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Ada County Weed Pest and Mosquito Abatement
Ada County's 5 Worst Weeds - Whitetop
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***IMPORTANT NOTE***
According to Idaho Code 22-2407, Idaho property owners carry the primary burden of controlling noxious weeds on their land. County Weed Superintendents may only treat noxious weeds on private property if the landowner fails to fully mitigate the situation. In such instances, the County will treat the noxious weeds and bill the property owner for the weed control efforts.
Whitetop, or Hoary Cress, as it is otherwise called, is a serious problem throughout Idaho. This member of the Mustard family of plants can be seen in fields, pastures, rangelands, waste areas, farmyards and roadsides.
Whitetop is a persistent, perennial plant that is so invasive, it can out compete even thick, healthy grasses. You can see this in the late spring, when the whitetop is in flower, in pastures and fields in the southwest Boise area. The whitetop is so dense in some places, there is little else in these fields.
Whitetop is difficult to control for two main reasons. First, whitetop creates large numbers of viable seeds, which can remain in the soil for several years and germinate when conditions favor its growth. Second, established whitetop draws from energy reserves stored in its root system to continue its growth each spring. New shoots, from the root crown and from nodes on the roots, replace and increase the last year's growth.
Because the plant's roots play such an important part of what makes Whitetop an invasive weed, landowners needing to control the plant on their property must select herbicides that translocate (spread) throughout the plant to its root system.
Several herbicide chemicals can be effective on Whitetop including, Escort and Telar DF. The characteristics of your land and any desirable vegetation there will determine which of these herbicides should be used. Discuss your specific weed problem with a professional before you start purchasing your herbicides.
It is vital to know how herbicides work to control the Whitetop. It is very common to overspray herbicide on the weed, which can destroy the plant's foliage before the chemical has had time to absorb into the root system. If the roots do not receive enough of the herbicide, it is possible for them to send up new shoot growth. It's important to follow the labels directions; correct application rates keep you from wasting your time and money, as well as ensuring that any desirable plants on your property are not damaged.
For help controlling a weed control problem, or for clarification about using herbicides, feel free to call Ada County Noxious Weed Control at (208) 577-4646, or visit our office at 975 E. Pine in Meridian. Our office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday except holidays.
|
Ada County Weed Pest and Mosquito Abatement
Ada County's 5 Worst Weeds - Whitetop
|
***IMPORTANT NOTE***
According to Idaho Code 22-2407, Idaho property owners carry the primary burden of controlling noxious weeds on their land. County Weed Superintendents may only treat noxious weeds on private property if the landowner fails to fully mitigate the situation. In such instances, the County will treat the noxious weeds and bill the property owner for the weed control efforts.
Whitetop, or Hoary Cress, as it is otherwise called, is a serious problem throughout Idaho. This member of the Mustard family of plants can be seen in fields, pastures, rangelands, waste areas, farmyards and roadsides.
Whitetop is a persistent, perennial plant that is so invasive, it can out compete even thick, healthy grasses. You can see this in the late spring, when the whitetop is in flower, in pastures and fields in the southwest Boise area. The whitetop is so dense in some places, there is little else in these fields.
Whitetop is difficult to control for two main reasons. First, whitetop creates large numbers of viable seeds, which can remain in the soil for several years and germinate when conditions favor its growth. Second, established whitetop draws from energy reserves stored in its root system to continue its growth each spring. New shoots, from the root crown and from nodes on the roots, replace and increase the last year's growth.
Because the plant's roots play such an important part of what makes Whitetop an invasive weed, landowners needing to control the plant on their property must select herbicides that translocate (spread) throughout the plant to its root system.
Several herbicide chemicals can be effective on Whitetop including, Escort and Telar DF. The characteristics of your land and any desirable vegetation there will determine which of these herbicides should be used. Discuss your specific weed problem with a professional before you start purchasing your herbicides.
It is vital to know how herbicides work to control the Whitetop. It is very common to overspray herbicide on the weed, which can destroy the plant's foliage before the chemical has had time to absorb into the root system. If the roots do not receive enough of the herbicide, it is possible for them to send up new shoot growth. It's important to follow the labels directions; correct application rates keep you from wasting your time and money, as well as ensuring that any desirable plants on your property are not damaged.
For help controlling a weed control problem, or for clarification about using herbicides, feel free to call Ada County Noxious Weed Control at (208) 577-4646, or visit our office at 975 E. Pine in Meridian. Our office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday except holidays.