One of the readers of our site asked me a question how to get rid of reeds. And I did not encounter such a problem. My knowledge of the reeds is very scarce at the high school level, and maybe even less. I only knew that bulrush usually grows near water bodies, in wetlands, such as where groundwater is close to the surface of the soil. In addition, from childhood I remember that one of my grandmothers lived in a house with a reed roof. I, as a gardener, did not have to deal with reeds. And then suddenly a conversation arose with a distant relative, a farmer, the owner of a very large piece of land in our Novokubansky district.
It is always interesting to communicate with him. His possessions occupy several tens of hectares. This site includes arable land, forest plantations, meadows, wetlands, two or three ponds with carps, silver carp. Sometimes I turn to him for advice if I can’t answer any complex question from a site reader myself. It happened this time. Here's what I learned about the reeds, about how you can get rid of it.
Reed Basics
Common reed, or reeds, on the site - this is a big trouble. Fighting him is very difficult. Bulrush - a moisture-loving, deep-rhizome plant, prefers heavy waterlogged soils. The roots penetrate deeply - up to 3.5 meters, and the bulk of the roots is located at a depth of 30-60 cm. The reed propagates by seeds or vegetatively, that is, by the roots.
The main rhizomes are horizontal rhizomes, from which, after 2-3 months, vertical shoots are formed that turn into terrestrial shoots. Rhizomes of reeds carry many sleeping buds - up to 270 per square meter. On the vertical rhizomes, many subordinate roots are formed, descending to groundwater. Trimming the rhizomes of the reeds during soil cultivation causes increased formation of aerial stems. Horizontal shoots reach 10-15 meters - they are able to root, multiply rapidly throughout.
In order to prevent the spread of reeds, you need to systematically work on the reclamation state of the site, carry out planning, divert water, do drainage. It is important to prevent stagnation of water, to carry out work to reduce its level.
The most important thing when destroying weed rhizomes is to remove the kidneys from their dormant state so that they wake up. It is also important to crush, grind rhizomes into small parts as soon as possible. This is necessary so that further tillage leads to their depletion and death.
There are several methods for killing weeds, including reeds. These are methods of strangulation, drying, freezing, exposure of a clogged area under steam. Let's consider briefly what they are.
Reed Control Methods
Method of strangling reeds like a weed
This method is the grinding of rhizomes located in the upper soil layer (10-12 cm), followed by deep embedding of overgrown segments. How can this be done in practice? Initially, a disk harrow runs through a section overgrown with reeds in order to crush the roots into small parts. Then they pass the same sections, plow over to patch up these small parts of rhizomes to a depth of 30-35 cm - there they will not be able to survive, they will rot.
Method for drying reeds
Agronomists sometimes call the drying method the fume method. It is used when a dry, hot period sets in. With the help of deep plowing, rhizomes of reeds are extracted to the surface of the earth. For 15-30 days of hot weather without rain, they naturally dry in the sun, lose the opportunity to germinate.Then the field is combed with a rake to remove them, for example, in a compost pit. This is available if the site is small. Or they re-plow it again to cover the dry roots of reeds to a depth of at least 30 cm. They will decay, enrich it with organic matter.
The method of freezing reeds
This method is similar to the drying method. The difference is this - it is used in late autumn before the onset of frost. After plowing, the roots of reeds remain on the surface all winter. With the onset of cold weather, the roots freeze, also lose their viability.
Abandoned field method - leave under steam
This method is used for very strong clogging with rhizome weeds - cane also belongs to them. In late May and early June, this plot is plowed to a depth of 30-35 cm. 2-3 weeks after plowing (in dry, hot weather), the rhizomes dry. They comb out. And the plot is again plowed to the maximum depth, cultivated 4-5 times, constantly combing the roots.
How to destroy the reeds if it rains
It may happen that when using any of these methods, it rains after the first plowing. What to do, what to do? Agronomist experts advise immediately to start combing out rhizomes, since they will not dry out in wet weather and will remain viable.
As you can see, the above methods of getting rid of reeds are very energy intensive, require a considerable investment of labor, time, material resources. Most likely, they are within the power of a successful farmer or a strong household.
Chemical methods - herbicides against reeds
A more affordable way to destroy the reeds, which agricultural enterprises of any form of ownership, private farms can use, is chemical. For example, using the herbicide Roundup. Please note that this is a very dangerous herbicide for health.
In recent years, information has appeared that its frequent use over large areas can cause the appearance of malignant tumors in people working with it. That is, it can only be used in compliance with all security measures. When preparing a solution or spraying, be sure to use a respirator. Do not spray plants with strong winds. Unfortunately, Roundup is the only herbicide that completely destroys perennial hydrophytic weeds, including reeds. There are modifications of Roundup - Hurricane, Tornado. Their main active ingredient is glyphosate.
The best time for treating cane with herbicides (by the way, other weeds, too) is the phase of earing and flowering, that is, from June to August. Dosages are needed high - 60-80 milliliters of the drug for each hundred square meters. 10 acres will require 10 times more than the drug - 600-800 ml.
The drug is diluted with water, the flow rate of the working solution is 20-40 liters per 10 hundred parts. The reeds are thoroughly sprayed. The first signs of the drug appear 2-3 weeks after spraying. The leaves become lighter in color, the edges turn yellow, the bulrush ceases to grow. The leaves turn completely yellow, dry for 30-40 days. The next year, plant growth does not resume, as rhizomes die.
Of course, the herbicide is expensive. Its application requires not small material costs. But this is the only way to restrain the development of malicious weed - reeds, except, of course, drainage, which not all summer residents or owners of the site can do.
When writing, an article was used by agronomist I. Zalesskaya, “Niva Kuban”, No. 22, 2015