Quinoa weed and how to deal with it in the garden
The quinoa weed is a huge danger to cultivated plants. It has a strong, well-developed root system, thanks to which it absorbs a huge amount of nutrients. In addition, it grows rapidly and fills large areas. There are several ways to control this weed, if it appears in the garden or summer cottage, including mechanical and chemical. It is important to start the procedure immediately after the emergence of the plant, otherwise its presence may affect the quality of the harvest of other plants.
Quinoa - description and features of the plant
In middle latitudes, two varieties of it can most often be found:
- Sadovaya - large plants with wide leaves of green and yellow shades.
- Common - also has massive leaf plates, on the surface of which there is a silvery bloom.
Quinoa is a weed of a group of annuals, which quickly reaches more than a meter in height even in untreated soils. She has a straight stem and a powerful root, due to which the plant receives all the necessary nutrients. This variety is characterized by a long flowering period, at the end of which fruits are formed. They enter the soil, and the next year the weed covers much larger areas.
Quinoa is harmful only if it appears on already cultivated and sown beds. The garden variety is used in cooking and traditional medicine, as its leaves are a valuable source of oxalic acid.
Weed control measures
Getting rid of quinoa weed is difficult because it shows a high adaptability. It can grow in drought and insufficient light conditions, it develops quickly on any type of soil. It is very important to complete the procedure before flowering and fruiting, so that the seeds of the plant do not remain in the soil. There are two main ways to remove weeds: manual (mechanical) and chemical. The first is suitable for small adjoining plots, and the second is used both in households and in industrial plant cultivation.
Mechanical removal
The easiest way to get rid of quinoa in your garden is to remove the plants and parts by hand. Single weeds are uprooted or dug up, but it is recommended to completely dig up the beds twice a year. This procedure will save the site not only from quinoa, but also from other weeds... It is better to carry it out with a pitchfork: they do not injure the roots like a shovel. If weed residues remain in the soil, they can grow back.
Herbicide use
Herbicides are drugs that inhibit the growth of unwanted plants. However, they are no less dangerous for cultivated varieties, as well as for humans, so it is important to follow safety rules when using them. These funds are very effective, since they affect various life processes of the quinoa even in the period of germination, and the plant does not develop.
The most popular herbicides include the following:
- Roundup - the advantage is that it can not be sprayed, but applied pointwise to single seedlings;
- Tornado is a spray on an area, especially effective in dry weather;
- Lapis lazuli - the effect of the drug against quinoa lasts for one and a half months.
Quinoa forms several varieties of seeds. Large brown ones germinate in the next season, small black ones with a greenish tint - in another year. The smallest ones can be stored in the ground for 7-8 years without losing their viability.
Prevention methods
It is impossible to prevent the appearance of weeds on the site, since they spread quickly. However, thorough digging of the soil in the winter and before planting is considered an effective method of struggle. Herbicides are also used prophylactically. It is convenient to add them to the soil after harvest, when the components can no longer harm cultivated plants. In early spring, before sowing, you can cover the area with foil. In such conditions, all weeds will begin to germinate quickly, and they can be destroyed mechanically or chemically.
Quinoa is a weed that is difficult to get rid of if it has already appeared on the site. Herbicides are the most effective way to control and prevent weeds. However, for the processing of small vegetable gardens, their acquisition is impractical. It is enough to monitor the condition of the beds and carry out regular weeding from all types of weeds. In addition, mechanical treatments will definitely not affect the quality of the crop and will not be harmful to humans, like some herbicides.