May 8, 2005
Weeding this year will pay off for years to Come
This spring and summer is a huge opportunities to whomp the weed populations for this year and many to come.
Why so?
Many of the invasive and exotic weed seeds don't sprout in the year that they drop. They wait for wetter or warmer conditions, and may hide in the soil for years, or decades. This is called the seed bank.
Due to generous precipitation and mild temperatures, all the weedy seed bank accounts are being emptied this year, and nothing held in reserve. Just about all the viable seed has found suitable moisture and temperatures, and will be sprouting to join the big weed season. So this is the opportunity to knock back the weeds and leave little or no seed bank behind.
On the other hand, if we MISS this opportunity, the seed banks will reap their investment, and add decades worth of seeds for future weed generations.