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Q. WHY IS CONTROLLING WEEDS SO IMPORTANT?
A. Many weedy plants are introduced by accident, and before people realize it,
they're a major unwanted plant in your cultivated and native landscapes. Listed
below are some why's and how's on controlling them:
Why:
Many weeds will out compete the plants you do want and
in some cases will actually snuff out desired plants including natives, some
weeds can even invite
unwanted insects and diseases.
Weedy species create an enormous amount of work, hence their weedy nature,
fast growing, seeding prolifically and looking unsightly.
Weeds growing in native and cultivated areas will compete for space, water,
light, nutrients, and most of the time, weeds win! Especially in the case of
perennial weeds with rhizomatous root systems like quackgrass and thistles.
How:
When starting new areas in the landscape or garden make sure if you import
soil, you know it's history. Many "new" weeds come from imported soil
in the form of seeds and or roots. In the case of your own soil, try to work
the soil at least a season in advance before planting, in other words, grow and
kill, grow and kill the weeds until you've exhausted their ability to procreate.
this is especially true with perennial weeds, which can remain dormant in the
soil in root form and will poke up any chance they
get!
Another method is to apply a non residual, non selective and relatively safe
herbicide, like Glyphosate ( more commonly known to many as Round-up, though
it's now marketed under many different labels .) Look for the"active ingredient" on
the front label of the container, this is what's important not the brand! By
far this is the fastest way to prepare an area for planting. We do not recommend
removing existing plant material unless it's woody, because you'll be removing
a lot of soil and organic matter.
Green cropping can also be effective, but is fairly labor intensive. First you
must eradicate the perennial weeds, most effectively by spot spraying with Glyphosate,
(otherwise you'll chop up the roots of things like thistles and spread them
everywhere!) Then through cultivation and planting cover crops like annual legumes
and grasses, at least twice a year, you can eventually have fairly "clean" soil.
This method is also a great way to create organic matter in your soil. We do
not recommend this method for those in areas who have negligent neighbors who
let
their property be taken over by weeds, especially with composites that have
evolved
to send their seeds in the wind, like dandelions.
Unattractive but very effective, is the cover method, old carpet, black plastic,
cardboard, whatever material will cut out light and water, but it must completely
cover the soil, and the area must remain covered for at least a year. We suggest
using something less offensive like straw or wood chips to cover the covered
area, this material can later be incorporated into the new soil. (note: do not
use hay in place of straw, it's usually loaded with weed seeds.)
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