Carson City provides tips for invasive weeds

A wet winter has led to an abundance of invasive weeds in Carson City. A complete list of problem weeds can be found online at the Nevada Department of Agriculture: https://agri.nv.gov/NoxiousWeeds/.

Lyndsey Boyer, Carson City open space manager, has provided best practices for removing weeds:

1. Get to them before they dry out — Weed removal is always easier the earlier you address the infestation. If you wait until the plants have dried out, the plants will be larger, with more developed root systems so removal will be much more challenging.

2. Get to them before they seed — Just as its easier to remove weeds early and often, you also want to ensure removal or treatment before they go to seed. This will prevent the infestation from spreading further, or additional seed entering the seed bank. This will hopefully save you work in the future.

3. Easier in the morning — Weed removal can be strenuous, so make sure that you are being safe and working in the morning to avoid high mid-day sun and temperatures. Also, because soil moisture is typically higher in the morning, the weeds will be easier to remove. Herbicide should also generally be applied in the morning as well before high temperatures and wind speeds increase.

4. Best tools to use — The most important thing when treating weeds is identifying the species you are working with, and determining if it is annual or perennial. Annual plants complete their lifecycle in one season, whereas perennial plants come back each year. Knowing the life cycle helps you choose the appropriate tool or treatment method. For annual plants, tools like hula hoes and dandelion weeders can help you remove plants by hand. Perennial plants are much more stubborn. You need to target the root systems in order to eradicate. This can be done by removing the entire root structure, but for most perennial weeds you will need to turn to a chemical herbicide solution to eradicate.

5. Some plants have such high invasive potential that they have been designated as noxious weeds by the Nevada Department of Agriculture. You are required by law to remove these weeds if they are present on your property. For information, visit: https://agri.nv.gov/NoxiousWeeds/.