A Perennial Weed with Broad Leaves that Indicates Your Soil is Compacted
Broadleaf Plantain is a perennial broadleaf weed that grows in a variety of locations from Spring to Fall. Typically these plants are found in lawns, gardens and meadows, as well as along roadsides and sidewalks. While this weed can be unsightly, it is actually edible and serves many medicinal purposes. This wild plant has been used to treat chronic diarrhea, in addition to digestive tract disorders. Broadleaf Plantain is safe to eat and loaded with nutrients and overall health promoting qualities. If the fresh leaves are crushed together, they can be applied to the skin to treat minor burns, insect bites or open wounds. These pain relieving properties make Broadleaf Plaintain a great natural remedy for a host of issues. Check out this Broadleaf Plantain based recipe for an All Natural Alternative to Neosporin!
Broadleaf Plantain indicates that you have Compacted Soil. This means that there is not enough pore space for air and water, resulting in advantageous weeds to take over. This weed also tends to grow best in cool and moist conditions.
Broadleaf Plantain reproduces by seed, so eliminating a flowering Plantain prior to seed dispersal will help prevent any spread. However, Broadleaf Plantain tolerates low mowing, so cutting off the tops of these weeds will not eliminate proliferation.
To remove the Broadleaf Plantain quickly you can either pluck it with a weed pulling tool, such as Weed Out, or you can spot treat it with a chemical. However, if you don't do something about the Soil Compaction, it will continue to come back. Services that can help balance out the soil and relieve Compacted Soil would include Liquid Aeration, Core Aeration, Compost Topdressing and Soil Analysis. Adding one or two additional applications of our Natural Weed Buster per season can also further suppress Broadleaf Plantain growth, without resorting to chemicals. If these weeds really bother you, a spot chemical control spray in the Fall or Spring will kill them.
