Integrated Pest Management
Shepherd's-Purse
Capsella bursa-pastoris
Description
- small herbaceous plant with erect stems 1 – 20 inches tall
- most of the leaves are arranged in a rosette at the base of the plant
- small white flowers with four petals grow at the tips of branches\
- after the flowers fade, stalks elongate, producing a flat purse-shaped seedpod
Location
- gardens, lawns, cropland and open spaces
Life Cycle
- summer or winter annual
- germination takes place primarily in spring and fall, but can take place throughout the year
- flowering and seed production can take place anytime from April through September
IPM Recommendations
- Seed populations can be reduced by soil solarization.
- Apply a mulch layer 3 inches deep on planting beds to reduce seed germination.
- Maintain healthy, competitive desirable vegetation.
- Cultivation is important in the fall to remove overwintering rosettes that would produce seed the following spring.
- Pre-emergent herbicides are not always effective since germination can take place year round.
- Apply an appropriate post-emergent herbicide directly to target weeds.