This week I attended a very interesting virtual seminar on managing weeds in either the lawn, garden, or flower bed. Even wild violets and strawberries are considered weeds if they grow in an area they are not wanted.
All information for today’s blog was taken from a Merrifield Garden Center online program and online computer research.
What Exactly is a Weed?
- Weeds are plants that grow aggressively.
- The seeds of weeds often easily spread.
- Weeds are real plant survivors. They can adapt to extreme or difficult situations, and manage to grow and produce seeds. Some seeds can still sprout even when they are several years old. Weeds can grow in small cracks in the sidewalk or driveway and be difficult to remove and totally eradicate.
Managing Weeds in the Garden
Well this is the part that is a little confusing, because depending on the type of weed or weeds you are trying to remove, there are different way to go about it. First, be sure of the weed type. You can take a photograph of it or bring it to your garden center for indentation if you are not sure.
The number one way to remove weeds is to pull or dig them out. However, sometime it is very difficult or even impossible to remove all weeds this way.
Keeping the ground covered with 1 to 3 inches of mulch can discouraged weed emergence. However, beware on this point because too much mulch is bad for plants and trees.
When mulch is piled up around a tree trunk, it holds moisture near the bark. This causes problems to develop in the bark. It also blocks some of the air/water to the roots.
Some landscapers use different types of landscaping fabrics to control weeds. But, keep in mind, this is a physical barrier using synthetic fabrics that never degrades. As the plant grows, roots can form on top of the landscaping fabric and cause issues for the tree or shrub.
Using biodegradable straw and one thickness of newspapers to control weeds is a better option. But, of course, this is only a temporary solution until the newspaper degrades in a year’s time or less.
Tree of Heaven (weedy tree) and the Spotted Lanternfly
So, there is an interesting connection between the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus Altissma), a weedy tree, and the Spotted Lanternfly (lycorma delicatula). Both are aggressive, invasive species. The good news is we can use one to help control the other. Because the spotted lanternfly is drawn to the Tree of Heaven, if we remove the trees, we can control both invasive species.
First of all, the Tree of Heaven, originally from Asia, grows under all conditions and produces lots of seeds. It is an invasive species that can quickly dominate the landscape.
The Spotted Lanternfly is a new invasive insect pest, also, from Asia. This insect sucks sap out of plants. It feeds on grape vines, apple trees, stone fruit trees and native forests. The Spotted Lanternfly is difficult to control and right now, certain areas of Virginia and Pennsylvania are infested with it. Other areas, have quarantined different counties to help stop the spread.
Since the Spotted Lanternfly is attracted to the Tree of Heaven, one way to control this insect, is to destroy the Tree of Heaven trees. Tree and stump killers are very effective for this. For now, this is ongoing concern and statewide project.
Poison Ivy Control
Another common plant needing control is poison Ivy (toxic dendron radicans). Poison ivy has long woody roots and is controlled by use of vine and tree weed killers.
Some weed killers have a small paint brush attached to the lid so you can paint the weed to kill it. For extra weed killing absorbance, scratch the plant’s bark and apply. When using spray weed killers be careful with application because some of the spray could get on plants you want to keep.
I remember a neighbor who sprayed the weeds around the bottom of several trees. However, it was windy that day, and the spray was carried up to the bottom layer branches. The lower tree branches turned brown. In fact, the trees almost died and took a long time to recover.
In other words, be extremely careful anytime you use a weed killing spray as it will kill both the good and the bad plants. Spray weed killers are great for use around driveways or gravel paths.
Ending Notes for Managing Weeds Blog
As always, be very cautious and aware when using any type of chemical weed killers. Be sure to have a good diagnosis before proceeding or you could possibly destroy something you really want to keep. Also, carefully following all directions on the bottles or sprayer.
Resource Sites: Merrifield Garden Center lecture on Controlling Weeds, woodyinvasive.org, and extension.psu.edu