Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti)

Velvetleaf 

(Abutilon theophrasti)

August 25, 2010

As a gardener my style is not to get too bent out of shape with respect to weeds.  Some weeds act as companion plants in a garden while others are edible.  I only get concerned if the weeds present the potential to choke out the fruits or vegetables.  My preferred way of dealing with weeds is pulling.

Earlier this year I noticed a suspected weed that I had not seen before.  The plants were mainly in the two new raised beds so chances I thought the seeds might have been in the soil used to fill the beds.  They were appearing in numbers quite suggestive of a weed so at first I was pulling them before the plant got a about 9 - inches tall.  Then it dawned on me that I should identify the plant to be sure it was a weed and not a wildflower that I may want to transfer to another area of the garden.  I decided to let one grow a bit for identification. 

The plant is Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) is a member of the mallow family.  It is classified by Ontario Weeds as a weed that is mainly a problem in corn, soybean, and other tilled crop fields.  This weed can reach a height of 1 to 2 metres.  The broad heart shaped leaves result in overshadowing other plants.  The leaves on the one pictured in one of the pepper beds measures 8 - inches at the broadest point.  In corn fields a density of velvetleaf of 1 plant/m² the loss is 4%  while in soybean fields the same density will result in a 6% loss¹.  Clearly with respect to the cash crop sector this is a problem weed.  The good news is that velvetleaf is not toxic and not known to be allergenic so pulling this weed will not be an issue.  Velvetleaf also attracts beneficial pollinators.  It is acting somewhat as a companion plant with the peppers though if you notice the damaged leaves.  Whatever insect is doing the damage is going for the velvetleaf and leaving my peppers alone so the peppers are nice and healthy looking.  The seeds of velvetleaf are edible and at one time fibers from the plant were used in China. 

I would like to let one grow big enough to harvest the seeds to use as a companion plant next year.  With proper management by pulling before the plant has a chance to flower I can reap the benefits of the pest control without reducing yield.  This plant is just now started to flower.  My main concern is the plant is just too big to keep where it is.  What I'm going to try is potting up one of the smaller velvetleaf or may even transplant a couple to harvest the seeds.  While the plant is not classified as a noxious weed in Ontario it is in British Columbian and several US states so I will be using careful management with this weed.  As soon as the seed pods appear I will be bagging one or two and remove the rest so the seeds don't get out into the wild where they can be a problem.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Weeds, Weeds and More Weeds

The combination of copious amounts of rain daily with high temperatures and humidity have spurred a surge of weeds in the raised garden beds.  I seriously don't mind weeds in my gardens because some of them are edible and others act as companion plants to protect the fruits and vegetables.  However at this point I have no choice but to weed especially when the weeds start overshadowing the vegetables.  It wasn't a pretty sight but I managed to clean the beds out in short order.  On the bright side apparently the the vegetables and herbs enjoyed all the rain and hot weather because they are really looking nice!  So far it looks like the zucchini and a couple of the pickling cucumber planters didn't make it though.  I will have to repot them.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Queen Anne's Lace

Queen Anne's Lace

July 14, 2010

Queen Anne's Lace aka wild carrot is a fairly common weed here.  The plant was introduced from Europe.  It is a biennial that blooms from May through October.  Some consider Queen Anne's Lace invasive as it can crowd out native plants but most find this pretty weed easy to control.  The tap root which is a carrot is edible although the leaves are toxic and can cause a rash.  The plant is actually a beneficial weed attracting pollinators and caterpillars of the Eastern Black Swallowtail.  It can be grown in gardens if desired to help attract beneficial pollinators and predators like Green Lacewing that attack aphids. 
Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Poison Sumac

One of our kids reacts quite violently to poison ivy to the point of needing emergency medical attention from exposure on several occasions.  Most of the contact has come from when we were camping but the other day a large poison ivy plant was discovered in their backyard so called me for advice.  That jogged my memory to take another look around the yards to be sure there was no poison ivy. 

I discovered a potential problem bush coming up through some of the cedars.  Like poison ivy it had the characteristic reddish tinge on the young leaves and the leaves three.  There was one larger  shrub about 5 feet tall and a few smaller ones.  The shrubs have been identified as poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix).

