How to remove wheatgrass from your garden or summer cottage forever? How to get rid of wheatgrass using chemicals, herbicides, green manure, and folk remedies?

In this article we will share tips on how to get rid of wheatgrass on your property, garden or vegetable garden.

For anyone involved in farming, the extreme resilience of weeds and their ability to take nutrients and moisture from the soil, taking over territory from their cultivated neighbors in the garden beds, is a perennial problem. In Rus', exclusively “for their own business”, weeds received apt nicknames that characterize them. Once upon a time, the word “pig” was in use - shove, which began to be called the ubiquitous wheatgrass for its strong rhizomes, pushing and displacing the roots of garden plants. Today's summer residents also have to get rid of this weed on their plots to prevent crop losses.

Wheatgrass (pictured) on the one hand is a difficult to eradicate weed, and on the other hand it is a valuable fodder and medicinal plant

It is known that this weed brought not only harm. The medicinal properties and nutritional value of the plant were also appreciated by our ancestors and recorded in oral folk art, for example: “Wheatgrass - overcome a hundred ailments!”

To this day, it is used in cooking and pharmaceuticals, as well as in folk medicine. Therefore, when using standard preventive measures and effective methods of eradicating grass at your summer cottage, which we will discuss in detail in the article, you should not downplay the advantages or exaggerate the harmfulness of the weed.

Creeping wheatgrass: what does it look like in early spring, how does it reproduce, on what soils does it grow?

Wheatgrass is a perennial weed that quickly spreads across a plot of land and causes a lot of trouble for gardeners. Before we tell you how to deal with this noxious weed, let’s imagine it in all its glory. As they say, you need to know the enemy by sight.

Creeping wheatgrass

Creeping wheatgrass (Elytrigia repens) is a cereal herbaceous plant with a creeping branched rhizome, lying to a depth of 15 cm or more, quickly spreading over large areas. The root system of the plant can cover an area of up to 3 meters
It has popular names: plover, dog's tooth, ponyry. The weed grows quickly and can reach a height of up to 1.5 m. Long linear leaves are green with a bluish tint. Has a flower in the form of an erect spike
The weed can grow on different types of soils, even highly acidified ones. The ability of seed and vegetative propagation (in pieces of rhizomes), unpretentiousness, great resistance to drought and frost, rapid “conquest” of land, all this gives reason to classify creeping wheatgrass as the most malicious weed.
Wheatgrass seeds germinate already in March-May at a temperature of +2+4°. Pointed elongated ribbon leaves climb out of the soil, at the same time a powerful rhizome is formed, which quickly spreads and throws new plants to the soil surface

Creeping wheatgrass with rhizome

How to achieve the effect forever: 5 golden rules

Getting rid of wheatgrass in your garden is difficult, but possible. The main thing is to act, using all control measures in combination. To achieve a good result, follow 5 golden rules:

Do not neglect the area, do not allow the weed to grow in a continuous layer. It is important to remove the sprouts when they first appear (uproot them). It is easier to control young plants than older ones.
Remove roots. It’s not enough to cut the greens. It is necessary to carefully select the underground part. Even from a small fragment a new plant will develop (the root system of wheatgrass is very powerful, the roots grow up to 1.5 m in length).
Use chemicals strictly according to instructions. You cannot overuse continuous herbicides (including those described in the article) - the soil will “deteriorate” and the crops will not be able to bear fruit.
Sow and mow green manure. Phacelia, buckwheat, mustard, winter, clover block the development of wheatgrass - “block its oxygen.” In 2-3 years the weed will disappear completely. How to use green manure for good - read in a separate article.
Act comprehensively. Often one method is not enough. It is safer to use different methods simultaneously or alternating them. For example, herbicides and a mechanical approach, or mulching with a folk remedy.

Wheatgrass is a powerful weed. All measures are good to combat it. It is important to try to choose the most effective one.

Wheatgrass: how to get rid of chemistry, herbicides, wheatgrass poison

Herbicides

Chemicals to combat green pests have proven their effectiveness and speed of action. Systemic chemical reagents penetrate the entire plant when sprayed and have a detrimental effect on the weed.

Important: The choice of herbicide should be based on the goal of achieving the effect: complete removal of all plants in a given area or selective action.

If it is necessary to remove all the plants on the path or between the paving slabs, continuous action herbicides are used. On lawns and large areas of garden crops, drugs with selective action on certain types of weeds are used.

Herbicide sprayer

Online stores and specialized gardening centers offer a large selection of chemical reagents to combat wheatgrass:

Roundup
Hurricane Forte
Agrokiller
Glyphos
Tornado
Ground
Fusilade Forte

IMPORTANT: Chemical methods of treating wheatgrass are effective, but one should not forget that by removing the “annoying” weed from the garden with the help of herbicides, a person causes irreparable damage to the living soil and its inhabitants. Plants planted on such soil will be exposed to these reagents for a long time. According to scientists, herbicides in one area should not be used more than once every three years.

