Dealing with Dollarweed without Harmful Chemicals
By George Atchley
Dollarweed (Pennywort) is a warm-season, moisture-loving perennial plant that thrives in Florida lawns. Its presence is an indicator of excessive irrigation. Reduce overwatering and you’ve taken a big step toward getting rid of Dollarweed.
The chemical herbicides frequently used to treat Dollarweed are costly and may take years to fully eradicate the problem, to say nothing of the environmental damage they cause when they wash into nearby rivers and streams. For healthier lawns and soils, consider leaving behind the “spray away” concept of weed and pest control.
Eco-safe Dollarweed control methods
Here are a few healthier suggestions for handling Dollarweed that will allow you to feed your lawn, instead of poisoning it.
Baking soda – Wetting the Dollarweed, then sprinkling it with baking soda is an overnight remedy, and safe for surrounding grass.
Boiling water – Pouring boiling water on patches of Dollarweed is an effective way to kill it. But, be cautious. It will also kill surrounding grass and plants.
By hand – This method is time-consuming and tedious. You must remove the tubers and rhizomes that will easily grow back if left in the soil. Some of these rhizomes can be several feet long.
Sugar – Spread sugar over the Dollarweed patches and water it in. This is another safe solution for surrounding grass.
White vinegar – Some have had success using white vinegar as an eco-safe herbicide.
Properly feeding your lawn and its underlying soil will help with the overwatering, as well. The humic acid and amorphous silica found in ClimateYard™ help improve nutrient and water uptake. This will allow you to have a lush yard, using less irrigation.
Culinary uses of Dollarweed
Though it may be unsightly in a manicured lawn setting, some have embraced Dollarweed as a healthy addition to their tables. The leaves and stems are edible. It can be added to salads, cooked like other greens or stewed into teas.
Asian Pennywort is a delicacy and can be found in many recipes, from Pad Thai to Sri Lankan salads and blended into healthy drinks. It can also be fermented to make a “kraut” or “kimchi.”
If you choose to eat your way out of the problem, make sure you haven’t used any chemicals on the lawn.
Nutritional value
4 calories, 1 gram dietary fiber. It contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 as well as calcium, magnesium, sodium, manganese, and zinc.
Gotu Kola Salad Recipe
A bundle of Gotu kola(Pennywort).
1/2 a cup of freshly scraped coconut
1 medium-sized tomato chopped fine
2 small green chilies chopped
5-6 red shallots sliced fine(use regular onions if you can’t find shallots)
Salt to season
2-3 tablespoons of lime juice
If you are using fresh bundles of Gotu kola. remove the leaves with the soft stems included.
Wash and drain the leaves completely in a colander or large strainer.
Once drained, chop the leaves thin and fine.
If you are using prepacked and chopped leaves follow the next step in the recipe instruction.
Place the leaves in a large bowl, add the fresh coconut(1/2 cup), chopped green chilies (2), tomatoes(1), onions(5), salt to season and finally the lime juice as required.
Combine all ingredients well for a few minutes.
Taste, season with salt if necessary.
(Source: islandsmile.org)
Conclusion
Proper irrigation and mowing will help keep Dollarweed from appearing in your grass. Non-chemical solutions can help eradicate the plant from your lawn without poisoning your soil. But, if you really want to benefit from Dollarweed, pull some up and plant it in pots and add it to your table. Don’t miss out on the nutritional benefits.