Description of weed American
The weed in question belongs to the Asteraceae family and is an annual plant. The stem is erect, reaching a height of 50 to 70 cm. It branches only in the upper part. The branches are heavily covered with soft white hairs. The leaves are arranged in pairs and are colored bright green. They have an ovoid shape, with large notches clearly visible on the edges.
Did you know? Contrary to our ideas about grasses, they may not be one of the lowest tiers in the plant kingdom, but reach impressive heights. For example, bamboo is a grass, and its height can be 35 m.
The grass has an attractive appearance, especially during the flowering period (you can take a closer look at the plant in the photo). Flowers are formed in the upper part of the stem - at the tops of the branches. They have an umbrella shape. The center is large and yellow. It is framed by 5 white petals that do not touch each other.
After flowering, in place of the flowers, fruits remain, represented by cone-shaped seeds with a lightweight upper part, thanks to which they are easily carried by the wind
Shade tolerance
The grass in question takes root in absolutely any type of soil. Adapts perfectly to different climate conditions. The only areas that the plant has not yet conquered around the world are the northern regions and deserts. The plant is completely unpretentious to lighting - it feels good in shaded areas and in the sun.
Fertility
An American plant can reproduce 20,000 seeds during an active growing season. Their germination capacity is 40%. The weed compensates for this deficiency by its ability to sprout stems - roots begin to form from the area of internodes.
Important! If you do not remove the roots of the plant when weeding, after a few days, it will form a new above-ground part.
When seeds fall into the soil, their ability to germinate can persist for 10 years. American seedlings appear throughout the warm season, from spring to late autumn.
Vitality
The vegetation is incredibly resilient. Even after complete removal from the soil, the American plant, absorbing nutrients from the atmosphere, is able to enter the flowering phase and form full-fledged seeds.
Destruction Rules
The American plant is one of those weeds that cannot be simply removed from the soil to stop their development. As mentioned above, shoots of annual grass can re-root after quite a long time. Therefore, after weeding, it is necessary to immediately thoroughly chop the shoots and roots of the American plant.
Since the weed is not used to make compost or mulch, it is recommended to burn it. It is not advisable to give the shoots as feed to livestock. Even after passing through the digestive tract of animals, seeds can remain viable, which will lead to undesirable consequences.
The benefits and harms of American weed
In addition to the harm caused directly to other cultivated plants due to the suppression of their development, the herb in question is very useful. It can be used for medicinal purposes and cooking. The leaves have a weak herbaceous taste, so they can be one of the main ingredients in salads. In terms of protein and calcium content, the American “overtook” spinach and parsley.
- The medicinal properties of this herb are due to its chemical composition:
- stigmasterol - takes part in the formation of cell membranes with their subsequent transformation into bioregulators;
- inulin - has a probiotic effect on the body, improves intestinal microflora, and is a natural sugar substitute;
- flavonoids - have a pronounced antibacterial effect, effectively increase immunity, protect against radiation;
- tannins - have an astringent, hemostatic, wound-healing, anti-inflammatory effect, and also help eliminate toxins and waste;
- organic acids - have a direct effect on various biological processes in the human body, inhibiting pathogenic microbes, thereby having a restorative effect on the intestinal microflora.
In folk medicine, the plant is widely used to treat various pathologies of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, acute respiratory viral infections, dropsy, anemia, diabetes and thyroid disorders . Contraindications to the use of the medicinal plant are: children under 5 years of age, pregnancy and lactation, as well as individual intolerance.
Video: American weed
Reproduction
Galinsoga has extraordinary vitality and fertility. From late spring to early autumn, one copy of the plant produces up to 300,000 seeds and the wind easily carries them around the surrounding area. Weed seeds are very tenacious and do not lose their germination for a long time. Under unfavorable conditions (extreme cold or heat), seeds can wait in the soil for up to 10 years. And then, in comfortable conditions, wake up to life and confidently declare your presence, upsetting the owners of the land.
Important! This weed should not be used as mulch! Otherwise, he will live with you for centuries. American is also not suitable for compost. Its roots do not rot.
Weed control methods
There are several methods to get rid of weeds:
- chemical;
- folk
- physical.
Important! To achieve the maximum effect in the fight against weeds, it is necessary to combine all 3 known control methods.
Chemical
This technique involves the use of special chemicals - herbicides. They are designed specifically for killing weeds. According to their action, they are divided into continuous and selective. The former are used at the stages of soil preparation, as they destroy not only weeds, but also cultivated plants. The latter can be used at any time, since they destroy only parasitic plants.
