Weed ID and Management for the Common definitions used for weeds Home Grounds •Weed: plant out of place •Noxious weed FEDERAL: •Public Law 106-224 “any plant or plant product that can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to crops (including nursery stock or plant products), livestock, poultry, or other interests of agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural resources of the United States, the public health, or the environment.” Mark J. Renz & Brendon Panke •Invasive plant FEDERAL: Executive Order 13112 [email protected]; [email protected] (Clinton in 1999): an alien species whose introduction does or is University of Wisconsin-Madison likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Agronomy Dept.

NR40 Wisconsin’s new invasive Common definitions used for weeds species rule Noxious weed STATE: (1975) Prohibited species •All landowners are to contain and prevent the spread of listed – are not yet in the state or only exist as small populations noxious weeds. Municipalities and counties may list species as – have the potential to cause significant damage if they spread noxious locally and do enforcement – It is illegal for people to transport, import, possess, transfer, •3 species listed as Noxious state-wide 1) Canada thistle 2) Leafy sell and introduce these species without a permit. spurge 3)Field Bindweed – Landowners will be expected to control prohibited species found on their property.

•Nuisance weed STATE: (1987) Restricted species •No one may sell, purchase, cultivate, etc nuisance species2 – are invasive species that are already too widespread to expect species listed : Purple loosestrife and Multiflora rose statewide eradicated. – it is illegal for people to transport, import, transfer, sell and introduce these species, but people may possess plants.

http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/classification/

Prohibited Species Common name Common name Restricted Species Australian swamp crop Oxygen-weed, African elodea Common name Common name Common name Brazilian waterweed Pale swallow-wort Autumn olive Flowering rush Narrow-leaf cattail Brittle waternymph Parrot feather Bells honeysuckle Garlic mustard Oriental bittersweet Chinese yam Perennial pepperweed Canada thistle Glossy buckthorn (CV) Phragmites, Common reed European frog-bit Porcelain berry Cattail hybrid Helleborine orchid Plumeless thistle Fanwort, Carolina Fanwort Princess tree Common buckthorn Hemp nettle, brittlestem Purple loosestrife Giant hogweed Sawtooth oak Common teasel hemp nettle Russian olive Giant knotweed Scotch broom Creeping bellflower Hound's tongue Spotted knapweed Hydrilla Sericea lespedeza Curly-leaf pondweed Japanese knotweed Tansy (CV) Japanese honeysuckle Spreading hedge parsley Cut-leaved teasel Leafy spurge Tartarian honeysuckle Japanese stilt grass Water chestnut Cypress spurge Morrow's honeysuckle Tree-of-heaven Kudzu Wineberry Dame's rocket Multiflora rose Wild parnsip Mile-a-minute vine Yellow floating heart Eurasian water milfoil Musk thistle Oxygen-weed Yellow star thistle

1 Prohibited/Restricted Species Why is identification of weeds so important? Common name Details • Management CAN BE improved if species is Amur honeysuckle Map Black swallow-wort Map known! Celandine Map European marsh thistle Map Hairy willow herb Map Hill mustard Map Japanese hedge-parsley Map Japanese hops Map Lyme grass or sand ryegrass Map Poison hemlock Map Tall or Reed manna grass Map Wild chervil Map

Steps to ID Sedges and Step 1: Check Stems Grasses 1. Check if stems are 1. Triangular = sedge species triangular, round, or 2. Flattened = Yellow foxtail, Sandbur, Barnyardgrass flattened? 3. Rounded = Giant foxtail, Green foxtail, Witchgrass, Wild proso millet, Fall panicum, Woolly cupgrass, crabgrass spp. 2. Check for a and many more ligule/auricle 3. Check for hairs 4. Check for perennial organs

Step 2: Ligule/auricle Step 3: Check for hairs

1. Ligule can be 1. Part of plant hairy: •Absent = Barnyardgrass • Sheath • Membranous = Shattercane, Large crabgrass, Smooth • Collar crabgrass, quackgrass • Leaf blade •Hairy: Yellow foxtail, Sandbur Giant foxtail, Green foxtail, Witchgrass, Wild proso millet, Fall panicum, 2. No hairs: Woolly cupgrass Ligule Types • Barnyardgrass, smooth brome, Tall fescue, reed 2. Auricle present canarygrass, bluegrass spp, + many more • = Quackgrass

None hairy membranous

2 Plant 1 Step 4: Perennial? • First leaves 1. Look for rhizomes, bulbs, tuber, and relatively large perennial roots • stems rounded to flattened • Large, 2. Perennial weeds = membranous 1. Quackgrass ligule 2. Kentucky bluegrass • Leaf sheath 3. Reed Canarygrass and blades hairy 4. Tall Fescue

