Isn’t it great to see that your lawn is clean and free from any weed? Weeds that can affect, not only its appearance, but also the growth of plants you have on it? But what are you going to do if weeds like Pokeweed had already invaded your lawn? Will you just let it be like that? Or will you take action to stop it? To whom and what procedure are you going to rely on?
Before all of that, let us first have a brief discussion of what Pokeweed is.
Pokeweed, perhaps, is one of the hardest weeds to remove, prevent, and control. This kind of weed mostly grows in the United States, and its scientific name is Phytolacca Americana. Pokeweed belongs to the perennial herb family of plants, which can propagate through its seeds. It is possible through being eaten and dispersed by birds, as well as being dropped. Aside from that, a single plant of Pokeweed can have a total of 50,000 seeds throughout its lifetime and can last up to 40 years.
But what does it make for Pokeweed to be considered as weed and pest to the lawn or backyard?
Here’s why.
Pokeweed is one of the hardest weeds to remove that can grow on the lawn or any surface that has an abundant growth of varying plants. This weed takes the nutrients that are intended to support the growth of the plants. Also, having Pokeweed on a lawn or garden can result to an unfriendly appearance.
Given that, getting rid of this weed is a must. If you want the best appearance and quality for the plants in your garden, it is only a responsibility to protect them from weeds, especially Pokeweed. Here are some of the effective steps that you can apply to remove Pokeweed from your garden.
How To Get Rid Of Pokeweed In 7 Simple Steps
Small shoots can be removed by hand
If there are already shoots of Pokeweed coming out from the lawn, you can easily get rid of it simply by hand. To do this, you need to grasp the shoot tightly and gently pull it out of the ground. Be careful not to cut the roots, for it can let the Pokeweeds to grow 3. once again. This activity is simple that it can be compared to pulling a carrot from the ground.
Aside from that, pulling the shoots can stop pokeweeds from multiplying, which you’ll never like and will surely make it hard for you to remove it once it have gotten big.
Dig a circle around the weed
If the pokeweeds have gone too big that it is already hard to pull from the ground, you can try digging around it. Here, you only need to dig encircling the Pokeweed about 10 inches with a shovel. Dig deep until you can pull the Pokeweed from the ground together with its roots.
Pull the Pokeweed from the ground
The next step will be pulling the Pokeweed from the ground. Make sure that even the roots are included to avoid it from growing back again.
Clean, wash or brush the soil off from the roots
After pulling the Pokeweed from the ground, you can now proceed to clean its roots. You can use water or brush to remove the soil and to ensure that the roots are clean.
Rake the ground
If you think that it is already over, then you are wrong. After cleaning the Pokeweed, make sure that you rake the ground where you pulled it. This step will ensure that even the little shoots of Pokeweed will be removed. Rake the ground and be able to get rid of the shoots that are starting to grow out the ground.
Dry the Pokeweed
After that, dry the Pokeweed under the sun to prevent it, especially the roots from growing again. Instead of throwing it to another place, drying the Pokeweed will help in eliminating the chances for it to grow again. After drying the Pokeweed, make sure to dispose of it either on the green waste bin or other waste bin.
Check and pull new shoots of Pokeweed
You may have eliminated pokeweeds from your lawn. However, it is still a requirement for you to do a regular check if new shoots are coming from the ground. By doing this, you can prevent the shoots from growing again, which can positively affect your plants for it to produce and grow more.
Things to Use:
- Soil screen
- Wheelbarrow
- Garden hoe
- Spade
- Shovel
- Bow rake
- Broom rake
Warning!
Pokeweeds are known as weeds that can cause danger, especially to our health. Once consumed, pokeweeds can result to extreme stomach pains or, worse, death. The roots of it are the most toxic; that is why it needs to be dried under the sun before disposing of it. The berries, on the other hand, are the least poisonous, yet it still needs to be avoided. Thus, it is recommended to use safety gear such as gloves to avoid having contact with this toxic plant. Following this simple warning can help save lives, especially some just touch anything on their garden or lawn.
Conclusion
Pokeweeds are indeed toxic, which is the main reason why it needs to be eliminated from the garden or lawn. This type of weed can cause health problems, which, once ignored, it can lead to further concerns.
In that case, getting rid of this weed must be done all the time to save lives. By following the simple steps provided above, you can always remove pokeweeds successfully from a space. If you are still afraid to have contact with this toxic weed, it is advised for you to seek for more knowledge and to ask from the experts on what to do to remove pokeweeds safely.
A beautiful and abundant garden will never be possible if there are weeds such as pokeweeds that destroy it. So, before making anything worse, make sure to get rid of those pokeweeds that lurk on your garden and stop it from spreading through the steps given to you previously.
Source: https://gardening101.net