Weed With Sticky Leaves, Stems, And Seeds

straw bale garden

Q: Arghhhhh! A new weed has arrived in my garden. The leaves and stems are very sticky and the seeds cling to clothes. 

A: I’ll bet it’s bedstraw, Galium aparine. You can rip out bagfuls of this annual weed if you don’t mind its creepy feel on your skin. Apparently it was once used as stuffing in mattresses because the clinging nature of the prickles minimized matting and compaction. Rake it out whenever you see it to reduce the population.

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