Poison sumac is a wood shrub that can grow up to 20 ft tall.  All parts of the plant contain urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation in humans.  If the plant is burned inhalation of the smoke may cause the rash to appear on the lining of the lungs.  This can cause extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory distress.  The leaf consists of 7 to 13 oval to oblong tapering to a sharp point (acuminate) with a wedge-shaped base (cuneate) leaflets per leaf ending in the characteristic 3 leaf pattern.  Each leaflet is wavy-edged (undulate) with no hair to fine down-like hair.  Poison sumac grows in very wet or flooded soils in the eastern United States and Canada.  Some botanists indicate that poison sumac is the most toxic plant species in the US. 

We have encountered it before when hiking through boggy areas.  The poison sumac is growing in areas that were affected by our previous drainage problems with the largest of the plants growing in an area that routinely floods in the spring or heavy rains.  Essentially our paved driveway is higher than the neighbour's yard so our first year here we noticed the water problems.  Between the two of us we have been working on the drainage problems on both properties.

Since poison sumac is so toxic we have no choice but to destroy the plants for our own safety.  This is one of the few times that Round-up can be used here due to Ontario's pesticide ban.  I will wait for a clear, dry day then spray the plants.  Once they are dead we will remove them wearing protective clothing and bag them in yard waste bags for the garbage as the dead plants cannot be put in the compost or be burnt.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Weed Control Revisited

I know snow is still on the ground in our area and what a gorgeous sight to behold but soon our attention will be turning to our gardens. This year is going to present a new challenge for us in that we will be doing our gardening in two very different zones. Regardless of what zone you garden in, weeds are an issue. There are a couple of ways to go about dealing with weeds organically.

1. edible weeds - Identify any edible weeds and use them. These can and should be used to supplement your growing season food supply. At the same time some edible weeds like pigweed can be used as complimentary plantings to protect other vegetables from insect damage so even if you don't eat them one or two cultivated weeds won't hurt your garden any.
2. non-edible weeds - There are several organic methods available for controlling weeds. The most effective is manual removal aka the old pulling weeds. It's good exercise and somewhat satisfying. A blow torch is another effective method of killing off weed but caution should be used in dry to extremely dry conditions. A 5% - 10% solution of white vinegar sprayed onto weeds is also an effective, non-toxic herbicide. Mulches can greatly reduce weeds when used effectively.
   

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Pigweed

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

Weeding the Beds

Last weekend was an extremely busy one following a rather cool, rainy week. This gave me little chance to get out into the garden. It's never a good idea to work in the garden when the foliage is wet as this will cause any existing plant disease to spread rapidly. Yet checking the gardens daily is important to catch any potential problems before they become problems. Saturday morning I decided to spend a little quality time in the garden before we left for a family gathering.

Lots of Weeds

The few spells of warmer daytime temperatures combined with lots of water has been very good for the garden beds. Unfortunately these conditions have also been ideal for the weeds. As you can see it was getting to the point of being difficult to see the pepper plants!

Weeds in and of themselves are not always a bad thing. In fact you can use them to your advantage to help protect seedlings from certain pests until they become established then pull the weeds to allow the desired plants to continue growing. Other weeds such as pig weed and dandelions are edible plants so may even be desirable to leave a few in your garden. I decided to do a fairly good weeding to get the beds under control and keep weeds to a minimum. Notice the minimum as I am not a fanatic at keeping a completely weed free garden. A few weeds will continue to offer a bit of insect protection but too many weeds will take up too many nutrients so a bit of balance is good.

Partly Weeded

Weeding raised beds planted in the square foot gardening method is rather easy. I sit on a small stool then using my handheld cultivator I break the soil then move the cultivator back and forth in a zig zag manner. This loosens the soil while doing the weeding. Then I simply pick up the weeds roots and all and put them in my weed bucket. It is simple yet effective. I weeded 24 of the 40 squares of the first garden in about 20 minutes using this method combined with some basic pulling through the lettuces.

One thing that I find rather interesting is the squares with marigolds in them had very little in the way of weeds. The herb garden looked almost bare in the unplanted squares in comparison to the tomato, pepper and lettuces bed. I finished up the weeding of this bed and the herb bed Sunday morning spending a half hour before leaving for an afternoon of boating. Now the beds have been fully weeded, keeping the weeds in check is as easy a pulling any as they appear. I usually pull a few weeds each day when I check the beds so a longer weeding session is seldom needed.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009

Weed Control

Dandelion
May 29, 2009

If you haven't seen a dandelion in your yard then you either don't have a yard or your yard is chemically treated. The Ontario Pesticide Ban is now in effect so some consumers are now concerned they will not be able to control weeds in the yards. Round-up® a chemical herbicide that some relied on heavily can now only be used to control poison ivy and you have to sign a waiver to that effect. The reality is these heavy-handed chemical herbicides are simply not necessary for most home applications. In the very rare case perhaps but weeds can be effectively controlled in most cases without resorting to chemicals. Here's a few effective ways to control weeds in your yard:

1. identify the edible weeds - Keeping chemicals out of your yard will allow you to harvest the edible weeds. This is an eco-friendly way to extend your food dollars.
   
