REGINA BEACH, Sask. – Residents near this popular Saskatchewan resort area are planning an attack, knowing their chances of winning the war are low.
Nancy Gray, an agrologist with the Invasive Alien Plant program, told a recent meeting in Regina Beach that eradicating the noxious weed leafy spurge is not likely.
However, this won’t stop the newly formed North Plains Leafy Spurge Control Project from trying to contain it.
The group has obtained $15,000 from the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan and intends to spend it on chemicals and a sprayer rental.
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“There’s a fair amount of hope here that we’re going to make a difference,” said Denise Needham, one of the meeting’s organizers.
Leafy spurge was introduced by European settlers and is considered an invasive alien species. It is declared noxious under the Noxious Weed Act and poses a serious threat, especially to pastures, grasslands and natural areas where control is difficult.
Leafy spurge is hard to kill. It sends roots as deep as seven metres and catapults its seeds through the air nearly five metres away, ensuring continuous spread.
Tordon 22K, the most effective chemical, is water soluble, which means it shouldn’t be applied near water or on light soil. It’s also expensive.
Tracy Preete, weed inspector for the Rural Municipality of Lumsden, said Tordon should be applied when leafy spurge first flowers and then again in the fall only if there is regrowth.
He cautioned people to check for the true flowering stage. This is not the yellow bract; flowering occurs after the bract appears.
“Use only recommended rates,” he said. “More is not always better.”
Gray advises an integrated approach: mowing, chemical applications and beetles for biological control. As well, sheep and goats will eat the plants and can be effective in pastures and rangelands where chemical use isn’t desirable.
Groups such as North Plains should begin by mapping leafy spurge locations to determine what control method to use, she said.
Stands should be attacked from the outside in, similar to the way fires are fought.
This is because of the way the seeds spread and the fact they can remain viable for up to 10 years.
Gray said the process will take time even with control measures. In one example, a one sq. metre plot contained 4,500 seeds. One year later, it contained 3,900.
“Ten years later, we still have 970,” she said. “This is not a quick thing.”
Without control, that same plot would have nearly 24,000 seeds in 10 years.
Beetles have successfully controlled leafy spurge in two Saskatchewan areas near Weyburn and Mortlach.
Gray said all RMs are notified that residents can come and collect beetles at one of these locations in early July.
Burning is not a good strategy unless the goal is a more uniform stand of the weed in which to release beetles or spray.
Mowing should begin in mid-May and be done every month until winter. The goal with this method is to weaken the plant after it has used nutrients to bloom and produce seed, Gray said.
It takes one to two weeks after blooming for the seeds to form.
Cultivation isn’t an option because the roots extend so deep.
Sheep and goat grazing will reduce the number of plants as long as it is done properly.
The animals should be removed every five to seven days and allowed to graze grass for a while, Gray said. It will take two or three years of grazing the same area to eliminate all new shoots.
“Please pick a shepherd that knows what he’s doing,” she said.
