Weeds
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| This article is part of the Food theme. Alimentation |
Weeds are wild plants that grow in places where man doesn't want them to (gardens, orchards, etc.) Be they annuals or perennials, they are usually resistant, need very little nutrients, and grow rapidly. They clearly don't need the help of the gardener (except when sown to prepare the soil for the wanted seeding to come).
[edit] Benefits
Weeds are usually not desired, yet sometimes they should be. We're often unaware of it, but many of them have treasurable proprieties for cooking, curing, culture and ornamentation! That's why those who know better pick them in the wild and/or let them grow here and there in their garden; some will even sow some wild seeds.
Many inexperienced gardeners try to get rid of clover in their lawn, using anti-dicotyledon herbicides that are quite expensive. Little do they know that the root nodules of clover contain symbiotic bacteria (rhizobium) that fix the atmospheric nitrogen, making it a permanent natural nutrient.
Kudzu is an example of a very useful but dangerous weed. Although it is extremely invasive, it can be used to produce a variety of useful goods.
[edit] Control
Most weeds only become invasive when the lawn is cut too short (less than 10 in) as is the case with all adventitious plants. Regular mowing with a mulching mower is adequate control for most weeds. Species that produce numerous seeds such as dandelions should not be mowed with a mulching mower, as mulching during the seed phase will spread the seeds and cause more growth. These species should be mowed using a mower that bags the contents, and the contents should be disposed of. One may compost the contents, but care must be taken to generate enough heat to destroy the seeds.
Some weeds such as kudzu are extremely invasive and should be controlled as early as possible. Kudzu will spread if unchecked and can cause major damage to property and economic assets.
[edit] See also
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