Weeding at LCCPF Rain Garden C

Weeding at LCCPF Rain Garden C Contents A. Weeding Instructions (below) Our weeding guidelines are pretty much what you would do in your own garden, with a few additions. a) Walk carefully between plant plugs watch your footing at all times. After all the work to plant the plugs, we don t want to trample them to death. b) Get the roots when you pull the weed. Remember to bring a sharp trowel or other weed puller. c) Around each plug, pull all weeds within 8-10 to allow the small plant to grow without competition. (Note, when you find one plug, look around for the rest; most were planted in groups of 8+.) d) Pile your weeds on the sidewalk or roadway, near the rain garden. Staff will pick them up regularly. e) Bring a bag or trug to collect weeds in the area you are weeding, so you don t have to walk back and forth to the edge to deposit weeds. B. Weed List (pages 2 14) On the following pages, you will find information on the 11 weeds that we will be controlling. There are pictures of our target weeds with some information (where available) on various characteristics. These are the worst the weeds that can most easily choke out the natives that we planted this spring. Note that there are many more species of weeds in the rain garden, but most will go away by themselves or will not spread so aggressively that we will have continuing problems. And, some (less-invasive) weeds are good, at this time, because they shelter the plugs. Weeding Targets 1. Barnyard Grass 2. Black Medic 3. Clover White and Red 4. Curly Dock 5. Knotweed 6. Lambsquarters 7. Ragweed Common and Great/Giant 8. Thistle all, but esp. Sowthistle 9. Velvetleaf 10. Redtop Grass 11. Squirreltail Grass General Rule: If you can t positively ID a plant as a weed, don t pull it! 1

1. Barnyard Grass Echinochloa crus-galli Description An upright summer annual weed. Found in moist, disturbed sites, marshes, and wet turf areas. Identification Can most easily be distinguished from other grasses by its flattened sheath, its seed head, and its flat, wide leaves without a ligule. The stem is flat and erect with roots at its nodes. The leaves are linear with a broad round base narrowing at the tip. The seed head is windmill-shaped and the seeds are short with stiff awns. Has continuous collar; may have hair on the collar and a white band on the collar. The sheath occasionally has short hairs; red- to purple-tinged at base. Seed head/flower The flower head is reddish, purplish, pinkish or greenish. Panicle and seed head often purple, spikelets end in a bristle. Each plant can produce up to 40,000 seeds. Vernation Leaves rolled in the bud. Leaf blades and tips are sharp-pointed, rough edges, blades all in the same plane. Leaves are 0.4 0.8 inches wide. Life Cycle Completes its development in 42-64 days. Stems often root from lower notes when touching soil. Other Common Names Cockspur Grass, Japanese Millet, Summer Grass Main Info Source: http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/weeds/barnyardgrass.aspx, http://mint.ippc.orst.edu/barngrass.htm 2

2. Black Medic Medicago lupulina L. Life Cycle Summer annual Description A prostrate summer annual with compound leaflets Seedlings Cotyledons are ovate and pale green in color. First leaf is simple and ovate. All subsequent leaves are compound with three leaflets. True Leaves and Stem Leaves are alternate and compound with three egg-shaped leaflets. Leaflets have very small teeth. Center leaflet on a longer stalk than lateral leaflets. Stipules are present at the base of the petiole. Roots Shallow taproot Flower and Fruit Flowers are yellow and clover-like in appearance. Fruit is kidney-shaped and brown (1.5-2 mm long). Other Names Trefoil, black clover, hop clover Main Info Source: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/pmg/weeds/black_medic.html 3

3. Clover Trifolium repens L. Description An introduced biennial or short-lived perennial legume originating in Europe, it is one of the most widely distributed legumes in the world. Used agriculturally, primarily for hay, pasture, silage, and soil improvement. A quick-growing crop, easily established, and which produces high quality forage. Shade tolerance allows red clover to be used effectively as a cover crop. Identification Leaves are alternate and compound, composed of 3 leaflets, which may have a crescent or water mark on the upper surface. Leaves and roots develop along the stolon at the nodes. Flower heads, each consisting of 40-100 florets, borne on long stalks from the leaf axils. Florets are white but may have a pink hue. There are 2 types of red clover: (a) Medium, or early flowering and (b) Mammoth, or late flowering. Two Types Stem Length Branches/stem Maturity Medium red clover 18 inches avg. 4 Early-flowering Mammoth red clover 24-30 inches avg. 6 Late flowering Plants have hollow, hairy stems and branches. Each leaf consists of a slender stalk bearing 3 leaflets. The taproot of red clover is extensively branched. White clover flowers intermittently for several months, from late spring through the fall. Flowers are borne in compact clusters or heads and are usually rose-pink in color. Seed pods are small, short, and contain kidney-shaped seeds that vary in color from yellow to deep violet. Seeds mature about 28 days after pollination, but are viable at day 12. Main Info Sources: http://extension.missouri.edu/p/g4638, http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_trre3.pdf, http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/white_clover.htm 4

