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Rangeland
Weed Management - Eradicating
SMALL weed patches
Eradicating
small patches can assist in preventing or greatly limiting seed
dispersal and preclude the development of large infestations. Eradication
is most effective on newly established weed populations or those
smaller than 100 square feet. Individual weeds must be removed and
steadily replaced with desired plants (through natural replacement
or revegetation) until all viable seeds have been depleted from
the soil. If eradication is to succeed, weed reproduction must be
stopped completely. Therefore issues of seed dormancy and longevity
in the soil must be considered in long-term management for eradication.
An IWM plan
should incorporate an eradication program for small patches. Components
of such a program might include:
- Prioritizing
your management efforts. Low-density patches respond more quickly
than high-density patches to eradication.
- Monitoring
the area you’re managing for weeds. Document changes in
patch size and density at least once a year; and
- Flagging
patches, or identifying them using Global Positioning System (GPS),
to make them easy to find again in the spring, during the vulnerable
seedling/rosette stage.
Manage with
frequent follow-up to:
- Remove weeds
by hand-pulling or digging or with herbicides
- Clip, bag,
and burn seed heads, and
- Revegetate
if the desired vegetation cover within the patch is inadequate.
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