When working with chemical herbicides, you should use personal protective equipment: goggles, respirators, gloves, thick clothing that does not allow the herbicide to come into contact with the skin.

Preparation Baikal EM1

New technologies in the fight against wheatgrass

Along with strong chemical herbicides, science is introducing new drugs that do not have a detrimental effect on the soil composition and its inhabitants. Biochemist scientists have found strains of microorganisms that can feed on organic debris.

These are so-called EM drugs. By treating the soil with these substances, the soil structure is not disturbed, but on the contrary, the balance of soil cover and microflora is restored without digging and other traditional agricultural techniques

When EM preparations are applied to the root system of weeds, they die as a result of EM fermentation. In addition, effective microorganisms are a wonderful microbiological fertilizer.

The following soil treatment preparations deserve attention:

Baikal EM-1
Shine
Renaissance
Tamir
EM molasses
Emix
Gumazat EM universal

Organic farming

With the help of organic farming, it is quite possible to get rid of creeping wheatgrass. Such techniques are no less popular than chemical drugs, since they are also quite effective. What is important is that the natural balance is not disturbed when using organic products.

There are two reliable ways to control wheatgrass.

Firstly, with the help of EM drugs. These are products specially developed by scientists from microorganisms. EM preparations are used in small concentrations to improve plant development and also to prevent diseases. In addition, the products can be used differently, you just need to increase the concentration 10 times. First you need to trim the green part of the plant a little. You can switch to using organic products only after 12 hours. If you treat weeds with an EM preparation, bacteria quickly enter the cuttings, which triggers the fermentation process. As a result, the roots become unviable and, as a result, the wheatgrass dies.

The most popular EM drugs are:

"Tamir";
"Baikal EM-1";
"Shine";
"EM-molasses";
"Renaissance";
"Gumazat EM universal."

To achieve the desired result in the destruction of wheatgrass, it is imperative to increase the dosage by 10 times the traditional norm. Otherwise, the drugs will only stimulate the growth of the weed.

Secondly, you can get rid of wheatgrass with green manure - these are plants that are sifted and then mowed before flowering to improve the condition of the soil. Such vegetation not only enriches the soil with nutrients, but also displaces weeds from it. Green manure includes oats, mustard, buckwheat, phacelia, rapeseed, rye, sunflower and legumes (corn, peas, beans). The bottom line is that you need to sift the plants at a distance of 15 cm from each other, wait for them to sprout (by 15 cm in 5-6 weeks), cut them, cultivate them and re-sow the area with green manure. If you carry out the procedure regularly, you can get rid of wheatgrass forever.

Fighting wheatgrass in the garden: roundup

Herbicide Roundup
Roundup has received well-deserved attention in the fight against many difficult-to-control perennial grass weeds, in particular, creeping wheatgrass. The new generation herbicide is characterized by many indicators that deserve the trust of gardeners.

High efficiency . Roundup completely frees the treated area from weeds

Safety . If the instructions for use are followed, the herbicide is practically not dangerous to people and the environment

IMPORTANT: Roundup, due to its low toxicity, is included in the register of approved drugs by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Ecology of the Russian Federation.

Glyphosate, the active component of Roundup, has a systemic effect. After spraying the weed, the solution penetrates into all parts of the weed, reaching the root system 6-7 days after treatment.

The soil is treated with Roundup before sowing and after harvesting to prevent the soil before the next planting. To remove creeping wheatgrass, working solutions are prepared according to the attached instructions. The solution destroys both individual plants and dense grassy thickets.

Features of using Roundup

The working solution is sprayed in dry, windless weather in the complete absence of dew and rain moisture on the leaves of the weeds.
It is permissible to store the prepared solution for a week if the container in which the solution is stored is tightly sealed
Do not pull out or mow weeds before applying herbicide.
After treatment with Roundup, agrotechnical measures such as weeding, digging and loosening the soil should not be carried out for 5-7 days
If the herbicide solution somehow gets on a crop plant, it should be thoroughly washed off with water.

Botanical features of the plant

Wheatgrass has a long list of popular names, the essence of which reflects its main external qualities, vitality and fertility.

Here are some of them: fire-grass, root-grass, white root, dog-grass, worm-grass, wheatgrass, dog's-tooth, grain-grass, ponygrass, plover, ortan-grass and dandur.

Wheatgrass (Elytrigia) is a genus of perennial herbaceous plants of the grass family, numbering about 30 species. Many of them grow on the territory of Russia, but one is the most famous - creeping wheatgrass (E. repens) . The plant is found everywhere and forms thickets of grass in clearings and forest edges, in floodplain meadows and embankments, near roads, in fields and vegetable gardens.

