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Be persistent in weed managementExtension Agent/Cropping Systems Colorado State University Cooperative Extension The past several years of drought have increased the spread of weeds in native ranges across Colorado and the western High Plains. Manage weeds during the current growing season to decrease or prevent future infestations. Because the impact of weeds on range forage grass health and production extends over several years it's important to think of managing weeds for more than just one year. A good manager develops a comprehensive weed management plan and incorporates that plan into a long-term land management program. Be persistent in weed management, particularly with perennial weeds. Most successful weed management systems require input for several growing seasons. Weed infestations occur over time and seldom can be cured in a single growing season. Most weeds have developed seed dormancy to extend their seed germination through more than one growing season. Furthermore the extensive root systems developed by creeping perennials also prevents simple weed treatment strategies from succeeding. The presence of weed seed dormancy and extensive root systems forces weed managers to develop strategies that include designs for input over extended time periods. A comprehensive weed management plan includes several key features. It contains accurate maps of weed infestations that indicate the descriptions of weed population density and spread. Successful comprehensive plans also integrate two or more weed control methods. In addition to chemical herbicides these plans also need to include managing grazing timing and duration that enhances the plant health of desirable perennial range plants and reduces the vigor of weed plants and reduces weed seedling success. Sometimes the use of mowing or introduced weed eating insects can be added to further enhance the weed management strategy success. Range weed managers are usually unable to spend large amounts of money and time on any year of their management plan. For this reason, don't attempt to control all the weed infestations in a single season. The mapping procedure used during the first season will indicate where dense infestations lie and where small scattered or perimeter infestations are located. The easiest weed problems to control are the perimeter weed infestations. If these are controlled first, they can be kept from becoming large and dense. It's human nature that a weed manager may become frustrated with the slow progress in controlling large dense patches of weeds. Furthermore, controlling the perimeter and sparse weed infestations allows for economic returns from those portions of a pasture through better grass production. This allows more funds to eventually tackle the large dense weed patches. CSU Extension can help you develop a weed management plan for all land managers. You can find weed management resources on the CSU Extension website (www.ext.colostate.edu) or by contacting the ag or natural resource agent at your local Extension office. Your local Extension agent can also help you surf through the CSU website. Please contact me with your cropping systems questions or natural resources questions: 970-522-3200 extension 285. Thank you! Date: 4/19/06
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