Woodlice is a rare inhabitant of natural grass habitats. The fragile structure and weak root system cannot withstand competition with stronger neighbors adapted to harsh conditions.
Unlike meadows and fields, a summer cottage allows woodlice to fill the empty spaces between cultural plantings and enjoy all the benefits - watering, loosening and fertilizing. The ability to grow rapidly leads to oppression of plantings, which have to share moisture and soil nutrients with the weed.
Weed - woodlice grass, biting midge, biting midge: what is it, what does it look like?
Woodlice is a herb that every gardener knows by sight. Very often it becomes the reason for frequent weeding and treatment of the land with chemicals, because so many people try to get rid of the annoying “moth”.
Woodlice is a grass with small oblong leaves pointed in the middle. At the same time, woodlice can have a long stem, which allows it to spread along the ground and drown out useful crops. Woodlice blooms with small white flowers, reminiscent of chamomile flowers, only with a light green core.
This is how woodlice blooms
Woodlouse is called the following names depending on the region: woodlouse, midge, hernia grass, canary grass. The official name found in herb guides is chickweed.
This is interesting! Woodlice belongs to the genus of annual plants, which, however, does not prevent it from refilling the gardens every year.
Biological characteristics of the pest
Woodlice, like its closest relatives: crabs, shrimp and lobsters, breathes through gills, therefore, being a land dweller, it stays close to water. Tolerates long-term drought thanks to special air cavities resembling trachea. The latter are characteristic of land animals. In 3 months, the crustacean becomes sexually mature, reaching 2 cm in length. Some species of woodlice grow up to 40 cm in the wild.
She, like all arthropods, has an exoskeleton in the form of a chitinous covering of different shades of gray. The shell interferes with growth, so she sheds regularly. 7 pairs of walking legs extend from the body segments, allowing for rapid movement. Long whiskers are designed to “scan” the surrounding space. When in danger, the crustacean twists its body and pretends to be dead.
When in danger, the woodlouse pretends to be dead
Woodlice live on average 9-12 months. They come out of their hiding places at nightfall. They feed on both garden and indoor plants, mosses, bark, algae, musty vegetables and fruits. Damaging plants, they leave holes, and only on the outside of the leaves.
In a city apartment, these crustaceans sometimes inhabit flower pots with loose soil containing fallen leaves and moss. Can damage the roots of orchids, cacti, ferns and other indoor plants.
That's the kind of domestic woodlouse she is. How to get rid of it is a more pressing question.
If there are a lot of woodlice in the garden, then what kind of soil is it, what kind of soil does woodlice weed like?
Woodlice is not picky about soil; however, it does not grow well on sandy soil. It loves dark places and can even grow under boards and bricks. The main condition for active growth of woodlice is moisture. The stem of this herb is very thin and delicate, covered with fine hairs, thanks to which the plant accumulates and retains moisture.
Excellent places for woodlice to grow are under low bushes, in potato fields, in cucumber beds and greenhouses with tomatoes and peppers.
Woodlice likes to grow with other weeds
The acidity of the soil is not so important for this moisture-loving plant; the main conditions are the presence of useful minerals, warmth and moisture.
Reasons for appearance
A garden plot may attract harmful crustaceans for the following reasons:
- Excess moisture, which can be caused by precipitation, leaking watering hoses, or excessive soil irrigation.
- Poor ventilation in greenhouses, where the air is humidified to 80-90%.
- Open areas for storing waste.
- Compost pits with temperatures below 40 °C.
- Accumulation of various garbage on the territory (remains of cellophane, brick fragments, cuttings of branches).
- Stagnant water in various open containers.
Crustaceans can get into the greenhouse along with soil, manure or humus from the garden.
Does woodlice interfere with potato growth?
Contrary to the popular belief that any weeds must be destroyed, it should be said that moderation is needed in everything. Only excessive weed growth is harmful to cultivated plants. While a small amount of the same woodlice on potato beds will be an indicator of good soil. Since woodlice is reborn two to four times during the season, the soil on which this grass grew will be constantly replenished with nutrients. Potato tops suppress weed growth when they reach their peak growth.
Advice! But during the formation of the tuber and the first shoots, the number of weeds must be controlled so that they do not choke the potatoes.
The potato harvest largely depends on neighboring plants
Prevention measures
To protect your site from woodlice overgrowing, you need to pay attention to preventive measures. They do not provide a complete guarantee that the weed will not grow in the garden, but with their help you can significantly reduce the risk of its appearance. An integrated approach to this issue will help improve the result. To prevent weed growth, you must:
- Cover the soil with mulch, which is best used as hay or fresh grass.
- Alternate the crops grown.
- If the harvest is carried out early, immediately after its completion you can sow the area with barley or rye - chickweed is not able to withstand such competition. Before the cold weather, the soil where the cereals grew should be dug up.
Woodlice that appears on the site can cause a lot of trouble for summer residents. It will take a lot of effort to eliminate it. And although it cannot be removed quickly, with the right approach and decisive action, this problem is completely solvable.
How to remove woodlice grass from the garden using folk remedies: tips
There are both pros and cons to using folk remedies to control weeds.
- pros: environmentally friendly materials and no harm to other plants
- cons: traditional methods do not always work.
Usually they use salt, soda, vinegar, sawdust, boric acid (alcohol), and soap.