Like all cereals, wheatgrass inflorescences have the shape of a multi-flowered spike

The grass is frost-resistant (seeds can germinate in March at a temperature of +3 ℃) and easily adapts to any type and level of soil moisture. The incredible vitality and rapid spread of wheatgrass is associated with the biological characteristics of the plant. It reproduces depending on weather conditions and by seeds (generatively), but most often - vegetatively due to a long creeping rhizome, forming a dense network of shoots underground, on which numerous growth buds are located.

The above-ground part is up to one and a half meters in height, long narrow leaves of a bluish-green color, growing vertically from the root, no more than one centimeter wide. During the flowering period (June-July), the weed is easily recognized by its rare spike, up to 30 cm long. Small flowers of a pale green hue at the top of the stem are collected in four-seven-flowered spikelets. The seeds, in the form of an elongated grain, ripen in August (up to 10,000 on each plant) .

Livestock farmers consider floodplain meadows with wheatgrass to be the most valuable hayfields, allowing them to mow and harvest up to 6 tons of hay per hectare

The underground part in the form of cord-like creeping rhizomes, penetrating up to 1.5 meters deep, forms a continuous turf at a depth of 5-15 cm. Even small fragments of roots remaining after weeding or digging, having at least one bud, produce new growth in a short time. The shallower the depth of the rhizome, the more actively it germinates.

On arable lands, the depth of rhizomes is on average 10-12 cm, and on dense soils - up to 5 cm. Moreover, the force of their growth is so great that they penetrate through some root crops and tubers, such as potatoes.

Filling the area with its branched roots - “cords”, the grass is able to displace many cultivated plants, and in neglected places, other weeds. The lifespan of thickets left to their own devices is up to seven years, then they gradually thin out and die.

Wheatgrass Remedy: Hurricane

Herbicide Hurricane Forte

Hurricane Forte is a systemic herbicide with continuous action. It contains the active substance glyphosate and is considered an analogue of the herbicide Roundup with the same chemical reagent. Available in containers of different packaging, which is convenient for processing areas of different sizes
To spray 1 acre of garden, dilute 20-40 ml of the drug in 3-4 liters of water. Used before pre-spring planting and after agricultural work in the fall
Completely removes such difficult-to-remove weeds as creeping wheatgrass, as it penetrates not only into the leaf part of the plant, but into the stem and root system. Hurricane Forte is a low-toxic drug and is approved for use. Safe for bees, the environment and people

IMPORTANT: When preparing the working solution, you must strictly adhere to the rules for preparing the drug, following the recommendations set out in the instructions.

Advice from experts : for more effective destruction of the root system of creeping wheatgrass, add 100-150 g of urea per 10 liters of working herbicide solution. Ammonia nitrogen improves the delivery of the drug to the roots of the weed plant.

Common mistakes

To be sure to get rid of wheatgrass once and for all, try not to make common mistakes of inexperienced gardeners:

the main feature is to remove the aerial part, preferably with as much root as possible;
even if the garden is seriously overgrown, this does not mean that aggressive substances need to be used frequently - no more than once every 2 years;
practice preventive control (mulching, shading, sowing green manure in early spring) so as not to get rid of the weed after the fact, but to create unfavorable conditions for it in advance.

As you can see, there are very few simple steps, and such a tenacious and annoying weed as wheatgrass will no longer feel so at ease in your garden.

Green manure against wheatgrass

Green manure plants
Removing wheatgrass from the soil using green manure plants is an organic method of cultivating the soil. Sowing a site with green manure does not affect the ecology of the environment and the soil. The technique helps not only to remove weeds, but also to aerate the land cover and improve the soil structure.

The most common green manure plants:

Sarepta mustard
lupine
phacelia
buckwheat
rape
clover
rye
peas

Green manure is sown on land after shallow plowing (with a Fokin flat cutter, walk-behind tractor or cultivator) a month before planting or immediately after harvesting.

Green manure, growing, displaces weeds from the site. In addition, mowed and embedded green manure grass into the soil improves its quality, promotes natural aeration of the soil and its fertility. The sown green manure does not allow the wheatgrass root system to grow, and the soil will gradually be cleared of the malicious weed.

What is creeping wheatgrass?

Wheatgrass is a plant from the cereal family and has a typical structure. There are several dozen types of wheatgrass, but the most malicious weed is creeping wheatgrass. This is a tenacious plant that quickly reproduces by seeds and takes root. Wheatgrass can infest both agricultural fields and private gardens. It is difficult to get rid of it; it may take more than one season.

Wheatgrass reproduces well by seeds and rhizomes, and under favorable conditions, when the weed has enough nutrition, moisture and light, the vegetative method predominates. The roots grow and branch in different directions, the root mass from 1 sq. m can reach 2.5 kg. Growth buds begin to grow with the onset of spring and can penetrate not only the soil, but also such obstacles as potato tubers and thin rotten boards. The plant got its name for this ability.

