Just like with planting a tree, the best time to have started your weed control efforts was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
For preventative and cultural methods, these can be an ongoing process to prevent noxious weeds from ever establishing a foothold on your property. These include planting native species, mindful watering practices and PlayCleanGo ethics when recreating, etc.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
The next step in weed management is early detection. Routinely check your property and ID any new species which you have not noticed before. It’s much easier to uproot a single musk thistle rosette than to wait and pull hundreds of them.
When you already have an infestation, your management schedule will be dependent on species. Plants like hoary cress and leafy spurge can be treated chemically when in full bloom during the spring and again in the fall. Plants like musk thistle, a local favorite, can be treated by various means throughout the year. In the spring dig out rosettes, in the summer remove the blooms and chop the plant down, and once again in the fall, dig up rosettes.
When applying herbicides, the proper timing will vary depending on the species as well as the herbicide. Some herbicides work better on rapidly growing plants and others should be applied when the plant is in full bloom. Herbicide applications to Canada thistle are most effective in the fall.
Reseeding in the fall will help crowd out invasive species, especially as you are removing them from the environment and adding in a desirable plant in their place. If using chemical controls, it is best to reseed with grass first and add wildflowers into the mix later to prevent nontarget damage.
Reseeding is best done either with our monsoonal moisture or in the fall so that the seed can lay dormant before being awoken by plenty of moisture from the snowmelt.
If applying herbicides and planting seed in the same season in the same area, pay attention to the reseed interval on the herbicide label. This will provide you with information for when you can safely plant seeds without risking their untimely end due to herbicide residuals.
All herbicides (and all chemicals) have a half-life, meaning the amount of time it takes them to break down. Some are longer than others and chemicals designed to be a bare-ground or residual control should be avoided if reseeding is on the schedule for the season.
Archuleta County Weed and Pest is your local resource for managing noxious weed populations and controlling other pests.
CPR and first aid classes
CPR and first aid certification classes are offered every other month at the CSU Extension office, generally on the second Monday and Wednesday from 6 to 10 p.m. The cost for the classes is $80 for combined CPR/first aid and $55 for CPR, first aid or recertification. Call the Extension office at (970) 246-5931 to register.
Check out the online option on our website, https://archuleta.extension.colostate.edu/.
