Of the many species of weeds, the most common is creeping wheat grass. Measures to combat it must be carried out constantly, otherwise it is able to fill your entire site. It is not without reason that it is called creeping, its rhizomes are able to creep in different directions, capturing ever new areas for themselves. Ways to get rid of this weed have been developed since ancient times. The peasants "combed" the fresh arable land with harrows, thereby dragging its roots to the surface and bringing them to the side of the road, and whole shafts of pulled roots were obtained. That is why wheatgrass was also called a harrow.
Since then, nothing has changed much, and gardeners are still trying to remove creeping wheat grass from their plots. Measures of struggle, of course, have appeared new, but the old method is also used actively. It must be said that the presence of weeds also entails material costs. Firstly, due to weeds in the soil, the consumption of natural moisture decreases, which means that cultivated plants require additional watering. Secondly, soil fertility is depleted - additional top dressing is required. And, of course, weeds are carriers of diseases and pests that infect cultivated plants.
Weeds are characterized by high seed productivity, which can be stored in the ground for a long time. In addition, they are able to reproduce vegetatively and with the help of rhizomes. The last of the listed methods of reproduction uses the creeping wheatgrass, the photo below is a confirmation of this.
Wheatgrass loves to settle on moist, loose and humus-rich soils. On them, it multiplies rapidly, especially during the autumn rains and wet in the spring. In the hot period, when the summer is dry, it slows down its vital activity, at this time favorable conditions await the creeping wheatgrass. Measures to control this weed are as follows:
• In places with a large accumulation of this weed grass, sowing rye helps well. But it will have to be sown for two years in a row, but the soil will completely get rid of wheat grass.
• If you use a lawn in your area, then monitor the density of planting; you cannot leave bald spots; weeds appear there. Try to acquire high-quality planting material, without admixture of weeds. Well, if a wheat grass appeared on the lawn, then a systematic short mowing will help. The weed has grown by 5-6 cm, the lawn should be immediately mowed, usually this happens once a week.
• It is easiest to remove wheat grass in spring, when seedlings only appear, especially if the weed has grown from seeds. The fact is that rhizomes appear only after 2 months.
• Here is another way to remove a creeping wheatgrass. Control measures that suppress the weed are planting plants that will gradually survive it. Very often dahlias are used for this.
• Well, the last way is a chemical effect on the weed. Products such as Roundup Ultra and Roundup Ultragan help to get rid of weeds by 90%. They are quickly absorbed by plants, in addition, they can be used in dew, and in the soil they decompose in a short time. It is especially effective to use herbicides during the period of active growth of wheatgrass. The optimal time is the period after the harvest, when the shoots of weed grow back and reach 15-20 cm in height. But remember that herbicides should be used carefully so as not to harm cultivated plants.
I would like to note that wheatgrass, the photo of which is presented in the article, is endowed with healing properties. In folk medicine, it was used as a blood purifier and for diseases of the urinary organs and respiratory tract. Its rhizomes contain essential oil, triticin polysaccharide, organic acids, vitamin C, saponins and carotene. And the confirmation of the medicinal properties of this weed are our cats and dogs. Of all the plants, they choose wheat grass to improve their health.