Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

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andy10917
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Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by andy10917 » July 8th, 2019, 9:38 am

Anyone seeing tons of "Smartweed" this year? Maybe the wet, cool Spring made conditions right, but the incidence of it in my area is several times the normal amount. It's not a big problem on my lawn, but the adjoining wooded area is absolutely full of it, and other lawns in the area are full of it too.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by deboy922 » July 8th, 2019, 9:46 am

I have pulled more smartweed this year than any other year. As you said, not in the yard, but very invasive in my flowerbeds and garden. I agree that the cool wet spring allowed it to thrive.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by andy10917 » July 8th, 2019, 10:10 am

I did some reading-up on Smartweed, and found stuff saying that each plant can generate 19,000+ seeds, and they can sit waiting for good conditions for decades. Wow!

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by deboy922 » July 8th, 2019, 10:24 am

They are fairly easy to pull, but they are prolific this year. They can even get a little height, as they were crowding out some of my lily-of-the-valley.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by TimmyG » July 8th, 2019, 11:59 am

I'm not necessarily seeing any more of it than usual, which is a lot every year.

We get the version called Spotted Ladysthumb (Polygonum persicaria) with the dark chevron pattern on the leaf. I learned my lesson long ago: you absolutely, positively need to stay on top of this weed early in the season. Know what it looks like before it goes to seed (easier with the chevron) and never walk by without hand pulling from garden beds, woodland edges, wetlands, etc. Once summer hits, it explodes in growth and goes to seed (I think of Good & Plenty) in the blink of an eye. And then it's too late.


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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by PSU4ME » July 8th, 2019, 12:26 pm

I'm seeing it on the fringes......also seeing some sedge starting to poke its ugly head.

Hand pulling season for me!

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by KBGkicksazz » July 8th, 2019, 4:06 pm

Snapshot controls smartweed in the shrub beds.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by andy10917 » July 8th, 2019, 4:37 pm

"Snapshot" is a pre-emergent only - it's way too late this year for Pre-M on Smartweed.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by TimmyG » July 8th, 2019, 5:15 pm

Hands control smartweed in the shrub beds.

And glyphosate.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by KBGkicksazz » July 8th, 2019, 6:52 pm

Not sure why the angst but Snapshot is the bomb for keeping beds weed free.

Obviously once germinated it’s a different situation but I swear by Snapshot
TimmyG wrote: Hands control smartweed in the shrub beds.

And glyphosate.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by andy10917 » July 8th, 2019, 8:17 pm

No "angst" involved - I felt that the posting might need a clarification that the product was a pre-m, and made it clear so that less-experienced members didn't just buy it expecting July control of the weed.

That's a Moderator's job...

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by flyingfish88 » July 8th, 2019, 9:24 pm

Never have heard of smartweed before, but now I think I might have mistaken stiltgrass for it, or maybe I have both.

Is there any post emergent for smartweed? I’ll have to gather some pictures this week and see if anyone can help me ID.

19k seeds per plant!? I might have to plan my weekend around some hand pulling now !

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by andy10917 » July 8th, 2019, 9:40 pm

One of my sons is reporting noticeable damage to Smartweed from Triclopyr in as little as 4 days. That's very fast for Triclopyr...

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andy10917
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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by andy10917 » July 8th, 2019, 9:49 pm

Never have heard of smartweed before, but now I think I might have mistaken stiltgrass for it, or maybe I have both.
Interesting! I noticed also that they seem to like the same conditions...

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by PSU4ME » July 9th, 2019, 7:31 am

That’s a lot of smartweed! I’m seeing a plant or two here and there

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by andy10917 » July 9th, 2019, 8:30 am

Yeah, it's in the backyard area of his property, which was overgrown when he bought the property and is just now being addressed - the front yard is stunning as a Bewitched monostand. The Smartweed can form a full carpet in a year like this one.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by ken-n-nancy » July 9th, 2019, 9:01 am

I didn't even know that was a weed to worry about -- I don't recall having ever seen it before in my lawn or that of my neighbors and relatives. Guess I should count myself lucky!

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by Setzer1994 » July 9th, 2019, 9:43 am

No smartweed for me in CT. Lots of clover and spurge though.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by TimmyG » July 9th, 2019, 10:19 am

ken-n-nancy wrote:
July 9th, 2019, 9:01 am
I didn't even know that was a weed to worry about -- I don't recall having ever seen it before in my lawn or that of my neighbors and relatives. Guess I should count myself lucky!
You're so close to me, I don't how it's possible that you don't have at least the Spotted Lady's Thumb variety. I would never find it in the lawn, but it's an aggressive weed anywhere and everywhere that has bare soil and some water and then also every crack in sidewalks and streets. It's considered by some to be a good forage plant.

Earlier, I identified Spotted Lady's Thumb as Polygonum persicaria, but I believe it has more recently been classified as Persicaria maculosa. You're probably quite familiar with the super invasive Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum). This family Polygonaceae includes some of our worst nightmares. I will probably regret growing Persicaria virginiana 'Lance Corporal' as an ornamental. They don't call it Jumpseed for nothing.

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Re: Anyone Seeing Tons of "Smartweed" This Year?

Post by flyingfish88 » July 11th, 2019, 9:09 am

As mentioned before, what I think i have been previously identifying as stiltgrass is actually a lot of smartweed. I don't know if that is better or worse :) I think I do have some stiltgrass too. However, i think the stiltgrass is a lot less that I thought. Was about to pull the trigger on some acclaim, but should be able to save some $$ on that and focus more on the smart weed.

The red/pink flowers that are similiar to both were throwing me off.

Can you guys help me confirm?

believe this is smartweed:


Image

believe this is stiltgrass:



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