How to Get Rid of Speedwell in Lawns

Creeping speedwells (Veronica species, including the common field and slender speedwells) are low-growing weeds that spread across UK lawns and the front of borders, forming dense mats studded with small blue flowers in spring. They are a particular nuisance in turf because they creep along the ground, rooting at the stem joints, and — crucially — they shrug off most of the selective lawn weedkillers that deal with other broadleaf weeds. Control therefore relies more on physical methods and lawn care than on chemicals. This guide explains how.

How to identify it

Speedwells form low, spreading mats of small, rounded or oval, scalloped leaves on creeping stems that root where they touch the soil. In spring they are covered in tiny, four-petalled flowers, usually sky-blue with a white eye. In a lawn they appear as flat, slightly darker patches that the mower passes straight over; in borders they spread quietly across bare soil between plants.

How to get rid of speedwell

Rake before mowing. A useful trick in lawns is to vigorously rake or scarify the area before mowing, which lifts the creeping stems up off the ground so the mower cuts and removes them. Repeated over the season this steadily weakens the mat.

Hand-weed and scarify. In borders and small lawn patches, pull or scrape out the mats by hand — they are shallow, though stems left behind will re-root, so be thorough. In turf, autumn scarifying to remove the creeping growth and thatch is one of the most effective treatments.

Strengthen the lawn. Speedwell exploits thin, undernourished turf, so feeding the grass, overseeding bare patches and mowing at a sensible height to thicken the sward all help the grass out-compete it.

Why weedkiller often fails. Unlike most lawn weeds, speedwell is resistant to many standard selective lawn weedkillers, so spraying frequently disappoints. There is no reliable amateur selective product for it, which is why the physical methods above — raking, scarifying and lawn vigour — are the mainstay. For borders, a glyphosate spot-treatment will kill it but will also kill any grass or plants it touches.

Stopping it coming back

A dense, well-fed lawn is the best defence, as speedwell cannot establish in thick turf. Scarify annually to keep creeping stems and thatch in check, overseed thin areas, and in borders keep soil mulched so the trailing stems find no bare ground to root into.

When to call a professional

A lawn-care service is worth considering only if speedwell has taken over a tired lawn that needs full renovation — scarifying, aerating, feeding and overseeding — rather than spot treatment, since no quick chemical fix exists for this particular weed.