and ornamental settings.
Shepherd's Purse is a broadleaf herb that produces basal rosette horizontally and may grow to a height of about 20 inches. Shepherd’s Purse flowering stem remains unbranched that grows vertically, slender, and maintains gray hair covering. The flowering stem gives access to a raceme of small white flowers. Often, the flowers are short-lived and bloom near the tip of their stem. White flowers are so small that they measure only 1/10 of an inch. Each flower contains four white petals and four pale-green sepals. The seedpod is triangular with two sides often symmetrical. Usually, Shepherd's Purse flowers from early spring to late autumn, and flowers throughout the year in a tropical climate.
Shepherd's Purse propagates only by seeds. The number of seeds per plant varies depending on the type of environmental conditions and adaptability. However, the scientists report seed production between 38500 to 90000 per plant in different habitats. If the growing conditions remain ideal, Shepherd's Purse may have three generations in a calendar year. Since Shepherd's Purse Seeds are small, wind and rain can carry them at long distances. The seeds become sticky when wet and travel with livestock feet to relocate and germinate.
Controlling Shepherd’s Purse in garden beds requires hand pulling the herb when there's decent moisture in the soil before it sets seed. Repeated mowing will also help eradicate this weed in the 4-5 leaf stage. Otherwise, work on the health and vigor of garden plants and turfgrasses with the addition of nitrogen-rich fertilizers that boost their growth to suppress Shepherd's Purse growth.
It contains 20% Acetic acid that is a non-selective herbicide that kills all types of vegetation. It's a Glyphosate-free formula that most organic gardeners use for controlling weeds of several types, including Shepherd's Purse, broadleaf weeds, and grasses. No residual effects and safe around garden beds that grow vegetables and other edibles.
The product dilution from 20% to 10%, add a similar amount of water and directly spray over the weeds-infested area.
The active ingredient of Avenger Weed Killer is 70% d-limonene which is a citrus oil and kills the target weed within two hours of application. Avenger Weed Killer is also an organic, non-selective remedy to clear all types of undesired vegetation including, Shepherd's Purse. This product is a good fit for applying around garden beds when your plants are actively growing. Additionally, it also applies 8-10 days before planting turfgrasses for clearing the field and, it needs heavy watering before the planting practice. Organic Material Review Institute (OMRI) also lists it as an organic product and is safe to use on edibles. D-limonene also works well at low temperatures, and the product concentrate contains a color marker that highlights the sprayed area.
36-ounces of product concentrate allows you to prepare between 3 to 6 gallons of spray solution depending on the size and infestation level.
Quali-Pro EXPEL contains 39.6% Sulfentrazone that works brilliantly against several hard to kills weeds including, Shepherd's Purse and another broadleaf in turfgrasses, ornamental landscapes, and garden beds. Sulfentrazone is a unique chemistry that offers PPO inhibition in the targeted weeds that absorb it through roots. The weeds' growth as a result of its absorption is necrotic, and herbs die once they are exposed to sunlight. The applications made during the bright sunny days can help control shepherd’s Purse within 48 hours.
Be sure to apply this product when the targeted weeds grow actively and contain 3-4 leaves per plant. One teaspoon of Quali-Pro EXPEL is mixed in one gallon of water that covers about 1000 square feet of turfgrasses.
Since several product chemistries such as, Dicamba and MCPA, which are available in combination with 2,4-D, are not as effective against Shepherd’s Purse as 2,4-D alone. So it’s advisable to use 2,4-D alone whenever the turfgrasses or garden site is infested with Shepherd's Purse. 2,4-D Amine also works well on several other broadleafs being safe on a variety of turfgrasses. Avoid using it on creeping grass like bent and similar grass strains. Additionally, good moisture makes the result vigilant and well ahead of time compared to its application in a dry condition.
2,4-D containing 46.8% of active ingredient can be mixed at a rate of 1.25 to 1.50 ounces per gallon of water to target Shepherd's Purse on 1000 square feet area.
Learn How to control and get rid of other weeds in our complete Yard Weeding Guide.
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