Weed is a plant that grows in an inappropriate place and where you don’t want it to appear. The concept of weed is linked to that of species that grow in crops and if there is something that characterizes them, it is their high dispersal capacity, great persistence and because they are very competitive for the terrain, water and nutrients.
The appearance of weeds brings with it negative consequences, such as decreased yield in the case of crops or deterioration of agrarian structures (such as water pipes or in the harvesting and marketing processes). In the case of small home gardens or orchards they cause the garden to become depleted and deprive the small farmer of his harvest. In addition, they are a refuge from pests and diseases and can drown the rest of the plants. In many cases, due to their peculiarities, they generate allergies, prick or damage on contact with the skin.
Two Categories
• There are weeds that survive throughout the year, thanks to their life cycle. They germinate, are born, grow, drop their seeds, and then die. But when the seeds germinate, the whole cycle reproduces.
To end them, the most appropriate is to use herbicides that are applied directly to the soil and generate a layer that prevents the growth of the plant when it germinates. To prevent and keep the garden
and orchard free of these weeds, it is advisable to apply these herbicides twice a year, in spring and autumn.
• The second category are perennial or lively, which cause more problems than annuals. The main stumbling block is that if we try to pluck them by hand or with the hoe or brush cutter we will only succeed
pluck the outer plant, but not the root. We will get an apparently clean environment, but the plant will stay alive on earth. In this case it is even more advisable to use the herbicide, total, of a systemic type and that eliminates weeds from the root.
What to do to prevent them from going out
• Before planting or sowing, it is highly recommended to clean the ground, removing all the bulbs that are at that time. If you are going to plant grass, you have to water and days later spray with a
total herbicide. After fifteen more days of irrigation, it is necessary to re-treat with the herbicide.
• Another way to prevent weeds is to leave no room for them to emerge by planting upholstered specimens, plants that create a bushy blanket and leave no room for other species.
• In the case of larger gardens, the appearance of weeds can be prevented with anti-grass nets that, when extended, allow water to pass through but do not allow them to sprout. To beautify them, it is usual to cover them
with pine bark or gravel.
• Another system that avoids the appearance of weeds is mulching, consisting of covering the soil where the plants are with different materials, preventing the seeds from receiving light and germinating. This system allows to maintain the humidity of the soil and when decomposing it contributes nutrients to the plant.
• To prevent the appearance of weeds, it is advisable not to water in bare soil areas. With drip irrigation, less unwanted herbs appear, since only the area where our
crops or garden plants are located is watered .
It is also convenient to start the annual herbs so that they do not loose the seeds and germinate the following year.
• Finally, to make seedbeds or multiply potted plants, garden soil should not be used, as it will surely carry many seeds and herbs. It is best to use mulch, peat, or river sand.