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It throws out wheatgrass spikelets if it grows in poor soil or in dry summers, providing itself with seeds. The plant is extremely prolific and can produce up to 10,000 seeds each.

The vitality and germination of the seeds is excellent; once they fall into the ground, they can germinate for 12 years. Wheatgrass is cold-resistant; the roots do not freeze even in severe frosts.

Remedy for wheatgrass on potatoes

Potato field

Preparing a bed for potatoes in a summer cottage is not difficult. Many gardeners prefer an ecological method of destroying wheatgrass in a small area: digging up the soil in the fall and then removing the rhizomes. Moreover, you should dig the soil with a pitchfork to avoid breaking the wheatgrass roots, which provokes new growth of the root system
But how to fight weeds in large areas of potato fields? This method will be very difficult. You can't do without herbicides here. Roundup, Tornado, Hurricane Forte are modern high-tech systemic herbicides that are used by spraying on weeds according to the attached instructions for use
Late autumn tillage with reagents or after harvesting is effective. When spraying in spring, it is recommended to pre-sowing treatment of the area or 3-5 days before crop germination

How to get rid of wheatgrass in strawberries?

Growing strawberries
Fighting wheatgrass in strawberry beds is problematic, but possible. Let's give some tips on how to do this.

If wheatgrass has infested the strawberry beds, you should defuse the plantings. It is recommended to remove old and weak plants. This helps improve ventilation between the strawberry bushes and makes it possible to dig up nearby wheatgrass. Then you should manually remove the weed along with the root system
If there is a large accumulation of wheatgrass, the weed can be treated with a systemic herbicide. In this case, the spraying method will not work. The working solution should be applied to the weed carefully with a brush, making sure that the herbicide does not get on the strawberry leaves. It is best to apply herbicides in the fall after harvesting.
Fusilade Forte is a systemic herbicide approved for the removal of perennial cereals in strawberry beds. After treatment with herbicide, you should not loosen the soil for two weeks. During this time, the wheatgrass rhizome completely dies

IMPORTANT: Use herbicides for strawberries as a last resort; if possible, use other methods of weed control.

Strawberry row spacing should be covered with sawdust or straw, this covering will not allow weeds to break through
The method of growing berry crops using mulch film will help to destroy wheatgrass in strawberries, and other weeds. This method has found wide use among gardeners recently.

Application of agricultural technology against wheatgrass

With the help of agricultural technology you can also get rid of wheatgrass. The use of such methods is effective, but only for processing small areas. Such methods of struggle are not simple; they require a lot of effort, patience, perseverance and hard work.

There are several agrotechnical techniques that can be used to at least temporarily eliminate weeds from the site. So:

Digging up the earth. It is in this way that wheatgrass can be eliminated without using folk or chemical remedies. Digging will not only help get rid of creeping grass, but it will also be very useful for the soil itself: it will become softer, it will allow air and moisture to pass through better, and accordingly, the seedlings will grow faster and then bear fruit. To remove wheatgrass, you need to dig up the ground not with a shovel, but with a pitchfork. A shovel will cut the roots of the weed, meaning the grass will grow back, while a pitchfork can remove the vegetation completely.
Trimming the green part of the weed. You need to prune greens at ground level and do it regularly when at least a few leaves grow. The effectiveness of the method is explained by the fact that sooner or later, due to lack of nutrition, the roots of the grass die. Of course, with this treatment, the wheatgrass will not die immediately or even after a couple of days, but the damage only from the roots will be much less than from the whole plant.
Grinding roots using a cultivator. The technique works, but there is one significant drawback - not every gardener has such a technique. However, if you have the equipment, it will definitely help you get rid of wheatgrass. It is only important to do everything on time and remove young roots that have not yet become stronger, which have not yet created a powerful root system, without penetrating deep into the ground.
Ignoring weeds. It sounds quite strange, but in fact you can fight wheatgrass simply by not paying attention to it. Chemistry and folk remedies are, of course, good, but you can go a different route. You will need a large piece of cardboard to cover the area with creeping grass. Bricks should be placed on the edges of the cardboard, and organic debris should be placed on the entire sheet. Under such a structure, neither wheatgrass nor any other weed that needs sunlight, fresh air and moisture will be able to survive.

It is impossible not to mention that wheatgrass can crawl from your neighbor’s property to yours, and you will have to get rid of the annoying weed again. That is why it is necessary to take measures in advance to avoid such cases. The best option would be a slate or plastic fence inside the ground. What is meant? On the neighbors' side, you need to dig a trench 25-30 centimeters deep, insert a sheet of the material used and bury the hole. Thanks to this, the wheatgrass will not be able to “move.” However, this technique is suitable for those who have a small area. It is still worth considering that plastic and slate are not cheap materials.

