Parsley Piert Control: How To Get Rid of Parsley Piert

Parsley Piert is a winter annual breed that commonly infests lawns that have excess soil moisture. This freely branched weed ranges between 1 to 3 inches tall. It closely resembles other common lawn weeds like Burweed.

Parsley Piert flowers between May and September with tiny green flowers which are barely noticeable. Parsley Piert usually springs up in areas where the lawn is closely mowed, spreading in small clusters on lawns.

Parsley Piert outbreaks are an indicator that you are not mowing at a low enough height or a nutrient deficiency in your soil which stems from a lack of fertilizer. Parsley Piert has been known to cause problems in pastures and in areas where turf growth is thin.

If Parsley Piert is uglying up your lawn, our DIY treatment guide can help. The directions below were recommended by our lawn care experts and will show you how to properly eliminate parsley from your lawn or garden.

Identification

Parsley is an easy weed to identify due to its unique look standing out amongst turfgrass. What stands out about Parsley Piert is its small fan-shaped leaves which have 3 deeply toothed lobes. If parsley piert has matured you'll see flowers which are small and green formed at the base of the leaves. Parsley Piert grows low to the ground and has many stems. It looks kind of like cilantro or parsley.

Inspection

Where to Inspect

Parsley Piert is an annual weed and can be quite common in yards where the turf is mowed close to the ground. You can often see Parsley Piert form small clusters in the lawn. Parsley Piert is particularly prevalent in soils which are sandy and not well-drained and have a lack of nutrients. Trying to mow this plant away is ineffective as it thrives in shortly mowed lawns.

What to Look For

Watch for plants that look similar to Parsley among your grass. It should stick out pretty easily with its fan-shaped leaves.

Treatment

Please first make sure you have on the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, mask, and glasses before handling any herbicide chemicals. Parsley Piert is a tricky weed to control because it as shown to be resistant to selective herbicides.

Timing is also very crucial to attack the Parsley Piert. Apply a post-emergent herbicide ideally when the Parsley Piert is young and actively growing as this is the time when the weed is the most susceptible to herbicide applications.

A selective post-emergent herbicide like Q4 Plus Herbicide does a great job against Parsley Piert and is our top choice for control.

Step 1: Mix and Apply Herbicide

Measure the square footage of the treatment area to determine how much Q4 Plus Herbicide you will need. On cool-season grasses apply 2.6 to 3 oz. of Q4 Plus Herbicide per gallon to cover 1,000 sq. ft. For applications on warm-season grass, mix at a rate of 1.8 to 2.6 oz. of product per gallon per 1,000 sq. ft.

This product may cause discoloration and death within Bahiagrass, Bengrass, Carpetgrass, Centipedegrass Dichondra, and St. Augustinegrass.

When applying, change the nozzle setting to a fan nozzle so it will spray a fine mist on the plant and get an even coating on the Parsley Piert.

Step 2: Reapply As Needed

If a second application is needed, apply the herbicide in spot treatments. Repeated applications of Q4 Plus Herbicide should be spaced between 14 to 21 day intervals. Be careful applying in the heat and just spot treat the area so you don't burn your grass.

Prevention

While Barricade Granular Pre-Emergent Herbicide is not labeled for Parsley Piert, it will continually fight against weeds germinating underneath your turf. 

Aside from this, parsley can be prevented with occasionally fertilization. Maintain a good fertilization schedule for your lawn so your lawn is getting adequate nutrients in the soil.

Key Takeaways

• Parsley Piert is one of the most difficult weeds to control on home lawns because of its persistence and resistance to herbicides.
• Our top recommendation for treating Parsley Piert is Q4 Plus Herbicide.
• A pre-emergent herbicide like Barricade can be applied to your lawn before the growing season to prevent Parsley Piert seeds from sprouting.