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2. Using Weeds As Indicators Of Turf Management and Environmental Conditions
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
It is commonly thought that large weed populations are responsible for driving desirable grasses from a turf area. In reality, the presence of weeds, and the lack of turf, often indicates the turf's inability to compete and survive in settings where weeds can. Although it is impractical to expect totally weed-free turf, the presence of large numbers of weeds is often an indication of problems in the growing environment or in turfgrass culture. Employing recommended cultural techniques and altering the growing environment can improve turf quality and health and, thus, reduce the need for pesticide applications.
Reasons For Weed Invasion
Large populations of weeds in turf are usually indications of:
- Improper turf selection
- Poor culture
- Insect pest or disease invasion
- Excessive traffic
- Unfavorable growth environment
Weeds Specific to Certain Environmental
and
Management Conditions
Often, the presence of specific weeds in turf provides clues to the type(s) of environmental and management problems. By learning about weeds that commonly occur under certain conditions, managers can more easily identify these problems and correct them. The following list groups weeds by the environment in which they often occur.
Acid Soils
Red sorrel, Rumex acetosella
Common chickweed, Stellaria media
Goosegrass, Elusine indica
Knotweed, Polygonum aviculare
Mouse-ear chickweed, Cerastium vulgatum
Prostrate spurge, Euphorbia supina
Dry Soil
Black medic, Medicago lupulina
Red sorrel, Rumex acetosella
Dry, Infertile Soils
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium
Moist or Poorly Drained Soils
Annual bluegrass, Poa annua
Common chickweed, Stellaria media
Crabgrasses, Digitaria spp.
Goosegrass, Elusine indica
Ground ivy, Glechoma hederacea
Mouse-ear chickweed, Cerastium vulgatum
Violets, Viola spp.
Yellow nutsedge, Cyperus esculentus
Moist, Infertile Soils
White clover, Trifolium repens
High-Fertility Soils
Annual bluegrass, Poa annua
Crabgrasses, Digitaria spp.
Mallow, Malva neglecta
Purslane, Portulaca oleracea
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Compacted Soils
Annual bluegrass, Poa annua
Low Fertility
Plantains, Plantago spp.
Red sorrel, Rumex acetosella
Low Mowing Height
Annual bluegrass, Poa annua
White clover, Trifolium repens
Moist Shade
Annual bluegrass, Poa annua
Nimblewill, Muhlenbergia shreberi
Violets, Viola spp.
New Seedings
Crabgrasses, Digitaria spp.
Henbit (fall planting), Lamium amplexicaule
Purslane, Portulaca oleracea
Yellow foxtail, Setaria glauca (also listed as S. lutescens)
Shade
Annual bluegrass, Poa annua
Common chickweed, Stellaria media
Ground ivy, Glechoma hederacea
Mouse-ear chickweed, Cerastium vulgatum
Nimblewill, Muhlenbergia shreberi
Violets, Viola spp. |
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3. Controlling Winter Annual Weeds
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Winter annual broadleaf weeds germinate in the fall or winter, grow during
any warm weather which may occur in the winter, otherwise remain somewhat
dormant. They resume growth and produce seed in the spring and die as
temperatures increase in late spring and early summer. They quickly invade
thin turf areas especially where there is good soil moisture. Shade may
also encourage growth. Many have a prostrate growth habit and are little
affected by mowing.
Check out this website on some winter annuals common to eastern Nebraska:
Henbit and Chickweed, http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/hfrr/extensn/problems/Henbit.htm
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4. Weeds On The Acreage- Considerations For The Acreage Owner
By Paul Hay, UNL Extension Educator
Don't under estimate the value of a good weed. They provide a quick and effective cover for vacant land, a good food source for wildlife, some beautiful flowers, they give an outlet for hate, they cover compacted areas, learning to identify them is an interesting hobby, and it is impossible to kill the last one. If part of your reason for being an acreage owner is wildlife and potential for hunting, you may want to culture an enjoyment for weeds in combination with grass, shrubs, trees, crop land, and food plots. The combination of open areas, food sources and shelter can be a very positive wildlife haven for quail, pheasant, rabbits, squirrels, and deer.
However, with that thought in mind controlling weeds in the lawn is usually quite easy. I feel the first step for many acreage owners is defining the limits of the lawn. Do you want five acres of managed grass to care for and mow? If not then define the uses you want for each area. Examples might be lawn, garden, grassland, wildlife, pasture, fruit trees, crops, timber, etc.
The best time to control dandelions in the lawn is late fall. A November treatment of 2,4-D amine with or without lawn fertilizer will keep this common weed under control. The last week of April or first week of May use a crabgrass pre-emergent herbicide with or without fertilizer for annual grass control, and spray other broadleaf weeds like bindweed and clover during June, July, and September as needed with 2,4-D amine or possibly a Trimec combination. Keeping your mowing height high, at 2-3 inches, is also a great help in weed control.
