Should You Be Concerned About Shot Weeds?
Share this post:
If there is one thing that I will never get tired of it's finding out about new weeds. As I mentioned in an earlier blog post this year, there are an estimated 8,000 species of plants that are considered weeds. The word weed is defined as a “plant growing out of place.” Based on that definition, just about any plant could actually be considered a weed.
I recently came back from visiting our newest Franchise Owner, in Silverdale, WA. It seems whenever that happens I always find some new weed that I have never seen before. This time, it was a weed called Shot Weed. Its seeds are “shot” out as the seed pod ripens later on in the year, spreading 100’s of weeds with each shot.
Shot Weed is a winter annual, which means it germinated last fall and is slowly growing over the winter, waiting for some warmer weather to return. Once that happens, the plant will “bolt” or send up a flower stalk with small white flowers. These flowers soon turn to elongated seed pods that will ripen and wait for the right condition to shoot out the seeds in all different directions. All it takes is a slight breeze or touch to send the tiny seeds flying across a lawn or garden.
Ideally, the best time to remove this weed is before it produces its flowers. This plant grows best in cool, moist conditions, which, for the Pacific Northwest, means that this weed may germinate multiple times in the fall, winter and early spring.
Trying to stay on top of this weed can be a challenge and requires perseverance. They can be pulled out by hand if the soil is loose, as it is shallow rooted. Be sure to dispose of the plant in your compost pile and don’t just toss it back into the garden. The cool wet weather of the Pacific Northwest may allow this plant to re-root, even if it is left upside down in the garden.
There are a number of winter annuals that are already starting to grow at this time of year in the south and along the west coast. Some of these weeds are familiar to me, like Chickweed and Shepherd’s Purse, but I always like learning about new weeds, like Shot Weed. There is so much to learn when it comes to lawns and landscapes. Even after 42 years, I am still discovering new, fascinating things that I never knew existed.
Do you have weeds that you are unsure about? Let us know by either commenting below or asking your local Spring-Green.