2. wild rabbits - If you have wild rabbits in your area, protect your vegetable garden and tulips but otherwise allow them free reign in your yard. The rabbits like to eat the weeds but not the grass so they will help keep your weeds in check. They are especially fond of clover!
   
3. manual removal - Manually digging, pulling or cutting weeds is about as effective as you can get. Try to remove them before they go to seed. If you remove a few weeds each time you are in your yard, it won't be long before you have them under control.
4. choke weeds out - Each time you manually dig a weed from your yard, add a little soil to the spot and spread grass seed assuming you want grass as a ground cover. Seed in the spring and the fall. If the weather calls for a wet spell seed before it hits. What this does is form a dense grass bed that essentially chokes out weeds. If you are using other ground cover such as snow in summer or Irish moss, keep it dense. The denser the better to prevent weeds.
5. boiling water - Heat your kettle to boiling the pour a little boiling water on the weed you want to kill. The effects are pretty much immediate! This is particularly effective for weeds growing in pavement cracks and between patio pavers.
   
6. black plastic - If you have a patch of weeds you want to destroy wait for a warm, sunny, dry day. Lay black plastic garbage bags in a single layer over the patch. Anchor with a couple of stones to hold the plastic down. Leave on until evening letting the heat of the sun on the plastic kill off the weeds. Remove the dead weeds.
   
7. salt - Salt can be an effective weed control but should be used sparingly and in confined areas as it can also kill other plants. Residual salt will spread to other areas with rain as well. Do not use for weed control in vegetable or flower beds. Use it in solution.
8. vinegar - Plain white vinegar is an effective herbicide. Pour or spray undiluted vinegar directly on the weeds you want to destroy. Do not use in vegetable or flower beds.
   
9. blow torch - A blow torch can be used to quickly and effectively kill weeds. Do not use it for weeds growing through cracks in asphalt or for destroying poison ivy.
10. leaf blower - Companies that seal asphalt driveways use a high powered leaf blower to blow weeds out of cracks in the pavement. This is surprisingly very effective.
    
11. prevention - Preventing weed problems goes a long way for weed control. Before putting down mulch or garden paths, cover with a thick layer of newspaper or cardboard. Both will break down into the soil while providing weed control. Don't compost weeds that have gone to seed. Apply your weed control measures before the weeds to to seed.
    

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009

Bindweed

Bindweed
(Convolvulus arvensis)

Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is a member of the morning glory family. It is a very invasive, spreading weed that can be introduced to the garden through soil and roots. Quite frankly I think bindweed is rather pretty with its small trumpet shaped white flowers with faint pink stripes. It covers wires and chain link fencing nicely but it is still considered a weed especially when it gets into the lawn. That brings to a brief commentary on weeds.

Weeds are essentially plants that for whatever reason are not valued. They tend to be very persistent, hardy in most conditions and difficult to control. However what is a weed in some locations is not a weed in others and some weeds like dandelions are cultivated because they are edible. Folks start to panic when they see weeds in their lawns but lets put this in a different perspective. In terms of the environment, lawns are horrible abusers. They are chemically dependent, water hungry stretches of green outdoor carpeting that really should be banned. Maintenance spills tons of CO₂ into the air daily. The only good thing that I have to say about grass is in some locations it helps prevent soil erosion but for the most part, grass is bad news for the environment. There are so many other low to no maintenance, low water using ground covers to choose from that grass is simply not needed! In terms of weeds, consider bindweed. It is pretty and it is invasive. It can thrive in just about any soil condition. You don't need to trim it, water it or anything else because it does thrive on neglect. It would make the perfect grass substitute! However, we are so brainwashed into believing we need that patch of green carpet that the environmentally unfriendly green carpet is a must.

Back to bindweed. Bindweed is on the borderline of being virtually impossible to eradicate. A broad leaf herbicide can be somewhat effective but with the Ontario ban that more than likely won't be possible. More effective is manual removal but persistent pulling and digging. Be warned that the roots can extend as deep as 5 - feet. Inserting solid barriers into the ground along fences or gardens can help prevent bindweed from overtaking the lawn from neighbouring property but new shoots will appear where there are roots. So be persistent!

Bin
Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2008