Facts About Plantain:

• Plantain is native to Eurasia; it was mainly used for medicinal purposes and teas and was likely brought to the Americas as such.
• Young leaves of this plant are edible as salad greens. More mature leaves can be tough but still edible and are better when cooked.
• Plantain is also a popular food with birds, deer, sheep, and other herbivores.
• The seeds will have a gelatinous quality when wet, and can be used as a thickener in recipes.

Ideal Conditions for Weed Growth

Both Narrow-leafed Plantain (Buckhorn) and Broadleaf Plantain are found in lawns, non-turf areas, and native areas. A healthy, dense lawn is the best defense against plantain; it will take advantage of weak and thinning lawns. This weed is most commonly found in compacted soils. Having regular aerations will help alleviate the pressure of this weed.

How to Control Plantain

As with many weeds, proper cultural practices will help to control any weed from taking over. This includes aeration, mowing tall, and feeding the lawn organic matter. This weed has small roots so it is usually easy to pull by hand. We have seen good results with our organic One Earth weed control, using back to back applications, about one week apart. This weed control is used in lawns, and is also an organic fertilizer. After the second application you should see the weeds turn brown or black and break down. In non-turf areas such as rock or mulch areas we can use Avenger, a 100% organic post-emergent weed control. Best results will be achieved if used on young weeds that are less than 4 inches tall.