There are about 250,000 species of plants around the world, and about 3 percent act like weeds. Though weeds may have some benefits, one has to be careful as they can reduce soil moisture, harm animals, add to your maintenance cost, and reduce your garden value, to mention a few. Several weed types exist, and one can classify them by their morphology, habitat, or life cycle.
Crabgrass, also known as Digitaria spp, is a low-growing weed that spreads through seeds and node roots that rests on the soil. It grows well in dry and hot environments, expanding to 2 feet long. Under warm grounds, Crabgrasses appear from mid-spring through summer. As annual weeds, they wither at the end of the growing season, mainly during the fall’s first frost. Every year, Crabgrasses produce new seeds that can be viable in the soil for three years. So, you should control the weed before it generates seeds. To control the weed, mow your lawn as it prevents crabgrass from producing flowers and seeds. Many experts advise mowing your lawn to about 2 to 4 inches long.
Another weed is Purslane, and its botanical name is Portulaca oleracea. It can produce 2 million seeds for each plant. Growing up to 30cm high, these plants can reproduce through minute black seeds and stem particles in late spring.
Purslane can also regenerate vegetatively through its leaves, rendering it tough to eliminate. These weeds grow properly in crop fields, gardens, landscaped sites, and other disturbed areas. You can remove the plant with your hand or use a mulch to control it. Your organic mulches should be 3 inches thick and more. Synthetic mulches that prevent light while providing a physical fence to seedling environments help control the weed too.
Also among annual weeds is Lambsquarters, with chenopodium album as its botanical name. As fast-growing weeds, they have small and light seeds which the wind can blow over short distances. Under favorable circumstances, the seeds may survive for long periods in the soil, spreading quickly. Since these weeds remove moisture from the soil, use a sharp hoe to remove them from your garden.
Amaranthus spp or pigweed is a resilient annual weed that reproduces through seeds. Having fleshy red taproot, it becomes visible in late spring. Pigweeds like warm weather, and they have oval-shaped leaves with conical tips. It is best to extract them before they flower, and you can protect your garden with a winter mulch to control pigweeds.
Chickweed, also called Stellaria media, is a weed that develops well in watered sites, providing water for insect pests and plant viruses. Producing about 800 seeds, these weeds take eight years to wither in favorable conditions.
Further, the weeds bloom in cool areas and start growing before spring crops get competitive, limiting vegetable harvest. They also create dense mats and seldom grow over 2 inches. Possessing tiny flowers with five white petals, the chickweeds do not thrive in neutral pH soils with excessive nitrogen. It’s best to monitor the soil surface for chickweed seedlings throughout winter to remove them. You can use an organic mulch that is two-inch deep to reduce the seed germination.
