Frequently Asked Questions

Don’t plant invasive weeds. Be selective when you choose plants for home landscaping. Some invasive plants, such as purple loosestrife varieties, are still illegally sold in nurseries and garden shops, so beware! If you plant these in your yard, they may escape into nearby areas and become a problem by displacing native species. Consider planting native species in your home garden. Natives offer a good choice for home landscaping because they are well adapted to local conditions and often thrive with less care than required by many non-native plants. Native plant gardening also enhances the value of your yard for local wildlife including birds and butterflies.

Remove invasive weeds. Be on the lookout for invasive weeds and remove or report them whenever possible. You may have invasive plants already growing in your backyard. Birds and other animals may eat the seeds of these plants and then travel to nearby uninfested lands, resulting in the spread of invasive weeds. You can help stop these invasions by removing the source plants. Talk to your neighbors and local greenhouses about the problem and share your concerns. Report sightings on public lands to the land manager. If you do remove these plants from your own land, be sure not to spread the seeds when disposing of them.

Help prevent the accidental spread of invasive weeds. When you venture into natural areas, roadsides, or any place with invasive weeds, be aware that you could be introducing or carrying invasive weeds inadvertently. Check your shoes, socks, clothing, etc., which might carry seeds. Another important thing you can do is to try to limit soil disturbances on your property. Invasive weeds thrive on disturbance and can quickly colonize areas that don’t have a good vegetative cover. If invasive weeds are moving in, try to control them before they get well established and the area is infested.

Educate yourself and spread the word. Become better informed about how to identify invasive weeds, how to avoid spreading them, and how to control them. The battle to control invasive weeds cannot be won without public awareness and support.
 

Weeds are simply undesirable plant species. The same principle holds true for Marshall County’s roadsides, natural areas, farm fields, etc., which are home to a diverse array of native plants. The number and variety of these native species is described by the term "biological diversity." Over the past 150 years, many non-native plants have been introduced to our region, both intentionally and accidentally. The vast majority of these plants coexist with native species, and are ecologically harmless.

What makes a plant noxious in the context of Marshall County’s natural resources, is its negative impact on agriculture, or its ability to spread and crowd out native plants. This is why noxious weeds are distinguished from those weeds that occur in small numbers and are innocuous. Noxious weeds are those able to reproduce in the wild, spread rapidly, which are difficult to control, or which cause the decline or loss of our native plants. It is not completely understood why some weeds become noxious and some don’t. But because noxious weeds did not evolve locally, their populations are not held in check by natural predators or diseases, giving them a competitive edge over native plants. Noxious weed species can proliferate and spread over large areas. Some are able to completely displace other vegetation, forming a homogenous (single species) cover. Contrast this situation with the rich variety and diversity of a native plant community such as is seen in prairies, wetlands, or forests.

Noxious weeds are exotic plants that have reached Marshall County and Iowa by escaping from gardens, being transported by hay or straw, air, dirt, tires, clothing, etc. They grow aggressively, lack natural enemies, and resist management methods. These species can move quickly into bare areas which have been disturbed by construction or erosion, have poor vegetative cover, or have other soil disturbances. Some of Iowa’s noxious weeds are spread by wind-blown seed, birds, or other organisms. Other weeds spread though poorly timed mowing, or baling of hay to be fed to livestock or sold. And other noxious weeds spread by sending rhizomes (long underground roots) to uninfested areas. Most of Iowa’s noxious weeds can be easily controlled through proper management. Use of mowing, cutting, burning, competitive seeding, cultivation, herbicide usage, etc., are some of the various techniques used to combat weeds. Several of the State of Iowa and Marshall County’s worst noxious weeds are very difficult to control, such as Canada Thistle, Leafy Spurge, or Teasel. A primary key to weed control is early detection and management, before that weed has spread and built up a large seed bank and energy reserve.

Should we worry whether the plants growing around us are native to our area or not? Isn’t it all just "nature?" Before you dismiss this issue as unimportant, consider the following:

• Noxious and invasive weeds in agricultural and natural areas cost our country $13 Billion dollars per year.
• Noxious and invasive weeds are the second most important reason for the loss of biological diversity, after habitat destruction.
• The Bureau of Land Management, our nation’s largest public landowner, estimates that 2,300 acres per day of its land are being lost to noxious and invasive plants. Nearly 4,000 acres per day are estimated to be lost to weeds nationwide.