Pigweed
Most gardeners will come across pigweed (white arrow) fairly early in their gardening efforts. Pigweed gets its name because the weeds are widely used as pig fodder. In southern Ontario there are three main varieties of pigweed - red, green and smooth. They are all quite similar in appearance until they bloom. Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) is the most common pigweed in Ontario but since 1940's green pigweed (Amaranthus powellii S. Wats.) has spread into southern Ontario from the western United States and smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.) has spread into Ontario southwestern Ontario from the eastern United States since the 1970's. So essentially we see all three varieties of pigweed in Ontario. The bloom for all varieties is a spike that may be oddly shaped.
In commercial gardening operations pigweed can have a considerable impact on yield because this yield because it competes for light, water and nutrition. At the commercial level a broad-leaf soil emergent and postemergent herbicide is used. In the home garden where pigweed can easily take over a garden in little time the best control is hand pulling or using a hoe. BUT before you consider eradicating pigweed from your garden you should know it is an edible weed that is more nutritious than spinach!
True you do not want pigweed taking over your whole garden however you may want to consider leaving a 1' x 1' or 2' x 2' patch of nothing but pigweed. Basically it is free food! There are a lot of recipes available online for cooking pigweed but it can be used raw as a salad green too. I purposely leave one or two pigweed plants in with my peppers as companion plants. What this does attract the insects that would damage the pepper plants. They end up damaging the pigweed and leave the pepper plants alone so it is a win/win situation for me. It is also a good companion plant for beans, peas and most lettuces. At the same time pollinators are attracted to the garden when pigweed is in bloom. If you are using pigweed as a companion plant it is important to not let the plant go to seed! As a weed goes, pigweed is more of a friend than a foe.
Happy Gardening!
Garden Gnome
©2006-2009
That pic that you're saying is pigweed looks like lambs quarters.....?
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