3 Beneficial Weeds You May Want Around

When discussing weed control, your first reaction is to probably want all of them gone. You’ve been told that any weed in your landscaping is bad. You’ve also come to think that weeds will affect your curb appeal. While that is true for the most part, Nature’s Select Triangle is here to tell you that not all weeds are a bad thing. So, let’s take a look at a few that you might want to keep around.

1. Chickweed

While you might mistake this weed for a flower, chickweed can help replenish vital nutrients in your garden and flower beds. It's attracted to soil that's been tilled or disturbed and lacks nutrients. In return, you replenish potassium and phosphorus in the dirt by letting this weed grow and die back naturally. Furthermore, the flowers attract pollinators, which can benefit your entire landscape. Cut this weed back and tuck it under the mulch to keep it tidy. Just leave the roots and once it dies, the nutrients released will feed the rest of your plants.

2. White Clover

If your soil lacks nitrogen, you will likely see white clover popping up. This weed is attracted to dry, nitrogen-lacking soils and landscapes. So while you could treat your lawn with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, you might also let nature take its course. White clover is popular in orchards, where the flowering weed can spread out, cover the ground, and protect the shallow roots. It also attracts key pollinators and beneficial bugs to gardens and landscapes. Just keep it pruned so it doesn't smother your other garden foliage.

3. Dandelion

Dandelions show up in just about every landscape you can imagine. This weed accumulates potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, copper, and magnesium. If you want to enrich your garden or lawn's soil, it's best to cut the leaves and flowers off the top but allow the roots to die and decay naturally. The vital nutrients the weed has been collecting will then disperse throughout your soil, feeding the rest of your flowers and plants. As a final thought, the dandelion has many edible parts, including the leaves, roots, and flowers.

Work With Nature

If you value the natural ecosystem and want the same from your lawn care team, you need to contact Nature's Select Triangle. We value everything in your lawn and know that a healthy landscape starts below ground. That's why we use a natural approach to lawn diseases, pest control, and tree and shrub care in Chaple Hill and Durham, NC. To get a free estimate, call us at (919) 240-4239.