The easiest way is to dig up the weed area
- Salt is sprinkled around the bed to prevent woodlice from penetrating further. It is usually recommended to maintain a distance of 30 cm from cultivated plants. It is believed that after rain, the salt will be absorbed into the ground and will not allow weeds to enter the garden bed for a long time.
- Soda is used against woodlice in a similar way.
- Vinegar is sprayed half a meter from the bed onto the weeds. It burns not only the foliage, but also the roots.
- Sawdust is good if you use it in advance. In autumn they are scattered around the perimeter of the beds. This way they prevent the spread of weeds by creating a barrier.
Expert advice
The following preventive measures will help you avoid the appearance of woodlice in your garden plot:
- Timely weeding of beds.
- Renewing the soil in greenhouses and greenhouses, avoiding excessive watering, regular ventilation, removing plant debris and debris.
- Minimizing soil fertilization with peat and tree bark.
- Cleaning the area from rotten tops, fallen fruits and vegetables.
- Removing rotting lumber from the area and uprooting old stumps.
- Storage of household waste in containers with lids and their timely cleaning.
- Adding manure to compost pits. It will increase the temperature of the rotting plant mass to a value unsuitable for woodlice.
- Spring treatment of row spacing with “Metaldehyde”, protecting young shoots from being eaten.
It is necessary to keep the garden clean, promptly remove accumulated debris and weeds, and prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged. Preventing the appearance of pests is much easier than eliminating the consequences of infection.
What solution should I use to treat the soil against woodlice?
Solutions are rightfully considered more effective means, especially if they are concentrated. You can achieve the desired concentration through trial and error. It is always recommended to start with small doses.
- The number one method is herbicidal soap . It consists of equal proportions of laundry soap, salt, vinegar, mixed well. This mixture is used to water the weeds along the perimeter of the growth of cultivated plants.
- Vinegar and salt - method number two. A 70% vinegar solution is diluted with water to 5%, then a glass of salt is added. Water the weeds with this mixture.
Even strong sun and heat can help get rid of woodlice.
If the woodlice is deprived of moisture, as well as shelter in the form of cultivated plants, it will die on its own.
Beneficial features
Woodlice is rich in a large number of useful elements. It contains essential oils, potassium salt, lipids, tannins, phytocins, alkaloids and flavonoids. It also contains various minerals (magnesium, zinc, iron, cobalt, boron) and vitamins. This amount of useful substances makes it possible to use woodlice as an analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, choleretic and expectorant. The plant is also used as a remedy for:
- increasing immunity;
- treatment of pulmonary diseases;
- strengthening the nervous system;
- activation of hemoglobin production;
- treatment of diseases of the kidneys, heart, liver, and thyroid gland.
The medicinal properties of woodlice weed allow it to be used to prevent the functioning of the nervous and immune systems. It is usually consumed fresh as a seasoning for salads, soups or sandwiches. It is also taken as a medicine in the form of decoction, juice, infusion or tea. However, there are also contraindications. As a remedy, chickweed should not be used by people with low blood pressure, because taking it will further aggravate the situation.
How to fight woodlice with chemicals?
Chemical agents are considered quite reliable in the fight against woodlice and other weeds. The following drugs are often used:
- "Tornado" is not harmful to the soil, but harmful to weeds. A plant such as woodlice immediately turns yellow from this chemical and dies within a few days.
- “Hurricane Forte” is a chemical that penetrates the stems and foliage of the plant; the weed dies in a few weeks.
- Roundup will get rid of woodlice forever in two weeks.
Important! No matter how harmless a chemical agent may seem, remember that any of them should be treated with caution and used only in cases of extreme necessity.
Organic weed killers can also be purchased at the store.
We recommend watching the weed control video below.
Damage caused
In the natural environment, woodlice find a sufficient amount of food by eating decaying plants, moss, algae and tree bark. In greenhouses, greenhouses and vegetable gardens, they include spicy herbs and tender vegetable leaves in their diet.
A sign of the appearance of woodlice is the appearance of eaten edges and through holes on the leaves. The result of pests infesting a greenhouse is compaction of the soil. The roots of crops begin to lack oxygen and nutrients.
A small number of crustaceans do not pose a threat to the site, but in the presence of a favorable environment (abundance of weeds, high humidity, debris and plant debris), they can quickly multiply and lead to the death of a significant part of the crop.
Ways to get rid of weeds
The relevance of the fight against chickweed is explained by large crop losses and deterioration in the quality of the soil of the land plot. To get rid of the pest forever, you should use one of the effective and proven tactics, combining folk remedies and modern technologies.
Mechanical method
The most difficult, but safe for the soil method. Produced in stages throughout the season:
Soil deoxidation
A folk method with a good reputation. It consists of introducing a neutralizing substance into the soil when digging:
Chemicals
You can get rid of woodlice by using herbicides - specialized substances aimed at destroying plants. Treatments are carried out on an area with harvested crops or unused for planting crops.
Among the proven drugs are “Tornado”, “Roundup”, “Zero”, “Kragan”, etc. One hundred square meters of land requires a consumption of the substance in a volume of 120 ml per 5 liters of water.
Rules for the use of herbicides:
The action of the herbicide occurs after some time. The vital activity of the pest fades away, and signs of imminent death of the plant appear.
Herbicide treatment can be spot or continuous
Traditional methods for woodlice overgrowth
Opponents of garden chemicals prefer to turn to safe recipes that eliminate adverse effects on the soil.
