Wagner Farm Community Garden: Weeds and other Friday fun facts

Friday, June 14, 2013

Weeds and other Friday fun facts

A weed by any other name... is a terrific source of nitrogen for a compost pile. So do us a favor and put your weeds to good use in the compost bins, not in your plots!

Here's a primer on the main 6 I've seen out in the community garden over the past year... plus the one who has been the subject of the most disagreement. (Read on to find out why.)

Lamb's Quarter

Lamb's Quarter

Type: Broadleaf annual

Size: To 4 feet tall and 18 inches wide

Appearance: Scalloped leaves have gray undersides.

Control: Mulch to prevent it; pull plants by hand

Smartweed

Smartweed

Type: Broadleaf annual

Size: To 42 inches tall and 30 inches wide

Appearance: Upright plant with pink or white flowers in summer and fall and lance-shape leaves often marked with purple chevrons.

Control: Mulch garden areas in spring to prevent it; pull plants by hand

Canada Thistle

Canada Thistle

Type: Broadleaf perennial

Size: To 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide

Appearance: Spiny, gray-green leaves and purple flowers.

Control: Mulch to prevent it in landscape areas; dig it out by hand.

Note: Thistle has an extensive root system that can grow several feet out from the main plant. This makes it great for using in compost bins or homemade fertilizer.

Pigweed

Type: Broadleaf annual

Size: 6 feet tall, 2 feet wide

Appearance: Tall plants with a taproot; hairy-looking clusters of green flowers.

Control: Mulch garden areas in spring to prevent it; pull plants by hand

Ragweed

Ragweed

Type: Broadleaf annual

Size: To 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide

Appearance: Finely cut green leaves are almost ferny.

Control: Mulch to prevent it; pull it out by hand.

Musk Thistle

Musk Thistle
Type: Broadleaf biennial
Size: To 6 feet tall and 18 inches wide
Appearance: Prickly leaves off of tall stems topped by heavy 2-inch purple flowers.
Control: Mulch to prevent it; dig it out.

And the one at the center of several vociferous arguments last year...

Velvetleaf

Velvetleaf

Type: Annual

Size: To 7 feet tall -- and quickly

Appearance: Large, floppy leaves with a velvety feel, and small yellow flowers.

Control: Mulch to prevent it; dig it out.

I get it -- velvetleaf has soft leaves, pretty flowers, and quick growth. It can seem like a sunflower until the moment you realize it's taken over your plot and it is not something you planted. Velvetleaf is considered a major weed of Illinois cropland because of its quick, almost miraculous growth, and the fact that its seeds can remain viable in soil for twenty years.

Yup, you read that correctly. Let this guy go to seed, and you've got a major weed problem from when your baby is in diapers until she's almost legal to drink. Do us all a favor: unless you KNOW you planted sunflowers in that exact location, if you see a plant looking like this one, yank it right then and compost it.

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What's This?

FieldWatch is a nonprofit organization that is intended to help pesticide applicators and specialty crop growers communicate more effectively. The site registers certified organic gardens and their beehives. This information is provided to crop dusting (pesticide) applicators to let them know the location of organic gardens. They use this information to plan their routes accordingly. Our sign alerts them to keep pesticides away! The Wagner Farm Community Garden and our Wagner beehives are registered as organic sites through FieldWatch.

Q&A

Q: Are cocoa shells allowed as mulch in the community garden?

A: YES! Cocoa shell mulch (also called cocoa bean mulch) is great for gardens. These shells have a sweet smell and look very neat in your garden bed. When cocoa beans are roasted, their shells separate. Roasting the beans sterilizes the shells. Therefore, the shells are weed free and organic. If you are interested in using them in your plot, ask for them at your favorite garden center.

Negatives-When cocoa mulch gets too wet and does not have time to dry between waterings or rainfalls, it can attract pests. Also, in hot, humid weather, the cocoa shells can develop a harmless mold. You can use a mixture of 25% water and 75% vinegar as a spray to get rid of the mold.

*CAUTION- Do not use cocoa bean mulch at home if you have dogs. This sweet mulch can be toxic to dogs if eaten.

Biggest Gardening Mistakes:

Biggest Gardening Mistakes:

1. Planting too soon-The weather forecast shows nighttime temperatures below 50º through next weekend. You are taking a risk if you plant your warm weather crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil, zucchini, etc.

2. Not hardening off your plants-Plants that have been grown in your house or in a greenhouse need to be “hardened off”. This means they need to gradually get use to the outdoor temperature, sun, and wind before being planted outside. Ask if your plants have been hardened off at your favorite garden store. Check online to see how to harden off your plants.

3. Improper Spacing-Your seedlings look so small and cute right now, but they will be huge! Read plant tags and seed packages for recommendations on plant spacing. Proper spacing will ensure better air circulation which leads to healthier plants and better production. Planting things too close together will make your plants more susceptible to disease. It will also make it difficult to harvest your veggies.

4. Not staking plants-It is important to stake your plants. This will promote proper air circulation and will help prevent disease. Staking is especially important because we have overhead sprinklers.

5. Not weeding-Weeds compete with your veggies for valuable nutrients and space. Some weeds even send out growth inhibitors that stunt the growth of your plants. You will get a weed warning in the Community Garden if you decide not to weed.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Weeds and other Friday fun facts

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