Controlling weeds in pasture and grassland areas on the acreage is going to be easier with proper grazing and/or mowing of these areas. It takes 3-4 acres of grass to feed a horse or cow for a 5-6 month grazing season. If you pasture five horses on five acres, you will have no grass, lots of weeds, and thin horses. In these cases you may be wiser to use the area as an exercise area in the evenings with light grazing, or drylot the horses and use the grass for hay.
A grazing, mowing and fertilization plan must be part of your weed control effort in pasture areas. It can be helpful to divide the pasture into two or three sections if you want to graze the area. If one of these sections is planted with warm season native grasses it would help lengthen the grazing season. Again 2,4-D Amine in November will control dandelions and thistles. Summer applications of 2,4-D Amine will control invading broadleaf weeds like ironweed, curled dock and hoary vervain.
Brome or native grasses maintained for grassland cover need timely mowing at a height of 4-8 inches to maintain good cover and fight invading weeds. If you want walking trails through these areas use the lawnmower at 3 inches to make walking easier and keep ticks at bay.
The responsible use of weed control chemicals is not just reserved for the farmers. Where there is one acreage owner, there are likely others nearby. The improper use of 2,4-D, dicamba and/or other herbicides and insecticides can and will damage the neighbor's grapes, bees, organic garden status, trees, horticultural crops, gardens, etc. Some of the worst cases of pesticide misuse I have seen as an Extension Educator have been on acreage sites.
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5. Fall Is A Good Time To Control Problem Weeds in Pastures
By Tom Dorn, UNL Extension Educator
Fall is an excellent time to control several species of perennial weeds in pastures and waste areas. Perennial plants such as field bindweed, Canada thistle and leafy spurge translocate food from the upper plant parts into the root system in the fall. Herbicides readily move into the roots along with the nutrients, greatly improving the effectiveness of the herbicide. Even if the chemical doesn't completely kill the weed, the plant goes into winter in a weakened condition and is much more susceptible to winter kill.
Fall treatments can be made anytime after mid-September but before hard freezes occur. Treatments can even be made after a light frost has occurred as long as the plants are still active and growing. Daytime temperature in the 50's are satisfactory for effective control.
Fall is also the best time to control Musk thistle and related species. Musk thistle is a biennial, (sometimes a winter annual), that spreads by seeds. Young plants will have a rosette form (a round cluster of leaves that lies nearly flat on the soil). They overwinter in the rosette form, then shoot up (bolt), bloom and go to seed in June, July and August. After producing seed, the plant dies. Fall is a good time to control Musk thistle because the newly germinated seedlings are small and more easily killed. As with the perennial plants, plants that are not killed outright go into winter in a weakened condition and are much more susceptible to winter kill.
In addition to obtaining excellent control on the target weeds, the potential for 2,4-D and dicamba herbicide drift damage to non-target species is lessened in the fall. Most field crops and gardens are finished producing by this time, and the current year’s growth on perennial shrubs and trees is hardened off, making them less susceptible to damage.
I have received several calls about controlling downy brome that has invaded pastures and CRP land. Downy brome is classified as a winter annual, reproducing by seed. Most seeds germinate in the fall but some may germinate during warm spells in winter and early spring. The plants produce a seed head in June and mature and die in July.
In warm season pastures and CRP, one can take advantage of the winter annual growth habit to attempt control of downy brome using glyphosate. Glyphosate applied in late fall or early spring when warm season grasses are completely dormant will kill downy brome plants without harming the dormant species. Allow eight weeks for the herbicide to completely kill the downy brome before grazing or harvesting. Note: Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide and will injure or kill cool season grass and broadleaf species that are actively growing at the time of application.
Horseweed (Marestail) is another weed that seems to be proliferating in pastures and CRP lands. Horseweed is an annual, reproducing by seed. 2,4-D at 1 quart per acre or Ally at 0.2 ounce per acre before the weed is 4 inches tall will provide good control. Control falls off rapidly as the plants become taller and more established.
For chemical control recommendations on specific weeds in crops, pastures and non-crop areas, consult the 2004 Guide for Weed Management in Nebraska, EC 05-130-D, available for $3 when picked up at your local UNL Extension office.
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6. Kids, Animals & Pesticides
By Sharry Nielsen, UNL Extension Educator
Family life in a rural setting can’t be beat, but it does have its hazards. Chemicals used on farms and acreages, even household chemicals, can be lethal to children and animals.
Pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals can enter the body through the mouth, nose, skin and eyes. Curious kids and animals need to be kept away from areas where any farm chemical is being used, stored or handled.
To keep children and pets on your farm safe, follow these guidelines throughout the year, with special precautions taken during times of heavy chemical use:
- Children and pets should avoid contact with all farm chemicals at all times. Their smaller body weights and less efficient immune systems may mean far more serious effects from chemicals than an adult might suffer.
- Do not ask small children to “help” in the application of farm chemicals. Teach older youth and teens to wear proper protective gear when learning how to use chemicals.
- Store pesticides and other toxic chemicals in their original containers, in a locked cabinet or shed. Store treated seeds and fertilizers in a secure place.
- When a chemical container is empty, rinse it thoroughly and dispose of it properly as soon as possible. Do not use the container for other purposes, such as feeding or watering pets.
