Control of Common chickweed
Seed predation by carabid beetles and birds can be appreciable during the summer. Initial seed dormancy is low and so many seeds will germinate when moisture is present. Emergence occurs throughout the year when soil temperatures are > 1.4°C.
Germination is higher in the light than in the dark - so leaving seeds on the soil surface will help seed decline (germination in light c.85%). Germination can be slow up to 3 weeks. Buried seeds germinate less readily but the effect of burial is variable.
Existing seeds in the soil seedbank will decline over time, without cultivations 34% per year and with cultivations 48% per year.
Soil Management
Our Expert
Neil Fuller
Our expert on weed control through soil management is Neil Fuller. Soils health is the capacity of soil to function as a living system. Healthy soils maintain a diverse community of soil organisms that help to control plant disease, insect and weed species. Soil health is influenced by the dynamic interactions that occur between the physical, chemical and biological components of the soil. Measuring soil health is therefore crucial in order to keep these interactions in balance.