How to get rid of wheatgrass in raspberries: herbicide

Malinnik

Creeping wheatgrass is a dangerous weed for raspberries. Since berry bushes are responsive to organic matter, the rows and inter-rows of raspberries quickly become overgrown with wheatgrass. The root system of the weed is tightly intertwined with the roots of the raspberry, and awls (underground shoots) can even pass through them. Therefore, it is difficult to remove wheatgrass from a raspberry growing area.
Wheatgrass can be removed by selective treatment with continuous action herbicides: Roundup , Tornado , Agrokiller , Hurricane Forte . The working solution is prepared strictly according to the instructions. Weeds are treated with a brush over the surface of the above-ground part of the weed. In this case, you should pay attention so that the working solution does not get on young raspberry shoots

IMPORTANT: An alternative to chemical control of wheatgrass is the method of mulching rows of berry bushes with sawdust and straw. Mulch prevents weeds from growing and keeps the soil moist.

Description of the plant and harm from it

Wheatgrass or Elytrígia is a perennial grass belonging to the grass family. There are about 1000 varieties of this weed. Worm grass has a straight stem, 40 to 150 cm high, and its underground part is strongly extended deep into the soil. The leaves are long and rich green. The flowering is inconspicuous, the inflorescences look like small spikelets, up to 15 cm long. By the beginning of September, small grains appear in the places of the inflorescences. Reproduction occurs, for the most part, by the root system, so the weed is able to very quickly capture large areas. Not afraid of frost and prolonged drought.

Wheatgrass is considered one of the main weed pests in amateur and professional vegetable growing. The damage caused by this plant is enormous:

reducing access to light to vegetable and flower crops. Due to the long stem of wheatgrass, it blocks the sun's rays and creates a constant shadow, the amount of harvest is reduced or the plants die altogether;
when entering a potato area, it almost completely destroys its crop. The roots of the weed grow into the tubers and suck the juice out of them;
the branched underground part takes all nutrients from the soil, greatly depleting it;
releases toxic phenol compounds into the soil, which lead to the death of cultivated varieties.

Reference! In the wild, wheatgrass can cause fires. Its dried foliage fills large spaces and easily ignites from the slightest spark.

How to deal with wheatgrass on the lawn?

Wheatgrass on the lawn

Spring is considered the best time to remove wheatgrass, as well as all weeds. If single instances of wheatgrass appear on the lawn, you should immediately remove them along with the roots, prying up the plant without damaging the roots
If this is not done right away, the fast-growing and ubiquitous wheatgrass roots will quickly take over a large portion of the lawn. In addition, there is a chance for the plant to ripen and disperse seeds onto the well-groomed lawn area. Then you will have to fight wheatgrass in other ways and it will take much more time.
When planting lawn grass, you should completely protect the soil from weeds. It is best to apply herbicides before planting grasses. But if wheatgrass, sow thistle, and dandelions suddenly grow on a well-groomed lawn, which are difficult to control manually, you should select selective herbicides. Agrokiller has proven itself well for these purposes.

Description

How to get rid of wheatgrass? Wheatgrass is a problem that every person who has a garden faces. Weeds are removed regularly, but they also regularly reappear as soon as it rains. Before planting, the area must be cleared. Creeping grass clogs the roots and prevents the development of seedlings in the garden (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants), as a result they do not grow and do not bear fruit. Flowers and other crops also suffer from wheatgrass. Weeds can be pulled out by hand, but this is only a temporary solution to the problem. Now there are many ways to get rid of creeping grass for a long time and even forever. This article is devoted to how to remove weeds from a summer cottage.

Fighting wheatgrass with folk remedies

Traditional methods of combating wheatgrass are available and effective.
Wheatgrass is such an annoyance to summer residents and gardeners that everything is used - both the latest chemicals and time-tested folk methods and remedies. Let’s share the most common and accessible recipes for getting rid of this nasty weed.

Soda

Sodium bicarbonate or baking soda can be easily purchased at any supermarket or pharmacy. A fairly aggressive reagent will help destroy single instances of wheatgrass and other weeds between the tiles of the garden path or recreation areas. To do this, prepare a strong soda solution and pour it on the loose grass.

Salt

Sodium chloride or table salt is also a cheap weed killer. Salt crystals should be scattered on weeds around planted crops. After watering, the salt will be absorbed into the soil and inhibit the germination of new weeds.

Blowtorch

Burning, literally, young wheatgrass with a blowtorch is an effective method of getting rid of the green enemy. It is a pity that this method does not remove the root system of perennial wheatgrass.

Such different methods – which one is better to choose?

Creeping wheatgrass is popularly known under names such as ponyr or plover. This plant of the cereal family has a branched root system, is able to penetrate deep into the soil and quickly cover areas that are huge by garden standards. Due to its structure and “survivability” it can grow even in highly acidified soil, and its resistance to frost and drought makes this weed one of the most unwanted and malicious in the garden.

