2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Dodder is a dangerous weed that often settles on trees with shrubs and immediately begins to feed on them. If you do not start a timely fight against this impudent parasite, it will very quickly deprive fruit crops of vitality, and one can only dream of a good harvest! And in order for the fight to be as successful as possible, it will not hurt to arm yourself with some useful knowledge
What is dodder?
Dodder differs from all other weeds by the complete absence of leaves and roots - this poisonous pest is attached to the surfaces that interest her with the help of rather tenacious suction cups. Moreover, it is endowed with the ability to penetrate deeply into the tissues of the attacked crops, and the seeds of this plant do not lose their impressive germination for ten years! Rapidly multiplying, dodder adapts perfectly to a wide variety of climatic conditions. And one single adult liana easily entangles up to six square meters of area!
Dodder is a plant native to America and Africa. The stalks of this plant are densely covered with tiny white, pinkish and greenish flowers, in whose place, after some time, fruits that look like boxes are formed. And each box, in turn, contains round or oval seeds, covered with rough and fairly dense shells.
Most often, dodder attacks fruit trees and shrubs, as well as legumes, vineyards and some herbs.
How to fight?
When a dodder appears on the site, you should not immediately grab onto far from harmless chemistry - first you should try to get rid of the harmful weed using folk methods. Ideally, of course, the dodder is pulled out of the ground and burned, after which the seed-infested soil is carefully cultivated. And they thoroughly dig up all the beds - dodder seeds are able to germinate exclusively in the upper soil layer, so the deeper they get into the soil, the less likely they will start to germinate.
The next method of control is to stimulate the growth of weed seeds - in autumn, as well as in spring, approximately two weeks before planting the necessary crops, the soil is watered abundantly, after which all dodder sprouts that have hatched from the soil are promptly removed.
You can also plant on the site plants that are of absolutely no interest to the dodder - for example, she is not inclined to eat wheat or oats. If for at least two weeks there is not a single fruit plant near the dodder, it will die on its own!
Herbicides to help
Sometimes it is impossible to do without the help of herbicides - preparations made on the basis of ethylhexyl salts and esters are best suited for fighting dodder: thanks to them, you can very quickly get rid of dodder seeds in the soil. As a rule, such preparations are added to the soil in combination with ammonium sulfate or nitrate. However, in order to carry out such a treatment, the site must be absolutely clean, that is, cultivated plants should not grow on it at the time of processing, otherwise they will simply dry out along with the impudent weed.
A good effect is also given by the use of glyphosates, which are also applied before planting the main garden crops. In addition, the soil must be watered abundantly before applying them. You can add glyphosates to the soil with the onset of autumn, but only after the harvest is complete.
If the dodder attacked the beds with potatoes, peppers or tomatoes, you can safely resort to the help of the preparations "Gezagard", "Bayer" and "Reitar" - any of them helps to quickly destroy the dodder at the very beginning of its development! For carrots, the drug "Stomp" is suitable, in addition, Targa and "Titus" have proven themselves perfectly in the fight against dodder.
Without a doubt, dodder is a terribly harmful and very difficult to remove weed, however, if the above recommendations are followed, it is more than realistic to get rid of it, so do not despair, let alone give up!
Recommended:
Ways To Deal With Strawberry Mites
The strawberry (transparent) mite very badly damages young strawberry and strawberry leaves, which subsequently turn yellow and, wrinkling, begin to gradually die off. As a result, the plants take on a dwarf appearance, and the strawberries so beloved by many cease to delight with a magnificent harvest of ripe and juicy berries. If bushes with wrinkled small leaves of a yellowish-oily shade appear on the site - it's time to start fighting the strawberry mite
Ways To Deal With The Bread Beetle
The bread beetle, also called the Kuzka beetle, knocks out hard grains onto the ground and eats away grains of cereals during their milky ripeness, thereby causing serious damage to the crop. Most of all harm from it in the steppes and southern forest-steppe. Barley, rye, wheat, grains of wild cereals are the favorite food of bread beetles. And their larvae, among other things, do not hesitate to eat the roots of wheat, rye, beets, tobacco, corn, potatoes, sunflowers and fruit seedlings in nurseries
How To Deal With The Asian Locust
The Asian locust damages all garden, forest, field, horticultural and melon crops. Grasses growing in reeds, in pastures and hayfields also suffer from its invasions. It is most widespread in southern Russia and is considered the most voracious locust
Italian Prus And How To Deal With It
The Italian locust is a ubiquitous pest that damages all kinds of forest and agricultural crops, fruit trees and grapes, legumes, herbs and grains, corn, cereals, melons, medicinal, vegetable and industrial crops, as well as forest species mainly in young plantings and nurseries ( white acacia, aspen, oak, poplar, ash, birch, etc.). These insects can easily cover distances of several kilometers
How To Deal With Mold In The Country?
Mold is a large amount of plaque-like microscopic fungi. And such a plaque appears mainly on wet surfaces, respectively, it is the increased humidity in the room that is considered to be the main cause of its occurrence. Mold is dangerous not only for its ability to destroy finishing and building materials, but also for its ability to cause a number of dangerous ailments in humans