4. Curly Dock Rumex crispus L Life Cycle Perennial Description Perennial with large, narrow wavy leaves in a basal rosette with a sparsely leaved flowering stem. Seedlings Cotyledons are hairless and ovate at the ends of long, ridged petioles. Young leaves form a basal rosette and have red speckling. True Leaves and Stem Stems are smooth, ridged, and often red. Leaves are alternate and have an ochrea. Large mature leaves have wavy margins and very long and rounded. Roots Taproot Flower and Fruit Flowers in clusters on the upper portion of the elongated stem. Flowers are greenish in color and turn a deep red when mature. Fruits are triangular, cork-like structure that contains the seeds. Other Names Sour Dock, Yellow Dock. Main Info Source: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/curly_dock.htm 5

5. Knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum (Fallopia japonica) Note in above photo, the red ring at the node forms a knot. Identification Stems -- Stout, cane-like, hollow between the nodes, somewhat reddish-brown, 5 to 8 feet tall and profusely branched. The plants die back above ground at the end of the growing season. However, the dead reddish brown canes often persist throughout the winter. The stem nodes are swollen and surrounded by thin papery sheaths. Leaves Thick and tough in texture, with short petioles, 2 to 7 inches long and about two-thirds as wide, spade-shaped with a truncate base and an abruptly narrowed leaf tip. An identifying character is the lack of hairs on the leaf undersides. Instead of hairs, there are low, bump-like structures (scabers) visible on the veins with a hand lens. Flowers Small, creamy white to greenish white, and grow in showy plume-like, branched clusters from leaf axils near the ends of the stems. Flower clusters are generally longer than the subtending leaf, unlike the shorter flower clusters found on giant knotweed and the mid-size clusters found on the hybrid Bohemian knotweed. Leaf and flower characters are most reliable when looking near the middle of a branch. The fruit is 3-sided, black and shiny. Spread Primarily by vegetative means with the help of long, stout rhizomes. Management Remove the entire plant, including all roots and runners. Juvenile plants can be hand-pulled, depending on soil conditions and root development. Any portions of the root system not removed will potentially resprout. All plant parts (including mature fruit) should be bagged and disposed of in a trash dumpster to prevent reestablishment. Main Info Sources: http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/animalsandplants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/invasiveknotweeds/japanese-knotweed.aspx 6

6. Lambsquarters Chenopodium album L. Description An upright, branched, summer annual that grows 4 inches to 6 feet tall. Branches generally arch upward and stems are grooved, often purplish or with red stripes. Leaves Arranged alternately along branches, and covered with tiny, white, granular scales. Undersides and margins are sometimes purplish. Lower leaves are borne on stalks, have coarsely toothed margins or shallow lobes, and often resemble a goose s foot. Upper leaves do not have stalks and are narrow and linear. Leaves are ½ - 3 inches long and up to 1 ¼ inches wide. Flowers Tiny, petal-less, gray-green flowers occur in tightly clustered spikes at the ends of branches. Globular and are enveloped almost entirely by a cup of five green sepals. Produce minute, smooth, circular black or brown seeds, covered with a thin, papery casing. Life Cycle Generally, seeds generally germinate late spring to early summer, although germination can take place throughout the growing season. Plants grow vigorously. Flowering is from late summer to early fall, followed by seed production. Mature seeds fall to the ground or stay on the mother plant, and a small percentage of those that fall germinate immediately. The plant dies with frost. Reproduces solely by seed. Is a prolific seed producer, with an average of 72,000 seeds per plant. Seeds typically remain near the parent plant, but can be dispersed on mud via vehicles or animals. Seeds can remain viable in soil for over 20 years. Competes aggressively with other plants; there is some evidence that the presence of lambsquarters residue may slow the growth of other plants. Control Hoeing or hand-pulling must be done repeatedly throughout the season to control the continual seedling emergence. Consistent mowing can give highly effective control. Other Names -- White Goosefoot, Pigweed Main Info Source : http://extension.usu.edu/weedguides/files/uploads/chenopodiaceae.pdf 7

7. Ragweed Common and Great/Giant Ambrosia Types/Names: Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) Great or Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.) A noxious weed in Illinois. Ragweeds grow throughout the US and are most common in the eastern states and the Midwest. Lifecycle A plant lives only one season, but produces up to 1 billion pollen grains. Pollen-producing and seedproducing flowers grow on the same plant but are separate organs. As nights grow longer after midsummer, ragweed flowers mature and release pollen. Warmth, humidity and breezes after sunrise help pollen release. Controls Biological -- As ragweed grows best on disturbed soils, the best way to prevent its spread is to plant cover crops. Mechanical For small areas, pulling the plant or cutting the plant low near the roots, is recommended. This should be done prior to August 1st to prevent pollination and seed formation. Photos of Giant Ragweed Main info sources: http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=19&cont=267 and http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/aq/pollen/pollen.htm 8

