Cultivating knowledge on the Flathead Indian Reservation: weeds

Rene Kittle, Extension Agent
MSU Extension - Flathead Indian Reservation

It's that time of year again! Days lengthen, temperatures rise, and plants begin their spring green-up. Of course that means weeds are competing with favored plants for space. Many folks ask me "What is the difference between a weed and a noxious weed?" I tell them that a weed is simply a plant growing where someone doesn't want it to grow, whether in a yard, pasture, or cropland. A noxious weed, on the other hand, as defined by Montana is any exotic plant species established or that may be introduced in the state that may render land unfit for agriculture, forestry, livestock, wildlife, or other beneficial uses and may harm native plant communities. A noxious weed is designated by the state or by a weed district, such as a county or tribe. A weed designated as noxious by the state must be considered noxious in every district within the state. Once identified, it is the landowners' legal responsibility to control these weeds per the Montana County Noxious Weed Control Act. Currently, Montana has 32 exotic plants designated as noxious weeds. CSKT recognizes the State of Montana noxious weed list for noxious weed control on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Anyone can obtain a copy Montana's noxious weed list on the Internet at: http://agr.mt.gov/ weedpest/pdf/weedlist3-08.pdf or by calling our office.

Another common question I hear is "How do I control my weeds?" There is no single answer for how to control all weeds. Before a landowner implements weed control practices it's important to get a correct identification of the weed species and the plant community around the target weed. Once we identify the target weed we can talk about a variety of options, such as biocontrols (insects for instance), cultural practices (cultivation and mulch), reseeding, and herbicides or a combination of these methods. If someone wants to use an herbicide we can make recommendations. I encourage people to take a pesticide applicator class to learn how to apply herbicides safely, learn how to read a label, and calibrate their sprayer to apply the correct amount of herbicide. Always make sure the target pest and plant community of the pest are listed on the product label. If you are looking for a pesticide applicator information or education please call our office at the number below.

Lastly, if you are struggling with plant identification, please bring a sample into our office. If we cannot identify the plant, we can obtain a quick identification from Montana State University Extension in Bozeman. If you bring a sample into the Flathead Reservation Extension office, please follow these general guidelines: When collecting unknown plants, always collect as much of the plant as possible. This includes: digging up some root, collecting basal leaves, flowering stalks and stems, and any flowers, fruits, and seeds from the plant or other identical plants in the area. Parts collected will depend upon the life stage of the plant. It is helpful to collect more than one flower.

Plants should be placed in a plastic bag, kept cool, and delivered to the extension office as soon as possible. Record the site information such as date and area collected, elevation, slope, aspect, and type of plant community where the plant was collected.