Its leaves begin to grow already in early March, when the air temperature barely warms up to 3-4 degrees Celsius. The roots quickly spread throughout the area to a depth of 20 centimeters and subsequently create a lot of trouble for gardeners and gardeners, throwing out more and more new shoots in various parts of the garden. The fight against this pest must be carried out consistently; only compliance with all the rules and the use of proven drugs and methods will help you get rid of the weed.

Today, there are several ways to remove this perennial weed, each of which has both pros and cons. Some people prefer to use traditional methods and not resort to chemicals, since the latter can have a detrimental effect on soil fertility. Some people trust only high-quality chemicals or herbicides, since traditional methods do not bring the desired result.

The choice of method depends on the final goal. If you plan to completely clear the area of unwanted plants and weeds, then you need to use direct-acting chemicals; if you plan to target certain types of weeds and pests, then it is better to use chemicals selectively, after using traditional methods of combating creeping wheatgrass.

Video: Killing weeds with a blowtorch

Feed grain

The method has found wide application in foreign countries. Sufficient testing and positive results give rise to the use of this technique for weed control
Feed grain is grain waste from the processing of corn, oats, wheat and other grain crops. Mainly used to make livestock and poultry feed
The mechanism of action of feed grain on weeds is the presence of a certain gluten, which acts as a contraceptive for weed germination
The method is applied in the middle of the season, when the cultivated plants have become stronger and have acquired a sufficient root system. Feed grain spreads around cultivated plants in a small layer and blocks the emergence of new weeds from seeds

Ethanol

Ethyl alcohol for weed control

The method of treating the soil with diluted ethanol before planting came to us from America. I'm afraid that our summer residents are unlikely to follow foreign advice. How can you pour such a valuable product into the ground? But the method has a right to exist. Moreover, as American farmers say, the area treated with this method will not be overgrown with weeds, at least in the current season.

Ethyl alcohol is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. The resulting solution is used to treat the soil approximately 30 days before planting. 11 liters of this mixture is enough to treat 2-2.5 acres of land.

Lemon acid

Dissolve 3 tablespoons of citric acid in 1 liter of hot water. Weeds are sprayed with the solution in sunny, windless weather.

Mulching

The principle of mulching is to completely hide access, sun and air to sprouted weeds and make it impossible for their seeds to hatch. Mulching material provides reliable protection from weeds to garden plants and flower crops.

The following can be used as mulching material:

polyethylene film or woven fiber
sawdust
expanded clay or gravel
crushed tree bark
mown grass
improvised material

To remove a large accumulation of wheatgrass in the beds, you need to be patient; it will take 3-4 months to wait for the result.

To begin with, mark out the beds for growing garden crops.
The surface of the marked earth is tightly covered with film, cardboard, old linoleum or dense material
You can pour a thick layer of mown grass or straw on top
After 3-4 months, the shelter can be removed and the soil can be cultivated.
Wheatgrass can be removed using this method in early spring, when the plant is just beginning to emerge from the ground. You can also mulch areas with leeks for the winter.

How to fight

They fight wheatgrass by spraying weed thickets with herbicides and destroying them in other ways. If you use all the products together, comprehensively, the effect will be faster, more powerful and more reliable.

Suitable herbicides

To combat resistant weeds, drugs have been developed that suppress and destroy it. Use products containing active substances that act on cereal weeds. To combat wheatgrass, continuous and selective action drugs are used. The most powerful ones include glyphosate, which belongs to FOS. The solutions are sprayed onto the leaves of the weeds. The substance first penetrates them, then falls down into the root system. The death of bushes takes 1-3 weeks.

Continuous action

Preparations “Helios”, “Oreol Maxi”, “Norvel Maxi”, “Miura”, “Cafaro”, “Antipyrey”, “Sickle”, “Euro Land”, “Impex Duo”.

Electoral

Preparations “Gezagard”, “Hurricane Forte”, “Napalm”, “Rome”, “Haruma”.

Using organic farming principles

There are other ways to suppress wheatgrass. For example, sowing a clogged area with green manure, treating with biological preparations, mulching the soil.

Green manure

Species of fast-growing plants from the legume and cruciferous families are sown in early spring or after harvesting the previous crop. Green manure grows quickly and manages to drown out the wheatgrass. Then they are dug up and embedded in the ground, which achieves double benefit - fertilizers are added to the ground. To remove wheatgrass, it is necessary to use green manure for several years in a row.

EM drugs

Biological products are developed to combat and protect plants from diseases. This is how they work if used in the dosage recommended by the manufacturer. But if you increase the rate by an order of magnitude and then treat freshly cut weeds, they will die.

For wheatgrass, the drugs “Shine”, “Tamir”, “EM-molasses”, “Guzamat EM universal”, “Baikal EM-1”, “Vozrozhdenie” are used.