8. Thistle - Sowthistle Sonchus oleraceus L. Appearance Perennial herbaceous plant, 2-5' tall erect, single stem, branches near the top into several flower stalks. Broken stems emit a sticky milky bitter juice with a sour odor. Leaves Alternate, lower leaves are deeply lobed, upper leaves clasp the stem; similar to dandelion leaves except with teeth ending in small weak prickles. Flowers Bright yellow up to 2" wide daisies, blooming from June through August. Seeds Tufted, dispersed by the wind. Roots Widely spreading white brittle roots penetrating 5-10 feet, producing new plants from small root pieces. Other Name Common Sowthistle Main Info Source: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/herbaceous/perennialsowthistle.html (Minn.) 9

8. Thistle (cont.) - Field Circium discolor NOTE: Field Thistle is a native that is not invasive in properly managed fields. For our rain garden, however, we do not want any form of thistle (which the public readily IDs as a weed). Appearance A native biennial or short lived perennial. Can be found growing in meadows, wood edges and openings, field borders, abandoned fields, pastures and roadsides. Field thistle initially grows in a basal rosette form (circle of leaves originating from one growing point at the soil surface). Seeds Wind-dispersed, although most seeds fall fairly close to the original plant. Field thistle can sometimes be found in pastures (usually overgrazed), but unlike non-native thistles it is. Roots Field thistle does not spread by underground stems (rhizomes) or roots and is not invasive or as difficult to control as non-native thistles. In fact, Field Thistle will die after flowering and maturing seed, but will readily self-seed on open soil or with sparse vegetation. Main Info Source: http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_cidi.pdf 10

9. Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medicus) Life cycle Summer annual. Emerges in early spring through June; sets seed in late summer/fall and dies. Emerges from soil depths of up to 2 inches. Seed that germinates on the soil surface dies. Seed Produces 2,000 to 9,000 seeds per plant. Plants produce about 70 to 200 seed capsules per plant, and each capsule contains 35-45 seeds. Longevity Velvetleaf has limited persistence in the upper portion of the soil profile because it takes only 2 years for the seed bank to be reduced by 50% and about 16 years to deplete it by 99%. However, when velvetleaf seed is buried deep in the soil profile by plowing, the seed persists longer. Management Once the seed falls to the ground, it is eaten by mice and insects. Seed is not a preferred food source of insects because it is larger than Lambsquarters and Pigweed seeds. Hoeing is successful if plants are less than 1/4" high. Main Info Source: http://www.msuweeds.com/worst-weeds/velvetleaf/ (U of Michigan) 11

Please focus on pulling any of these growing within the 8-10 ring around our plugs. Redtop Grass Squirreltail Grass 12

Redtop Grass Agrostis gigantea Description: Redtop is a sod-forming grass that forms dense vegetative colonies. In Illinois, both native and introduced strains exist, although they are nearly impossible to distinguish from each other. Habitats include degraded prairies (especially clay prairies), moist meadows near streams, and fields. This grass is used in agriculture as a source of forage (esp. for horses). Prefers disturbed areas. Commonly used for erosion control in plantings along riparian zones and wetlands. Germinates very rapidly and performs well on acidic low fertility soils. Its root system is well suited for holding soils on wetlands, waterways, ditch banks and burned or cutover-timberland Identification: Perennial grass 2-3' tall and unbranched. The leaf blades are up to 8" long and 1/3" across; they are green, bluish green, or greyish blue, linear in shape, hairless, and rather flat. The sheath of each leaf is open and hairless; it has a tendency to split open into a deep-v shape, sometimes all the way to the node. The node at the base of each sheath is reddish or purplish and hairless. While the flowers are blooming, the spikelets are light metallic red or light metallic purple; shortly afterwards, they become light grey and rather dull. The blooming period usually occurs from late spring to mid-summer for about 2 weeks. The root system is fibrous and produces rhizomes or low stolons;. It also readily reseeds itself. Redtop can be distinguished from other Agrostis spp. (bent grasses) by its colorful inflorescence during the blooming period and the width of its leaf blades (up to 1/3" across). Note that this grass can become a significant source of hay fever during the early summer. Other Names: Black Bent, Carpet Bent grass, Redtop Bent Main Info Source: http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_aggi2.pdf 13

Squirreltail Grass Elymus elymoides NOTE: LCCPF staff will remove tops of this grass to reduce reseeding. Otherwise this grass helps shelter plugs (we will remove it only when growing within 8-10 of a plug). Description: A native perennial grass is about 1-2' tall and usually tufted at the base, otherwise it is unbranched. Does not tolerate much competition from taller vegetation. Spread: Bloom period is early to mid-summer (rarely into the fall). Afterwards, the flowering spikes become light tan; the fertile lemma of each spikelet produces a single grain. Spikelets become detached and are blown by the wind, which helps to distribute the grains into new areas. Management: The root system is fibrous. This grass spreads by reseeding itself. It often forms small colonies at suitable locations. Main Info Source: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/squirrel_tail.htm 14