What kind of weed is this?

[O So]

I have this plant/weed growing in my yard where my pool was. I was curious on what it is. Could it be poisonis(sp)?

I am still trying to figure out what may be causing O So's bout with loose stool. I really think it is his teeth bothering him, but just want to rule out this plant as a possible problem. They ( O So and Pippin) have been over in that yard to get exercised and then they get to graze for about 20 to 30 minutes. They haven't eaten to much of this weed, but they both have had some. I am really thinking if it was poisonis, they would both be sick, but Pippin is still pooping fine!

O So seems to be getting better. I am going to call my vet on Tuesday to see what he thinks and to see if I can bring in a poop sample for them to do some tests on.

Here is the plant in question.

This is basically only growing where my doughboy pool used to sit. The rest of the yard is either old lawn or pasture grass. Once I get my topsoil I plan on re seeding the whole thing in pasture grass, just want to make sure I don't need to kill this stuff off before I rototil and put the new top soil down.

 

[LittleRibbie]

Kim, I cant remember where you live..that might make it easier to research it for you.Are the little white things flowers or buds?

 

[weebiscuit]

Kim, I can't tell what the weed is, but would like to comment on something else you said.... that you were going to rototill and put new top soil down. I would spray the area with Roundup before it was rototilled, and wait till the green stuff is brown before you put new topsoil down.

If you rototill any green, growing stuff into the soil, the green stuff, as it decomposes, actually robs the soil of nitrogen by "locking" it up so it cannot be utilized by anything planted in that area. And, grasses need a lot of nitrogen, so you may not get very good growth if you till green stuff into the soil, then cover it with dirt and replant it.

Just a little advice from an old certified Master Gardener.

 

[O So]

Kim, I can't tell what the weed is, but would like to comment on something else you said.... that you were going to rototill and put new top soil down. I would spray the area with Roundup before it was rototilled, and wait till the green stuff is brown before you put new topsoil down.

If you rototill any green, growing stuff into the soil, the green stuff, as it decomposes, actually robs the soil of nitrogen by "locking" it up so it cannot be utilized by anything planted in that area. And, grasses need a lot of nitrogen, so you may not get very good growth if you till green stuff into the soil, then cover it with dirt and replant it.

Just a little advice from an old certified Master Gardener.

Thanks, that is what I was wondering, if I should kill it off first! I will spray it with round up before we get the top soil.

To answer the other question, I live in the Sacramento area, CA.

 

[O So]

Thanks to LittleRebble asking what area I lived in, I thought about researching that in google! I came up with this,

KnotWeed

I believe that is what I have. Now I just need to find out if it is in the list of poisenis plants for horses!

Thanks guys!!

Update to this post, I looked at several "poisonous plants for horses" places and Knotweed is not anywhere on the list! So I don't think it will hurt the boys!

Thanks for you guy's help!

 

[susanne]

Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) is not considered toxic to horses or humans, but it is HIGHLY invasive, so get rid of it before it takes over your world.

Beware that many plants which are unpalatable to horses when alive become quite tasty when dead or dying after being treated with herbicide.

BTW, those toxic plant lists barely scratch the surface, and none of them list safe plants. I've saved every list I've come across, yet I've found the best approach is:

a) Ask your local county extension agent, and

b) Do a Google search for "Knotweed toxic to horses" (or--obviously--whatever plant you are looking for).

 

[Lormule]

We have that same weed here in New Mexico, most people here call it joint weed, my guys eat it without problem. A product call Pasture Pro, will kill it, without harming your pasture or lawn. I had a mule on winter pasture that would seek out this weed, which turned brown once it froze. His teeth looked like he'd been chewing tobacco all his life. I'd tap his nose and he would curl his lip up and show off his brown stained teeth.

Lormule

 

[AnnaC]

Sorry Kim but from your pics that is not Knotweed - at least it is not the invasive Knotweed that we have here in the UK, and I'm sure that is the same plant as you have over there.

So back to the drawing board I'm afraid. Do you have an advisor on grasses and grass management at a county feed merchants reasonably near you? If so take along a sprig of the plant, you may find they can tell you what it is.

Also if you are thinking about re-seeding your pasture area, remember that you possibly wont be able to graze it until the following year as the grass roots wont be 'established' enough in the ground and the horses will pull them up as they graze. Mostly sheep are used to graze any 'new' pasture leys during the Spring/early summer the year after seeding, plus the new grass will need rolling with a roller to get it well bedded into the soil.

Good luck with indentifying your mystery plant!

Anna

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Roundup is safe, but some of the others have arsenic or are hazardous to surrounding areas by volatizing if the temp is hot. We are working hard to educate our neighbor farmers, who are pretty bad about not reading labels and just spraying Whatever will kill. They are notorious for adding a tad of 24D in the Roundup, then they can't understand why their gardens and fruit trees are blighted.

If the area isn't very large you might be able to water it, then pull the weeds up. If it is knotweed, it has a single tap root and comes up pretty easily when the ground is wet. It gives me great personal satisfaction to pull them up! My horses don't seem bothered by it. It probably has some trace mineral that browsers require, if we only knew!

 

[MindyLee]

What ever it is, dont kid yourself about it. I KILL all weeds in my pastures after what happened last yr with one of my mares. I had 1 single little plant in my pasture that not only cost me $500 in vet bills, but almost my mares life. Some folks said NO it was not poisonus and others said YES. Well it was and it was a nasty little plant to deal with. My plant was way different then yours BUT still all in the same it was poisonus. My plant which just about killed my mare was called "Nightshade" with the little purple flowers that later get little red berrys on it. My mare lost at least 40% of her body weight, started having kidney and liver failure and worst part was, she had a 1 month old filly on her side that I had to wean immedintly.

