With the spring season nearly underway in the southeast, there's a bit of green likely to pop up soon, though some of that will present a big issue for farms. Absinthe Wormwood is one of the big problems prairie farmers will be facing with the upcoming season, both for livestock and haying operations.
Range Management Extension Specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Luke Jorgenson, explains some of the characteristics of the weed.
"It is a perennial weed, it's got a strong odour, easy to identify, and it's seen most often in pastures and haylands as well as disturbed areas like ditches and near gravel pits. It's a problem because it spreads so aggressively, makes lots and lots of seeds, and because it is a perennial plant, once established it's difficult to get rid of."
With the plant growing up to four feet tall and presenting distinctive light gray-green finely haired leaves, farmers can identify it if they know what they're looking for. One of the easiest ways to identify that is to crush the leaf, and if it gives off a strong sage-like smell, it's very likely Absinthe Wormwood.
Jorgenson says that there are a number of ways to keep that out of fields before they pop up.
"One of the best ways to control the spread of invasive species is to be mindful of your grazing practices. Avoiding open grazing and making sure that your pastures have adequate rest and just maintaining the health of your pastures."
Mowing down the weed before it seeds can help to control the population, but Jorgenson says the best way to keep that control is through chemical methods.
Jorgenson gives some details on the different chemicals producers can use to counter the weed.
- 2,4-D LV Ester: Best for grass pastures.
- Casaron: Used in shelterbelts.
- Dicamba: For grass pastures/rangeland.
- Reclaim II / Clearview / Sightline: Season-long control for rangeland.
- Restore II / Milestone: Best for actively growing weeds in pastures.
Depending on which chemical option the producer chooses, spraying may need to be done every year or even multiple times a year until the proper response is noted.
Jorgenson reminds producers that smartly using herbicides tends to get the best results.
"Herbicide timing is key. You want to spray after the plants, after emergence and when the plant is actively growing, so kind of sometime past mid-June. If you can get it before it flowers that's best. So timing is key and typically earlier in the season is better."
He encourages people to call into the Ag Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377 if producers have questions about what's best for their fields.
Source : Pembinavalley online