{"id":358,"date":"2011-04-04T13:27:31","date_gmt":"2011-04-04T17:27:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mymontys.com\/wordpress\/?p=358"},"modified":"2011-04-04T13:27:31","modified_gmt":"2011-04-04T17:27:31","slug":"ask-montys-4311-nettles-onions-and-burrs-oh-my","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wordpress.mymontys.com\/?p=358","title":{"rendered":"Ask Monty’s 4\/3\/11: Nettles, Onions, and Burrs, Oh My!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Weeds are everywhere this time of year.\u00a0 They are in your lawn and obviously on your mind as our mailbag has been full of questions about them.\u00a0 This week our Ask Monty’s segment is dedicate to all of those pesky, unwanted invasive species.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

First, just for information’s sake.\u00a0 There is no scientific definition or classification of a weed.\u00a0 A weed, by definition, is any unwanted plant.\u00a0 Therefore, any plant, even a rose or tulip can be a weed if it is growing in an area where you do not want it to be.\u00a0 When commercial gardening stores and manufacturers talk of weeds they are generally speaking collectively about a group of grasses and plants that are commonly thought undesirable.\u00a0 For example, consider dandelions.\u00a0 They are the bane of my existence.\u00a0 However, in the culinary world, people like the bitter, peppery flavor of dandelion greens in salads.\u00a0 So, even though I cannot imagine it, some people actually cultivate them and there are even farmers who raise them as a cash crop!<\/p>\n

All weeds serve a purpose, it is only when they violate our plans and living spaces that they become problems. So use care in eradicating all of them. They may be providing you with benefits that you are not aware of or could be helping to tell you a story about the condition of your soil. Listen to them, work with them when you can.<\/p>\n

That said, I know how frustrating they can be and fight the good fight against some\u00a0of them myself.\u00a0 Here are some questions and answers that have been on your minds lately.\u00a0 Oh, and if you have additional questions either post them in the comments section or e-mail me at pallan@montysplantfood.com<\/a> .<\/p>\n

Ask Monty\u2019s:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recently bought 50 wooded acres in the country as sort of a place to getaway on the weekends.\u00a0 It\u2019s a great camping spot, but when I let our dogs out to run they came back covered in burrs!\u00a0 I have never seen so many of them.\u00a0 Is there a way to get rid of them?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Gayleen
\nAmerican Fork, Utah<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Gayleen:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meet the cocklebur, one of the most annoying, evasive weeds found throughout the entire United States except in Alaska.\u00a0 Their most notable characteristic is their abundance of spiney burrs that have hook-tipped spines that easily attach themselves to clothing, fur or passing, happy dogs playing.\u00a0 Often referred to as \u201chitchhikers,\u201d that\u2019s how they seem to spread so easily by attaching themselves to anything that moves.<\/p>\n

However, these horrible plants do have to have the right growing conditions to thrive in areas that are washed out, wetlands, disturbed areas, drainage channels, or in unattended fields.<\/p>\n

In addition, their seeds and seedlings are also poisonous.\u00a0 Animals rarely eat them unless they get in their grazing paths, but children and young people have been made seriously ill and have even died from eating the seeds, which both look and taste like sunflower seeds.<\/p>\n

The best way to get rid of these weeds is to apply weed killer in the fall and spring.\u00a0 Your local farm store, extension service or larger nurseries will be able to advise you on what is the most aggressive product to use.<\/p>\n

One of the things to try this season if you are looking for a total kill with a \u2018round-up\u2019 like product containing glyphosate is adding Monty\u2019s NanoBoost.\u00a0 It is an herbicide additive that dramatically improves the efficiency and kill rate of glyphosate and 2,4-D based herbicides.\u00a0 This product is only available from our agricultural dealers at this point, but with Southern States Co-ops now on board it should be fairly easy to find in the Eastern third of the country. Or you can call toll free and order it direct.\u00a0 Read more about NanoBoost, here<\/a>.\u00a0 Then call us at 800-978-6342 to order NanoBoost.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ask Monty\u2019s:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cLast summer I noticed I had a lot of strange, thick-leafed patches of grass in my lawn.\u00a0 A friend told me that it looked like wild onion.\u00a0 Curious of course, and because it was obviously unsightly and out of place on the lawn, I dug one up to discover it had bulbs like an onion.\u00a0 Am I going to see more of this in the spring?\u00a0 If so, how do I get rid of it?\u00a0 Is it poisonous, as I have pets and I\u2019m afraid my cat may mistake it for catnip?\u201d<\/p>\n

Riza
\nNicholasville, Kentucky<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Riza:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wild Onions are harmless weeds, but they do stick up boldly out of a manicured lawn, looking very similar to an onion plant.\u00a0 They are found all over the world and grow wildly, although some species are treated as culinary delicacies.\u00a0 Nonetheless, having them come up in unwanted areas does not redeem their weed qualities.\u00a0 They grow in the fall to early winter and can be controlled through post-emergent broadleaf weed killer on individual plants.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Ask Monty\u2019s:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI have a patch of stinging nettles sprouting up in the corner of my yard, an area that I just haven\u2019t had the time to maintain as well as I should.\u00a0 What\u2019s the easiest way to get rid of these?\u00a0 They aren\u2019t bothering anything, but I think I should get rid of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Carly<\/strong>
\nAbbeville, South Carolina<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Carly:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stinging nettles and common nettles are one and the same: vicious weeds that are not pleasant to come in contact with no matter what.\u00a0 It\u2019s a perennial like most weeds, so unless you get rid of it soon, it will spread and become an even bigger problem year after year with its finger-like roots.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to believe that some people will harvest it and cook it for its nutritional value.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

When eradicating this weed you can either go after it with an all-over weed killer in the winter or early spring or manually remove them by cutting them to the ground with a hedge trimmer and then digging up their roots.\u00a0 Once you get rid of the roots though spray a herbicide over the area for extra measure.<\/p>\n

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Weeds are everywhere this time of year.\u00a0 They are in your lawn and obviously on your mind as our mailbag has been full of questions about them.\u00a0 This week our Ask Monty’s segment is dedicate to all of those pesky, unwanted invasive species. First, just for information’s sake.\u00a0 There is no scientific definition or classification […]<\/p>\n

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