Kochia continues to expand its footprint north and east across the Prairies, producing herbicide-resistant populations at an alarming rate. It’s a particularly troublesome weed, but take heart — there are a raft of options to manage kochia without breaking the bank.
Kochia is definitely an A-list weed. Its methodical march across the Prairies appears to be extraordinarily suited to this landscape, says Charles Geddes, a research scientist specializing in weed ecology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Lethbridge, AB. He should know — he’s been watching that march for the last 15 years.
What makes kochia so successful? First, it’s a prolific seed producer and spreader. In competitive environments, a single plant produces up to 20,000 seeds. If left unchecked, 100,000-plus seeds per plant is not unusual. Then, as a tumbleweed, it spreads those tens of thousands of seeds far and wide. It has more tricks up its stem, too.
Kochia differs from other summer annuals in that it doesn’t produce the bulk of its seed until mid-August or later, whereas most other weeds are mature by late July to early August. Post-harvest management is vital, says Geddes, since kochia can be cut down at harvest, grow back, set seed and spread — all before killing frost sets in.
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