Plant 2 Plant 2

• Clasping auricles • very short membranous ligule • Leaf sheaths hairy early

What are these grasses? Survey of Extension Horticulturists Weed Reason for Concern • Plant 1 • Plant 2 Buckthorn Receive many questions. H Creeping charlie Receive many questions. •A Stems: rounded • Stems: rounded II Q Common purslane Receive many questions. •Ligule:R •Ligule:U Y A Field bindweed Receive many questions, No control

membranous C membranousC information. R K Garlic mustard Receive many questions. • No auricleA • YES auricleG B R Canada thistle Receive many questions. G • Hairy: entire plant • Hairs: SheathA Receive many questions. R S Honeysuckle A and collar S Common dandelion Receive many questions. • Perennial: NOS S • Perennial: NO Chickweed Receive many questions. Japanese knotweed Receive many questions, No control information.

3 Common Buckthorn Common Common Buckthorn Common Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)

The leaves of Glossy Buckthorn are a more vibrant green and are glossy or shiny compared to the dull leaves of Common Buckthorn. Glossy Buckthorn leaves also lack the small teeth found on Common Buckthorn. Glossy Buckthorn Glossy Buckthorn

Know Your LOOK-ALIKES . . . Garlic mustard Creeping Charlie // Garlic Mustard (Allaria petiolata)

Growth form differences Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)

4 Morrow honeysuckle Tartarian honeysuckle Bell’s honeysuckle Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) (Lonicera morrowii) (Lonicera tatarica) (Lonicera x bella)

•Downy leaves. •Hybrid of these two species with mixed characteristics.

Steve Manning, Invasive Plant Control, Jack Ranney, University of Tennessee, Bugwood.org •Smooth hairless leaves. Bugwood.org

Lots of resources to Japanese hedge-parsley aid in identification • Opposite leaves. • Small, open umbel • Books flowers. • Field guides • Many look-alikes. • Websites • Ask an expert • Interactive tools – CDs, Websites

New Weed ID TOOL http://weedid.wisc.edu Demonstration • 355 of the most • http://weedid.wisc.edu common weeds of Wisconsin entered • Allows for selection of known traits to reduce the potential weeds that fit this criteria

5 What do you do if you can’t identify Take a picture and email it to an this plant from the website? expert • Try to identify to family or genus then use other 1. Make sure pictures are in focus. resources (next slide) • Take a picture and email it to an expert 2. Take whole plant shots as well as close-ups. • Send a sample in for identification 3. Close-ups of the leaves, flowers, and stems if • Contact people for samples (Extension Agent should possible. have contact information) – Annual Crops Chris Boerboom (leaving in Dec.) – Horticultural Crops Jed Colquhoun – Perennial Crops/Natural Areas Mark Renz – Turf: John Stier/Paul Koch • They charge $20 for identification • http://www.plantpath.wisc.edu/tdl/

Resources I Frequently Use Preparing/Collecting Plant Specimens • Books • Collect as many plant parts as possible ! – Weeds of the Northeast • 300 species, including woody species, with four or more colored pictures • short cut identification tables FRESH • a narrative (including a useful description of how to distinguish from 1. Place the plant specimen in a plastic bag along with a dry similar weeds) paper towel (don't add water) and seal. – Ontario Weeds • black and white line drawings of 315 species with 28 pages of color plates, 2. Please include date and location of collection and your contact each with six pictures information (email preferred). • a narrative (including a useful description of how to distinguish from similar weeds DRIED • Available on-line at: http://pubont.stores.gov.on.ca/pool/. 1. Flattened in folded newspaper or taped to paper and securely • Websites fastened between two cardboards and sent in a padded – UW-Herbarium http://www.botany.wisc.edu/wisflora envelope or box. – Virginia Tech http://www.ppws.vt.edu/weedindex.htm 2. Plants placed in plastic bags and sent through the mail often – Missouri plants http://www.missouriplants.com/index.html mold. – Ontario weeds www.ontarioweeds.com

Understand the Pest management steps biology of weeds! 1. Pest identification = WHAT IS IT? • How do they reproduce and spread? – Annuals 2. Population size = HOW MUCH? – Biennials – Creeping Perennials 3. Economics = IS IT COSTING ME ? – Simple Perennials

