How to get rid of chickweed

Contents

1. Common chickweed or mouse-ear chickweed?
2. Why is there chickweed in my lawn?
3. How to pull chickweed by hand
4. Natural ways to control chickweed
5. What kills chickweed but not grass?
6. How to stop chickweed with a pre-emergent
7. Common mistakes
8. FAQ

Common chickweed or mouse-ear chickweed?

Both form low mats of small paired leaves with tiny white flowers whose five petals are split so deeply they look like ten. The difference decides your plan:

Still unsure? Our weed identification guide walks through the clues. Chickweed is one of the cool-season broadleaf weeds in the lawn weeds guide.

Why is there chickweed in my lawn?

Common chickweed sprouts mostly when the soil is cool and moist, from fall into early spring, grows through the cool months, flowers and seeds in spring, and fades in summer heat. It can finish a full life cycle in about five to six weeks, so it can go to seed before you notice it.

It grows in sun or shade and in many soils, in well-kept and neglected lawns alike, but it takes over where the turf is thin, shaded or kept wet. A single plant can produce around 800 seeds, and the seed bank lasts: it can take seven to eight years for 95% of the seeds in the soil to run out. That is why stopping plants before they flower matters more than anything else.

How to pull chickweed by hand

Common chickweed has shallow, fibrous roots, so it is one of the easier weeds to pull.

1. Act earlyPull young plants in fall or late winter, before the first flowers.
2. Gather the matFind the center of the clump, where the stems start, and pull it up with the roots. A hand cultivator or a stiff rake lifts loose stems in a lawn.
3. Bag flowering plantsSeeds can mature fast; don’t leave flowering plants on the soil.
4. Patch the gapIn a lawn, rough up bare soil and overseed at the right season for your grass so new seeds don’t sprout there.

Mouse-ear chickweed is harder to pull cleanly because its stems root along the ground. Lift it with a fork and remove the rooted pieces, or spot-treat it.

Natural ways to control chickweed

• Mulch beds: at least 2 inches of mulch blocks the light chickweed seeds need. See mulch for weed control and our flower bed weeding guide.
• Hoe or cultivate bare soil in vegetable beds when seedlings are small. Our vegetable garden weed guide covers food-safe methods.
• Solarize an empty bed with clear plastic in the hottest weeks of summer to kill seeds near the surface.
• Vinegar or boiling water kill young plants in paths and cracks, but also kill the grass and plants they touch.
• Grow thick grass: water deeply and less often, mow at the right height and feed on schedule.

What kills chickweed but not grass?

Selective broadleaf herbicides, applied while chickweed is young and actively growing.

See the broadleaf weed killer guide to compare products. In warm-season lawns, avoid spraying during spring green-up or when temperatures top 90°F, which can badly injure the grass.

Timing tip: spray chickweed in mid-fall, when the seedlings are small, or on a mild day in late winter or early spring — always before it flowers. By late spring, common chickweed is about to die on its own and spraying is wasted.

Read and follow the label for every product: it lists the weeds controlled, the grasses it is safe on, the rate and how long to keep kids and pets off the treated area.

How to stop chickweed with a pre-emergent

Because common chickweed comes back from seed every fall, a pre-emergent herbicide applied before the seeds sprout prevents most of next year’s crop. Products containing prodiamine, dithiopyr or pendimethalin are labeled for chickweed in many lawns — check that your product and grass are on the label.

• When: late summer to early fall, before nights cool. Extension guidance from the Southeast suggests applying when nighttime lows reach 55 to 60°F for several days in a row, typically late August to mid-September there; northern lawns reach that point earlier. Our weed control calendar gives the timing by region.
• Water it in: most pre-emergents need about ¼ inch of rain or irrigation to activate.
• It won’t kill chickweed you can already see. If seedlings are up, it is too late; use the post-emergent options above.
• Don’t combine with fall seeding: most pre-emergents also stop grass seed. Choose either overseeding or a pre-emergent for that area this fall.

Common mistakes

• Waiting until spring flowers appear, when seeds are already forming.
• Treating mouse-ear like common chickweed and relying on pre-emergent alone for a perennial.
• Using 2,4-D alone on common chickweed instead of a mix with dicamba or MCPP.
• Applying a pre-emergent and seeding at the same time.
• Leaving bare soil in beds after weeding, where the seed bank sprouts again.

Chickweed often shares shady, moist lawns with creeping Charlie and wild violets, and grows in the cool season alongside henbit.

FAQ

How do I get rid of chickweed without killing grass?

Use a selective broadleaf herbicide labeled for your grass. Products containing dicamba, MCPP (mecoprop) or fluroxypyr control common chickweed in lawns; 2,4-D and dicamba mixes are used on mouse-ear chickweed. In southern St. Augustine and centipede lawns, check the label carefully, since these grasses tolerate only some broadleaf products. Follow the label rate and timing.

What is the difference between common chickweed and mouse-ear chickweed?

Common chickweed has smooth, bright green leaves and a single line of hairs running along its stem; it is a winter annual that dies out in summer heat. Mouse-ear chickweed is hairy all over its darker green leaves and stems, is perennial, and roots where its creeping stems touch the soil, so it lasts year after year.

When should I apply a pre-emergent for chickweed?

In late summer to early fall, before the seeds sprout as nights cool. A common guideline from extension services in the Southeast is to apply when nighttime lows reach 55 to 60°F for several days in a row, typically late August to mid-September. Water it in with about ¼ inch of water unless the label says otherwise, and skip it where you plan to overseed.

Does vinegar kill chickweed?

Household vinegar kills young chickweed seedlings because their roots are shallow, but it also kills the grass and garden plants it touches. Use it in cracks or bare soil, not in a lawn. Strong horticultural vinegar (20–30% acetic acid) burns skin and eyes; wear gloves and eye protection.

Is chickweed edible?

Common chickweed is a well-known edible weed, but only harvest it from places that have not been sprayed, and be certain of your identification. Our edible weeds guide explains what to check.

Related

• Lawn weedsCommon lawn weeds by type (grassy, broadleaf, sedge), what each one says about your lawn, and the right control and timing to get rid of weeds in grass.
• Pre-emergentA pre-emergent herbicide stops weed seeds before they sprout. Which active ingredient to choose, when to apply it by region, and how to water it in.
• Broadleaf weed killerBroadleaf weed killer explained: how 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba and triclopyr kill weeds but not grass, the best fall timing, and how to avoid drift and tree damage.
• Flower bedsThe best weed killer for flower beds depends on the weed: a pre-emergent labeled for ornamentals, a grass-selective spray, or a shielded spot treatment.

Updated October 3, 2026