- Launder any contaminated clothing immediately. Wash separately from the family laundry and dry outside in bright sunshine if at all possible. Rinse washing machine with a full load of water before washing another load of clothing.
- Wear protective gear when handling chemicals, and wash immediately after each use. Keep used gear away from children and animals.
- Declare fields or areas that have been recently treated “Off Limits” to all kids and pets.
If a child does come in contact with a hazardous chemical, have him/her wash immediately with soap and water. Read the label on the container for other emergency procedures. Call your family physician or the Poison Control Center at 800-955-9119 to find out what symptoms or signs to watch for. If medical treatment is needed, take the container or label along to the doctor or emergency room.
The best defense against accidental poisoning when using farm chemicals is to be knowledgeable about the chemicals you are using. Precaution is the best prevention. Read the labels thoroughly and know what to do in case of emergency.
Sources:
Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camp Manual, Chemical Safety Chapter
Lock It Up, Chemical Safety Educational Packet, Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
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7.
Well Decommissioning to Protect Water Quality
By David P. Shelton,
UNL Extension Agricultural Engineer
When a Navy ship is beyond its useful life, it is taken out of service or decommissioned. Likewise, old, unused water wells need to be properly decommissioned to help prevent groundwater contamination. The good news is that funds are generally available to help with decommissioning costs.
Groundwater is one of Nebraska’s most valuable natural resources. Unused and deserted wells, especially those that are old and/or in disrepair, or that do not meet current standards as an inactive well, pose a major threat to groundwater quality and represent a serious threat to human health and safety because of their direct connection to the underlying aquifer. State law refers to these as “illegal” wells. These wells can allow surface runoff to flow directly down to the water-bearing zones, often carrying organic wastes, fertilizers, and other chemical residues such as pesticides and petroleum products into the groundwater. Small animals can fall into these wells, further adding to the contamination. Once groundwater is contaminated, it is difficult, if not impossible, to clean up, and the process is always expensive. In addition, open wells, like the one pictured below, are especially hazardous to children - a risk to human life that can and should be prevented.
Nebraska regulations require that illegal wells be decommissioned following the requirements of Nebraska Health and Human Services System Title 178, Water Well Standards and Contractor's Licensing Act, Chapter 12, "Regulations Governing Water Well Construction, Pump Installation and Water Well Decommissioning Standards". |
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Danger- Open Well
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The decommissioning process includes removal of well equipment (pump, piping, etc), disinfection, filling and sealing, capping, and reporting. The accompanying diagram provided by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources illustrates the various aspects of proper decommissioning. The cost of decommissioning a well will depend on several factors including accessibility, construction technique and materials, diameter, depth, and condition.
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Fortunately, nearly every Natural Resources District (NRD) offers an attractive cost-share incentive to assist well owners in making certain that our groundwater is protected by properly decommissioning old, unused wells. Payment rates vary by NRD, but typically these programs will pay for 60 to 75% of the costs. To apply for well decommissioning cost-share assistance, well owners must first contact the appropriate NRD for an information and application packet that gives program guidelines, forms, and instructions. No cost-share payments can be made unless all procedures are followed.
If there is an unused well on your property, contact the NRD office today to begin the decommissioning process and to do your part in protecting groundwater quality and human health and safety.
Click here to locate your local NRD office.
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8. Nuture Communication In Your Partner Relationship
By Kathy Bosch, UNL Extension Family Life Specialist
Poor communication often causes conflict and can damage marriage and family relationships. Unfortunately, couples are often unaware of effective communications skills that could help them ease the tension, reduce stress and build their relationship. For example, simple conversational changes can prompt cooperation rather than anger. Saying " I feel badly when I have to spend my day off doing all of the family errands", is likely to draw a more cooperative response than an angry, "YOU never help!"
Most people want to know how to improve their significant partner relationship and specifically what they might to do create some change. So to help couples improve their communication skills, a series of six "CoupleTALK" skill-building lessons are available offering practical tips on communicating- and responding -effectively, improving listening skills and learning to balance the demands of work, family and community, yet still make time for a relationship.
Although it is beneficial for couples to take the course together, it is not essential. One partner may read the lessons and interact with classmates and then share the information with the other partner. These self-help lessons are not intended to replace marriage counseling but will help in creating some behavior change.
This program is available on the Internet or through materials available at your local County Extension office.
If you plan to take the course, allow at least 2 hours a week to move through course content and to get the best value from the lessons as well as time to complete activities with your partner. Discussion with the instructor and other course participants is encouraged. You will remain anonymous to everyone but the instructor. Please consider doing this for yourself and your partner! It is a worthwhile investment of time and energy.
Couples who do not have access to a personal computer usually can also access the “CoupleTALK" self-study manual at a public library at little or no cost.
Registrations for the next interactive, Internet edition of "CoupleTALK" begin September 1st and continue until the class begins September 12th. The course will be instructed this fall by Dr. Kathy Bosch, UNL Extension Family Life Specialist. You may register at www.panhandle.unl.edu, or at http:extension.unl.edu.
To request more information, call or stop by your local University of Nebraska- Lincoln Extension office.
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