4. Available control tactics = WHAT CAN I DO? – Interactions – Environmental and legal constraints

6 Perennial weeds Types of management methods • Many types, important to know if • Mowing • Hand pulling – Creeping • Grazing • Herbicides • Ex Russian olive, Canada thistle • Cultivation • Flooding – Simple (root crown) • Disking • Biological control • Ex Multiflora rose, dandelions •Flaming • Solarization • Competition • Mulching Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

What management methods do you Hand pulling/removal Benefits use for weeds/invasive plants? Costs •Time • Low cost Methods Responses Percentage • Disturbs the soil • Low risk (No spills, Hand • Your knees mower accidents, or pulling/removal 255 89% escaped fire) Mowing 160 56% Spot spray Mowing (herbicide) 253 89% Costs Benefits Broadcast spray (herbicide) 196 69% • Specialized • Low cost. equipment. Cut-stump/basal • Most people have the bark (herbicide) 143 51% • Very dependant on necessary equipment Burning 71 25% timing. for herbaceous Total responses 285 species.

Tillage/cultivation Costs Benefits Burning • Equipment and/or • If timed correctly very time effective on annuals Costs Benefits • Disturbs the soil • If incorporated with • Escaped fire. • Cover a large area • Can spread perennial plants that can shade • Specialized quickly. roots out weeds effective equipment needed. • Reestablish a Mulch • Need a large crew. environmental Costs Benefits • Legal constraints. condition that many species evolved with. • Labor intensive • Effective • Need an experienced • It is the most fun • May need to alter crew leader. • Can reduce watering control method. nutrient balance needs • Increase rodents

7 Herbicide (spot vs broadcast) What is a herbicide?

Costs (spot spray) Benefits (spot spray) • Takes a lot of time to treat • Effective • Herbicide = phytotoxic chemical and search for plants •Selective • Chemical = A substance with a distinct • Have to mix herbicide up to • Cover large areas quickly when molecular composition that is produced by use compared to previous methods. • Potential for misapplication • Just treat where needed or used in a chemical process. and/or spill

Costs (broadcast) Benefits (broadcast) • Spray the entire area • Cover large areas quickly when • Usually not selective compared to previous methods. • Must have equipment • Cover area of interest without • Potential for misapplication searching for target plants. and/or spill

Contact Systemic herbicides herbicides • Activity only where contact plant tissue • Foliarly applied and taken up • Work great on annual weeds

Roundup Banvel, 2,4-D

Selectivity

• Nonselective (Example glyphosate/Roundup) – Will injure any plant it contacts. • Selective (2,4-D) – Won’t harm grasses. – Won’t harm broadleaved species. – Random selectivity.

8 type of Active ingredient Safe when applied to PREEN Formulations herbicide Herbicide Active % AI Type Selectivity Residual 2,4-D most established grasses systemic Ingred. Activity Dicamba most established grasses systemic Weed Brush Killer DMPA 0.21 Syst Broadleaf Weeks 2,4 D 0.40 Glyphosate not selective systemic Dicamba 0.07 Weed & Grass Killer Glyphosate 2.00 Syst None None Imazapic some grasses (warm season) systemic Weed Preventer organic Corn Gluten 100.0 C soil Annuals Weeks- MCPA most established grasses systemic Meal Month many perennial and/or large Garden Weed Preventer Trifluralin 1.47 C soil Annuals 1-2 Pendimethalin seeded plants contact months 1.37 some grasses and broadleaf Lawn Broadleaf Control 2,4 D Syst Broadleaf Weeks Quinclorac systemic Propionic Acid 0.31 plants 0.13 Dicamba Sethoxydim broadleaf plants systemic Lawn Crabgrass Dithiopyr 0.13 C soil Annual 1-2 Preventer months Triclopyr most established grasses systemic Lawn Weed Killer 2,4 D 0.311 Syst Broadleaf Weeks many perennial and/or large Mecoprop 0.075 Trifluralin contact Dicamba 0.34 seeded plants

Ready-to-Use vs. Concentrates

Herbicide Active Rate Type Selectivity Residual Ingredients Activity Round Up Poison Glyphosate 1% Systemic None Months Ivy Triclopyr 0.1% Round Up Ready Glyphosate 2.00% Systemic None None RTU to Use Plus Round Up Weed Glyphosate 2.00% Systemic None None & Grass Plus Round Up Glyphosate 18.00% Systemic None None Concentrate Round Up Glyphosate 18% Systemic None Several Conc- Extended Control Imazapic 0.36% months to entrate a year Round Up Poison Glyphosate 18% Systemic None Months Ivy Concentrate Triclopyr 2%

Imazapic applied the previous fall Persistence

• No residual (hours- 1 day) • Example: Roundup (glyphosate)

