- There are roughly 250,000 plants in the world, 8,000 of which are considered weeds. According to the Pennsylvania College of Agricultural Sciences, to be classified as a weed, a plant must have one or more of the following characteristics: abundant seed production, rapid population establishment, seed dormancy, long-term survival of buried seed and the ability to occupy sites disturbed by humans. For most people, however, weeds are simply any plant that is growing somewhere where it is unwanted.
- Weeds fall into one of three categories: broadleaves, sedges and grasses. Broadleaves have broad leaves which contain one main vein from which several smaller veins branch out. Grasses and sedges are very similar. They both have narrow leaves with parallel veins and small flowers. Sedges can be distinguished, however, by their triangular stems.
- Weeds steal nutrients, water, sunlight, carbon dioxide and space from desirable plants and grasses. Moreover, some weeds emit toxins which are poisonous to livestock. While weeds are commonly regarded as a nuisance, there are actually several benefits associated with weeds. The benefits include the ability to add organic matter to soils, provision of nectar to bees, provision of products for medicinal use, and, in some cases, offering aesthetic pleasures.
- There are two main ways to control grass weeds in your lawn: chemically and non-chemically. Chemical control involves applying a selective (designed to kill a specific weed), or non-selective (designed to kill everything it touches) herbicide. Herbicides are quick and effective. However, they contain toxins and if used improperly can harm crops, desirable plants and grasses, livestock, pets and humans. The goal behind non-chemical control is to make your lawn or garden healthy enough to fend off weed invasions. This can be accomplished through proper fertilization, irrigation, mowing and aerating. In addition, minor weed problems can be controlled by hand-pulling or hoeing.
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