Cobbler's Pegs Control in Your Garden

Cobbler's Pegs (also known as Farmer's Friends, Pitch-forks and Teasers) are shrub-like plants that can grow about 1 m high. Leaves are green with a serrated edge. Flowers are small and have 5 white petals with a yellow centre. The seeds are long, thin and black with a brown head made up of 2-3 barbs. Seeds readily attach to clothing, shoes and pet fur, allowing them to easily spread around the lawn and garden.

Cobbler's Pegs flower in late summer to autumn.

For a glyphosate-free weedkiller that kills Cobbler's Pegs roots and all, apply Yates Triple Strike Garden Weedkiller Concentrate. Spray either before or during flowering, and well before weeds have set seed. Just be careful not to spray nearby plants, as any plant the product touches may be injured or killed. To prevent overspray, spray as near to the plant as possible, and don't spray on a windy day. Alternatively, you can apply the product using the Yates Zero Weeding Brush - that way you apply the product directly where it is needed.

Kill any Cobbler's Pegs growing anywhere on or near the property. Kill Cobbler's Pegs before they set seed, otherwise there will more weeds coming up and it will spread further throughout the property.

Mulch garden beds with an organic mulch, such as sugarcane or pine bark, and apply it about 8 cm thick. Avoid using weedmat as this doesn't allow any organic matter (e.g., broken down mulch) to go into and improve the soil.

When out and about, if you notice you have picked up Cobbler's Pegs seeds on your shoes or clothes, on your pets, or even on your vehicle or tools, then pick them off as best you can then place them into the rubbish bin.