Noxious Weeds

Noxious Weeds

The following information has been provided by the Methow Conservancy P.O. Box 71 , Winthrop , WA 98862 , 509-996-2870 www.methowconservancy.org

“WEED” AND NATIVE PLANT RESOURCES

Most Northwest weeds are natives of Europe or Asia and were introduced to North America intentionally or by accident. The seriousness of a weed can depend on the time and place that it is found and the habitat or use of the land. For example, a plant beneficial to wildlife might be undesirable in a livestock pasture, or a plant poisonous to humans or livestock could be a desirable ornamental yard plant. Regardless, “weeds” are non-native plants that replace or choke-out native species, altering natural plant communities, ecosystems, and wildlife habitat and forage. Here are some resources to help you learn more about plants, weed control, restoration and more.

Disturb the soil as little as possible.

When you’re hiking, stay on the trail.
When you’re driving, keep the car wheels on the road, even when parking.
If you build, limit the jobsite with flagging around the perimeter.

Once the soil is disturbed, be prepared for restoration.

Educate yourself about what plants are good and bad for your area and use of land.
Put in native plants appropriate to your site.
Water whatever you plant regularly, ideally with an automated drip irrigation system.
Manage intrusive weeds with hand-pulling. Use herbicides with care, and only when absolutely necessary.

RESOURCES

Methow Conservancy

315 Riverside , Winthrop Steve Bondi-Stewardship Coordinator; Katharine Bill-Executive Director. Conservation education, conservation easements and land management planning; site consultation-$25/hr

Methow Natives-996-3562; www.methownatives.org

Rob Crandall and Heidi Steckler; 19 Aspen Lane , Winthrop Locally adapted container-grown native plants; restoration; consulting

Wild Hearts Nursery-996-2368

Dan and Mary Kirkmire, 809 TW Eastside Road , Winthrop. Ornamental and native plants suited for hot, dry summers and cold winters; consulting

Plantas Nativa, LLC, 997-0379

Camden Shaw, 303 Twisp River Road , Twisp. Native plant installation and maintenance; weed control and consulting

Rendezvous Reclamation, 996-3526

Sam Lucy. Two acres and up; weed control and land restoration using biological methods

Recommended Reading-Available at Trail’s End Book Store

Sagebrush Country; A Wildflower Sanctuary. Ronald J. Taylor

Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia and the Inland Northwest. Roberta Parish, et.al.

Good Neighbor Handbook, A Guide for Landowners in the Methow Valley . Methow Conservancy; available for free in the Conservancy office. A new, revised edition will be published soon.

Weeds of the West. Tom Whitson.

Northwest Weeds. Ronald J Taylor.

The following information was taken from Okanogan County's Noxious Weed Control Board Brochures. You may order the complete brochures by calling their office 509.422.7165. The information below is not all inclusive of noxious weeds that infest the Methow Valley or Edelweiss.

Knapweed Contact Okanogan County Noxious Weed Board for detailed brochures and specific control details. 509.422.7165	Knapweed (AKA Barnaby Thistle). Knapweeds readily establish themselves on any disturbed soil, and their early spring growth makes them competitive for soil moisture and nutrients. There is some evidence that knapweeds release chemical substances which inhibit surrounding vegetation. Control Chemical Control is extremely effective if the herbicides are applied at the correct time. Early spring application eliminates both the spring and fall seedlings. Russian knapweed requires a different type of herbicide during the flower stage to post bloom because it spreads by root and seeds. Cultural Method can help control knapweeds. Planting of competitive perennial grasses, a management of rangelands, to avoid disturbance and excessive use. Mowing and burning plants are not recommended control methods because they seldom stop seed scatter and would require repeated mowing through the year. Manual Control by hand pulling can be effective only if the program is very rigorous (pulling 2 - 3 times a growing season) and is used along with another form of control (cultivation, herbicides, or biological). Mechanical Control by cultivating, disking, mowing or reseeding can be effective only if done several times during the growing season plus a seeding program. Biological Control has limited success. Selected insects reduce the amount of weed seed produced in some situations, but they do not eliminate the seed source entirely; this is a supression tool.

Hoary Cress (White Top). Hoary Cress is a member of the mustard family. It can reproduce by both seed and rootstocks. Leaves are oblong to arrow shaped and are a grayish green in color with the base clasping the stem. Stems are stout and branch towards the top. Flowers are small and white with four petals. The numerous flowers give the plant a dense white, flat-topped appearance. Control Chemical Hoary Cress is best dealt with while in the Rosette stage. Hire a commercial applicator, or treat it yourself with herbicides. Early spring applications are the best window of timing. Contact Okanogan County Noxious Weed office for list of commercial applicator / herbicides at 509.422.7165 Mechanical. Close mowing will reduce seed production, but will not eliminate the infestation. Hoeing or digging out roots within 10 days of weed emergence throughout the growing season should control Hoary Cress if the landowner is diligent in doing so. Cultural. Competitive plant species especially dense perennial grasses, provide some resistance to being overtaken by Hoary Cress. Growing competitive grasses and small grains in infested fields will suppress Hoary Cress once they get tall enough to form a dense canopy. This method is not very effective in controlling the spread of this noxious weed.	Hoary Cress (White Top) Contact Okanogan County Noxious Weed Board for detailed brochures and specific control details. 509.422.7165
Dalmatian Flower Contact Okanogan County Noxious Weed Board for detailed brochures and specific control details. 509.422.7165	Dalmatian Toadflax. A non-native perennial noxious weed of the Snapdragon or Figwort family. This noxious weed was introduced as an ornamental plant from the Mediterranean. It is highly competitive and will crowd out native plants and other desirable vegetation. It has no value as a forage plant. It grows 1 to 3 feet tall. It is a multiple branched and robust plant with spikes of striking snapdragon like flowers. The two-lipped bright yellow flowers have an orange throat and possess a long spur at the bottom of the flower. Control Toadflax should be treated in full to late bloom. Testing indicates fall applications are the most effective. Some test results show 96% to 100% control after one year from fall applications. The applicator needs to provide full coverage / contact from top to bottom of the plant. The silicone based surfactant and Mentholated Seed Oil (MSO) is the key to penetrating this plat for great results.
For more information on noxious weeds go to www.okanogancounty.org