Chickweed Invasion: Herbicide Damage vs. Organic Solution

Did Weedkiller Kill the Grass?

A Louisiana homeowner sprayed chickweed in centipede and St. Augustine lawns, leaving bald spots. The respondent suspects the herbicide—not the shallow-rooted chickweed—killed the grass. Centipede naturally crowds out weeds.

Organic Recovery

Switch to a fully organic program: sugar (4–5 lbs/1,000 sq ft) to feed microbes, deep watering, corn gluten meal, alfalfa meal, lava sand, baking soda spray. Weeds die out in rich soil. The respondent’s 10-year organic lawn is thick, weed-free, and low-maintenance. Chemical fertilizers kill the microbes that make this work.