Continuous action drugs include:
- "Hurricane Forte" - used for soil cultivation in spring. The main thing is that during the period of these manipulations the weather is dry, not hot. For 100 m² of area, 3-4 liters of working solution will be required. Before planting potatoes, add 15 ml of the substance to this amount of water, for other vegetable crops - 20 ml, for gardens and vineyards - 40 ml.
- “Clear” - you need to spray the soil with this preparation no later than 3 hours before precipitation, and it’s even better to check the weather forecasters’ data in advance and select a dry period. It is best to carry out manipulations to combat weeds in the spring, a month before planting. Add 4 liters of substance to 300 liters of water. This will be enough to process 1 hectare of area.
- “Roundup” - treatment is carried out only in sunny weather in the spring, a month before planting the main crops. But, the manipulations will be more effective if they are carried out 2 times - after harvesting, and then in the spring. Dosage - 80–120 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water. The consumption of working solution per 200 m² is 10 l.
Among selective herbicides, Lintur has proven itself to be quite good. Spraying is carried out in May - June, on growing weeds. To treat 1 hectare of area, add 18–25 ml of the substance to 250–300 liters of water.
The disadvantage of herbicides is the severe depletion of the soil when they are used. In addition, incorrect dosage of such substances leads to the accumulation of nitrates in the fruits of cultivated plants. In this regard, it is better to give preference to treatment with herbicides only in the autumn, after harvesting, and to carry out the procedure no more than once every 3-4 years. The rest of the time, you can use other methods that are safer not only for vegetation and soil, but also for humans.
You will be interested in reading which green manure crops are best sown for cucumbers.
People's
Of the folk methods, the method of spraying weeds on the leaf with a 20% solution of copper or iron sulfate is particularly effective. When processing this way, the main thing is to ensure that the solution does not get on other crops, otherwise there is a high risk of burning them.
If there are not too many weed plants, you can make a circle near the stem using table salt. Every day, you should add a little more salt. Within a week the weed will dry out. 9% table vinegar can be used as a natural herbicide. It is poured into a container with a spray bottle and sprayed on the plants that should be disposed of.
Advice from experienced gardeners
Just 15-20 years ago, summer residents had no idea about the American weed. Now this tenacious plant can be found in almost every garden. Fighting methods have been developed over the years.
Experienced gardeners constantly share tips:
- The most effective method is deep cultivation of the soil. Weeds usually grow well and recover even after the tops are removed. Therefore, deep plowing is required in autumn. The minimum depth is 30 cm. The deeper the aeration is performed, the longer the result will last. In early spring, it is important to carry out shallow cultivation so as not to affect the layer with last year's seeds.
- 4 days after sowing, carry out pre-emergence harrowing. Repeat the procedure when the root system is stronger, across and along the beds.
- Regularly, throughout the season, after each watering, fertilizing and rain, you should loosen the soil next to the cultivated bushes. The depth of embedding should not exceed 15 cm so as not to affect the root system.
- Do not leave empty land - sow green manure. These can be representatives of legumes, grain crops, phacelia, clover. It is better to plant in the spring. So, in a short period of time, the green mass grows quickly, protecting the earth before the onset of cold weather. Such plants are capable of accumulating nitrogenous substances in the roots during the growing season. After harvesting, these compounds remain in the soil.
- Maintaining crop rotation. Plant cruciferous intermediate varieties of rapeseed, oilseed radish, and white mustard.
- Do not allow the American woman to mature and reproduce. Remove the weed before flowering begins.
- Laying black film on the beds. Such a shelter does not allow sunlight to pass through. The weed does not have the opportunity to germinate. Separate holes are made for cultural plantings.
Compound
The plant contains a natural steroid, stigmasterol, which helps stop inflammation, and also normalizes the condition of cellular particles of lymph and blood, and provokes the resorption of scars and sclerotic plaques.
The polysaccharide inulin, also found in galinsoga, is mixed with water to create a fat mimic. It is used as a dietary supplement for those losing weight and diabetics.
Caffeic acid in combination with chlorogenic acid is used as a means of losing weight, and also energizes the body, restores blood pressure, and fights cancer processes.
A large amount of flavonoids provokes an acceleration of metabolic processes, protection and restoration of cells, and a slowdown of oxidative chemical reactions in tissues. Tanning components fight microbes.