How to use the products: in the fall, mow all the grass in the area at ground level. Immediately, before the sections dry, pour a concentrated solution of the biological product.

Mulching the soil

It is known that a lack of light inhibits all plants, including weeds. If a thick layer of mulch is laid on an area with wheatgrass before the weeds begin to grow, they will not germinate. You can mulch with any material - straw, hay, pine needles, chopped bark and pine cones. Organic material not only does not allow light to reach the ground, but, gradually rotting, serves as fertilizer.

Agrotechnical methods

You can get rid of annoying weeds by using agricultural techniques. Some will require time and physical effort. They are used in areas that are not sown or planted with cultivated plants this season.

Blackout

You can lay thick black agrofibre, thick cardboard, black film, thin boards and other similar materials on the site. The denser the material, the less sunlight it will transmit and the more reliable it will work. Darkening materials will not become a fertilizer, but they will be able to reliably stop the growth of wheatgrass, preventing light, air and water from reaching it.

Grinding roots

Several times a season, wheatgrass roots are cut with a sharp shovel. This prevents plants from developing: food does not reach the above-ground parts, which is why they die. The roots are gradually being suppressed. One pruning per season is not enough; you need to trim the roots at least once a month.

Picking roots

The area overgrown with wheatgrass is carefully dug up with a pitchfork. It is not recommended to use a shovel; when cutting off roots, it leaves small pieces that can easily take root. Then they sort through the soil and select the roots of the weed, trying to select even the smallest ones. You need to dig twice a season - in spring and autumn, before and after the growing season, when the plants are dormant and the roots are easier to dig up. The selected mass of roots must be collected, removed from the site, dried and burned.

Effective folk remedies and recipes

In small areas in private gardens, folk remedies can also be used. You need to prepare a solution from available ingredients that are available in any household. They are available and cheap. The effectiveness of traditional methods depends on the degree of contamination of the area; if the density is significant, you will have to repeat the treatment 1-2 more times.

Lemon acid

A concentrated solution is prepared from the substance: 3 tbsp is dissolved in 1 liter of water. l. acids, stir, pour into the sprayer. Spray the green wheatgrass thoroughly. Gradually, the acid depresses the leaves and the plants wither.

Ethanol

A solution of alcohol and water in a ratio of 1 to 10 is sprayed on the ground overgrown with weeds. The treatment should stop the growth of the harmful plant throughout the season. If weed growth is still observed, the treatment must be repeated.

Fighting wheatgrass in the garden with vinegar

Vinegar in the fight against weeds
Experienced summer residents have long known the method of combating wheatgrass and other perennial weeds using a vinegar solution.

To prepare “Weed Killer” herbicidal soap, take:

strong vinegar (15-20%) - 3.8 l
table salt - 0.5 cups
any detergent - 1 teaspoon (for better adhesion of the solution)

All components should be mixed thoroughly
Wheatgrass is treated in the morning in dry weather.
Spray the entire surface of the weed generously

Treatment with ordinary 9% table vinegar from a spray bottle also contributes to the death of leafy green weeds.

This treatment method is effective for eradicating annual weeds. In the case of leeks and other perennial herbs, the method is only suitable for removing the green mass of the plant. The root system of wheatgrass remains in the ground and after some time the young weeds will conquer new areas of land.

IMPORTANT: Vinegar is a rather strong reagent, so you should spray it carefully, avoiding getting it on crop plants.

How to destroy creeping wheatgrass in the garden with Roundup and Hurricane?

The use of Roundup for many years has deserved the attention of gardeners, as it is an effective herbicide in the fight against weeds. And wheatgrass is no exception.

Roundup is highly effective and non-toxic, making it the top choice for weed control. Thanks to the active component glyphosate, the weeds die within a week, as the components of the drug penetrate deep into the root system.

To use Roundup:

Spray weeds when there is no rain, dew or wind.
The solution can be stored for no more than a week, but in a tightly sealed container.
Do not water or pick weeds before spraying.
Leave the weeds alone for a week to allow the product to take effect.
Rinse off the crop that has been exposed to the herbicide with water.

Weed removal

Another great weed killer is Hurricane, which is similar to Roundup. The use of Hurricane is as follows:

Dilute the product from the register 40 g per 1 sq. m of garden in 4 liters of water. Can be used in the fall after harvesting or in the spring before planting.
The drug is low-toxic and controls weeds using the Roundup principle - it penetrates the root system and destroys it.
It is important to prepare the solution based entirely on the instructions.
Experienced gardeners advise adding 150 g of urea to 10 liters of solution. Thus, the drug will penetrate more deeply into the root system of the weed.

