The Rural Voice, 2003-10, Page 49s
3
s
e
e
e
g
d
O
Advice
Dealing with
Purple Loosestrife
By John Benham
Wellington County Weed Inspector
'Tis the time to deal with Purple
Loosestrife!
Individual plants may be pulled
and dug up to remove all roots but
once established into colonies, this is
not possible. Prevention is the most
effective control. Avoid cutting or
trampling the weed as this stimulates
the production of new plants. Even
complete pulling of an established
patch will stimulate the multitude of
seeds in the ground to germinate.
First, make sure you know what
Purple Loosestrife looks like.. I find
there is a tendency to confuse it with
other swampy weeds such as Joe-Pye
weed and Vervain.
Purple Loosestrife, when in flower
from July well into the fall, has a
spike of reddish purple flowers in the
top foot of a six foot plant. The older
flowers will be shedding a huge
number of very, very small seeds
while those above are in full flower.
In its usual habitat along the water's
edge, the seed are carried on top of
the water and wash ashore in a new
location to germinate and start
another colony. A single seed can
mature into a plant with a rootstalk
one and one half feet across
producing up to 50 stems and over
two million seeds each year. You can
see prevention is by far the best
control. Picking off the flower heads
to prevent seed set could be useful if
done before the lower flowers mature.
Biological control may be the
ultimate answer. Already a few
species of insects that control the
plant in Europe have been introduced
here and some seem to be able to
overwinter and damage the plants.
Mother Nature is too smart to let an
insect destroy all of its hosts so don't
look for complete control by these
insects.
Chemical control is not the answer
in Canada, as the products used in the
U.S. are not registered here for
application near water. Glyphosate
(Round Up) is effective for dry land
control but must not be used near
water.0
Need Power?
Have tract
No proble s.
DRUMMOND PTO GENERATORS
SUPPLY LTD.
10 to 135 KW - Single or Three Phase
• Heavy-duty brushless dual -bearing generator
• Solid state voltage regulator
• Breaker protection • Integral gearbox
• Frequency meter • Full load capacity outlet
Mildmay (#308 Bruce Cty. Rd. 16) 519-367-5595
T.S. Fabrication
Custom fabricators of post pounders, dump trailers
and all types of manure spreading equipment
division Litlik4S1)
(Pi;
TS Fabrications
Manure tankers from
650 to 6800 Gal.
Solid manure spreaders
from 3 to 30 Ton
www.bomford-turner.com
The flagship range of heavy duty reach
mowers specifically designed to suit
local authorities, contractors and other
professional users. Many municipal &
farm models available.
T.S. Fabrication
WALTON, ON
Dealer
Enquiries
Welcome
1-800-265-9682
(FAX 519-887-9011)
OCTOBER 2003 45