• Short residual (days to weeks) • Example: 2,4-D, Banvel

• Long lasting=(months – years) • Example: Plateau (imazapic)

9 Residual Activity Active ingredient Soil activity 2,4-D Week(s) Herbicide Active Rate Type Selectivity Residual Dicamba several weeks Ingredients Activity Glyphosate NONE Ortho Glyphosate 1% Systemic None Several Ground- Imazapic 0.016% months to a Imazapic Several months -year(s) clear year MCPA several weeks Round Up Glyphosate 1% Systemic None Months Poison Ivy Triclopyr 0.1% Pendimethalin Month(s) UltraStop Glyphosate 1.92% Systemic None None Quinclorac Several months -year(s) Sethoxydim Week(s) Triclopyr Month(s)

Trifluralin Month(s)

Herbicides Breakdown Garlic mustard research

• Evaluated control of garlic Degradation and persistence mustard at 3 sites when – BREAKDOWN RATE DEPENDANT ON SEVERAL applied with different THINGS methods in the fall • Property of specific herbicides – Rate of application • Spot treatment, broadcast, • Physical and environmental factors hand-pull – Soil type, Soil pH – Soil moisture – Soil temperature

– With most herbicides activity is • EXTENDED under Cool, dry weather • REDUCED under Warm, wet conditions

Garlic mustard research Garlic mustard research

% Cover of 2nd year garlic % Cover of plants that mustard % Cover of 2nd year garlic are NOT garlic Treatment Green Pen. La mustard mustard Bay State Crosse Treatment Green Pen. La Green Pen. La Park Bay State Crosse Bay State Crosse gly spot 2% 7 1 0 Park Park gly broadcast 21 10 0 gly spot 2% 7 1 0 4 19 67 hand-pull 14 27 0 gly broadcast 21 10 0 0 3 20 untreated 58 19 42 hand-pull 14 27 0 0 2 42 untreated 58 19 42 0 27 36

10 Time to spot spray Applications of herbicides

• Estimate of time it took to conduct various • Broadcast applications treatments at one site (La Crosse) • Pre-emergent (PRE) • Post-emergent (POST)

• Directed methods method Time (hours/A) – Spot treatment Timing – Basal bark applications FALL IPT (spot) 14.4 B – Cut stump Broadcast 9.1 A – Ropewick Handpull 18.2 B – Timing specific

Prairie restoration Prairie restoration

• Prairie • Applied roundup at 3 timings in fall establishments – September (no hard frosts) attempted at 2 sites – October (few hard frosts) • Areas taken over by – November (many hard frosts) Canada thistle • Suppress Canada Native Plant cover thistle to allow for establishment Horicon McFarland • Minimize injury to Sept 23 11 native plants Oct 45 29 Nov 49 31 UNTREATED 48 24

September vs November Herbicides for perennial weeds

September November • Unique timing for applying herbicides to perennial weeds • Maximize herbicide into perennial tissues – Flowerbud to flowering stage – Resprouts in fall

• Spring is one of the WORST times to treat!

11 Hemp Dogbane Hemp Dogbane control with glyphosate control One PERCENT CONTROL OF Dogbane Year Later Glyphosate Vegetative Bud Early Full (lb/a) Spring Spring Flower flower early summer summer .56 22 73 64 88 Check Glyphosate early flower

.75* 58 72 93 99

1.125 43 91 92 100

1.50 57 78 100 100

Application considerations Tip on managing annual weeds • Read and follow label directions on all chemicals. • Prevent germination of seedlings – Use correct rates – Mulch and/or preemergent herbicide – Calibrate your sprayer • Be sure that chemicals are mixed thoroughly • Remove emerged seedlings when they are small • Never spray when it is windy – Hand pull, herbicides • Spray only the targeted area (ground) • When applying 2,4-D, use low volatile formulations • Prevent plants from producing seeds (amine) and spray when air temperatures are < 80F. • Do not apply soil-active herbicides where water run- • After adding new material, monitor for new off could carry the chemical to non-target plants. weeds

Tip on managing perennial Summary weeds • Determine if they are simple or creeping • All management options have positive and negative perennial weeds aspects.

• Manage with multiple methods • Consider these aspects when selecting the appropriate management tool for your property – Continually manage to prevent storage in organs – Promote rapid canopy closure to limit growth • READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE RESTRICTIONS CAREFULLY!!!! • Prevent plants from producing seeds • No one option will work under all situations, and • After adding new material, monitor for new often an integrated approach works the best. weeds

12