Pumpkin vs wheatgrass

Pumpkin fights weeds

American Indians were the first to use pumpkin to control weeds. They used squash, corn and beans in communal plantings. Large pumpkin leaves covered the soil from weeds, and corn provided support for the growth of beans. An ecological and simple method should be adopted.
In an area filled with wheatgrass and other weeds, cut out pieces of turf measuring 30x30 cm at a distance of 1 m from each other. The turf is turned over with the root system facing up. Pumpkin is planted on the cut pieces
Weeds are cut down between the rows. This is done once, then the large pumpkin leaves will cover the surface of the area and will not allow weeds to grow. This method will free the borders of the area from weeds. To do this, pumpkin seeds are planted along the fence of the site, and the lashes are sent towards the boundary

Every gardener has the right to decide which method to choose in the fight against weeds.
So what to choose?

Let's summarize at the end. Gardeners are fighting wheatgrass in the following directions:

mowing and weeding wheatgrass
digging the soil and then picking out the rhizomes
removing wheatgrass using covering materials and mulch
chemical impact on the weed with herbicides and other reagents

It is impossible to say for sure which method is better; each has its own pros and cons.

You will have to mow and weed the grass several times during the summer. This method removes wheatgrass for a short time. After all, the creeping root of the plant continues to remain in the soil and grows rapidly further
Selecting rhizomes from dug up soil is a rather time-consuming and labor-intensive method of getting rid of wheatgrass. It's a shame that such tedious work will not guarantee complete destruction of the weed. Not all broken roots can be removed from the ground. Over time they will give birth to new growth
Herbicides do an excellent job of destroying harmful plants. But, it cannot be guaranteed that the chemical reagent will not get on other garden plants, and with them on our table
Covering beds overgrown with wheatgrass with covering material and mulch is an effective and safe method of getting rid of weeds.
Sowing green manure is an ecological way to get rid of weeds in organic farming

Harvest without weeds
And at the end of the article - a bonus:

Useful properties of wheatgrass

Each plant has its own value in nature. Weeds are no exception; they also provide certain benefits. Wheatgrass rhizomes and juice are often used in traditional medicine recipes. To do this, the roots are collected in early spring or autumn and dried, and healthy juice is made from the stems.

In ancient times, our ancestors made flour from dried rhizomes, from which they baked bread and delicious cakes. This flour is rich in polysaccharides, glycides, fructose, malic acid, levulose, carotene, vitamin C and other beneficial substances. A decoction prepared from rhizomes is a good diaphoretic, diuretic and expectorant. Among its other medicinal properties, the following can be highlighted:

With its help, diseases of the stomach, liver, lungs, intestines, rheumatism, cystitis are treated, and stones are also removed from the gall bladder.
Freshly squeezed juice is used to treat skin diseases, colds, osteochondrosis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
Wheatgrass infusion helps to cleanse yourself of waste and toxins, normalizes metabolic processes in the body, as a result of which weight is normalized, and helps cleanse the skin.
Baths with wheatgrass are used in the complex treatment of rickets, diarrhea and hemorrhoids.

In addition, the plant has a beneficial effect on the digestive system of animals, including cats and dogs. Also used as cattle feed.

Correct tips: how to effectively control weeds on your property?

Organic farming methods and Mitlider beds are the ideal solution for weed control
Spot application of fertilizing and fertilizers will prevent weeds from thriving. Fertilizers should be applied only before planting and in places where plants will grow. Random application of fertilizers only stimulates weed growth. In the future, seasonal scheduled fertilizing should be carried out.
Early spring weed control: weeding and physical removal of weeds from the root system will help prevent the site from being neglected. Don’t forget about the glanders and rake in the future. Carry out sanitary weeding throughout the season
Mulching is your reliable ally in the fight against weeds. Apply mulch in beds, flower beds, on paths between beds, in the trunks of fruit trees
Using black film on beds with strawberries, zucchini, tomatoes and other crops will help avoid weed dominance
The use of drip irrigation is a revolutionary breakthrough in growing plants. The benefit of such watering lies not only in the economical use of water, but also in the targeted delivery of life-giving moisture to the necessary plants, leaving weeds to die without water
The soil should not be left bare. You should immediately cover it with black film and plant it with green manure or cultivated plants.
Annual rotation of crop planting helps eradicate weeds
The predominant way to grow a plant is through seedlings, rather than through seeds.

IMPORTANT: We should not forget: achieving effective results in the fight against the most malicious weeds is possible only with systematic control, and not with their occasional destruction.

Damage from wheatgrass on the site

Wheatgrass is an unpretentious plant and quickly spreads throughout the entire area. Its powerful root system is resistant to any adverse conditions. Sun or partial shade, dry or waterlogged soil, acidic or neutral soil - he doesn’t care about everything.

Having taken over the garden, wheatgrass begins to oppress the crops planted there, taking away nutrients and moisture. Moreover, during its growing season it releases toxic substances that negatively affect its noble “neighbors”. If measures are not taken, at best the yield will suffer, at worst the crops will simply die.