What ever it is, kill it just to be safe!

Heres a pic of my mare what she looked like recovering from being sick. It scared me to death to see her look like that at such a fast rate.

 

[Sandy B]

Oso- I have the same weed. It is all over my vegetable garden and I constantly have to pull it. It grows low to the ground and spreads.

 

[Sandy B]

Thanks to LittleRebble asking what area I lived in, I thought about researching that in google! I came up with this,

KnotWeed

I believe that is what I have. Now I just need to find out if it is in the list of poisenis plants for horses!

Thanks guys!!

Update to this post, I looked at several "poisonous plants for horses" places and Knotweed is not anywhere on the list! So I don't think it will hurt the boys!

Thanks for you guy's help!

Yup, that looks just like what I have all over the veggie garden.

 

[O So]

The reason I was asking was because I wanted to just leave it and let the boys it it while we are waiting for the new soil. Well, waiting for the funds for the new soil. LOL We have been "kind of" looking for free soil, but one has to be kind of picky on it. We know where a bunch of free dirt is, but it is pretty nasty looking. Not worth the work. I figured when it looked like we were going to be able to get the soil, I would round up the weeds, Then rake them off the top. Then ad the new soil and rototil and plant my grass seed. I just figured this gave the boys something to eat, as long as it wasn't dangerous to them. The other yards they are in are just dirt. This is the only one I can keep them off long enough to let something grow on it. It is their snack yard! LOL

I am hoping to be able to get the soil before the rainy season. Get the yard all leveled and then seed it just before it starts raining. That should give it at least a few months to get started. Figured I would try to get things pretty established for the next summer. I can keep them off of it for as long as I need to in order to get the pasture grass going.

When you say roll it, do you mean I have to let it start growing, then turn it all under and then wait for it to grow again? Never planted pasture before, just through grass seed out and let it grow before.

Also, are you saying that it is safe for the horses to eat the plants that I round up? Doesn't seem right, want to make sure I read that right.

Sorry, didn't quote you that said those things above, just hoping you will know who you are to answer.

 

[AnnaC]

Ok to try and answer some questions for you Kim - to the best of my knowledge, and I'm no expert!

Firstly Mindy - you were so lucky (plus you and your vets must have fought so hard for your mare) not to lose you sweet mare. Deadly Nightshade, to give it its proper name, is just that DEADLY!! It is quite a small bushy plant, leaves a little darker than your mystery plant Kim, and with small purple berries. Dont let your animals near it - look up a picture and find one of it BEFORE the berries appear, so you can identify it.

Japanese Knotweed is a tall plant (by this time of year), each plant having several stems (often pinkish/brownish in colour) which wave about happily in the breeze (a 'loose' type of plant). The leaves are large and pale green/almost yellowish in the sunlight. It 'flowers' with a 'clump' of breezy loose flowerheads at the top of each stem, usually late in the season, September/ocober time. It is a thug of a plant, and although you may be able to dig it up if you spot it when it is very small, once grown those roots go a long way down and are capable of busting through concrete walls/roads/drains and houses!!! Once it gets to this stage only professional help will kill it. They do say to wait until the flowers appear, then dose it with Roundup several times, but I never wait that long and usually give it a blast or two when it is around 12-16 inches in height with great success! It is to be found all over the UK and apart from the danger to building and roads, it is choking the river banks and hedgerows. There are desperate attempts going on to try to erradicate it, but I doubt whether it will be entirely successful.

With regard to your paddock Kim (and the rolling of it!). As you rightly say it will need many months to grow once seeded. As you cant graze other animals on it once it has grown (sheep) then keep mowing it to get the grass more established with its roots firmly in the ground. The rolling is done with a big (well big enough for the job, but not necessarily a full farm sized one) metal/iron roller - the sort your quad could manage to pull, but not your hubby and son together by hand. This will 'bed' the grass down even more and give you a better and more permanent pasture area for the boys. (When you are ready, have a search around and you may be able to hire or borrow the right sized roller, but please remember that rolling can only be done when the soil/grass is dry, otherwise the wet ground will stick to the roller and tear up your turf instead of flattening it down!!) I must just add that rolling a pasture is not absolutely necessary, but if you can do it a couple of times at the right time, it will make all the difference to the new grass.

Hope this helps a bit!

Anna

 

[O So]

Ok to try and answer some questions for you Kim - to the best of my knowledge, and I'm no expert!

Firstly Mindy - you were so lucky (plus you and your vets must have fought so hard for your mare) not to lose you sweet mare. Deadly Nightshade, to give it its proper name, is just that DEADLY!! It is quite a small bushy plant, leaves a little darker than your mystery plant Kim, and with small purple berries. Dont let your animals near it - look up a picture and find one of it BEFORE the berries appear, so you can identify it.

Japanese Knotweed is a tall plant (by this time of year), each plant having several stems (often pinkish/brownish in colour) which wave about happily in the breeze (a 'loose' type of plant). The leaves are large and pale green/almost yellowish in the sunlight. It 'flowers' with a 'clump' of breezy loose flowerheads at the top of each stem, usually late in the season, September/ocober time. It is a thug of a plant, and although you may be able to dig it up if you spot it when it is very small, once grown those roots go a long way down and are capable of busting through concrete walls/roads/drains and houses!!! Once it gets to this stage only professional help will kill it. They do say to wait until the flowers appear, then dose it with Roundup several times, but I never wait that long and usually give it a blast or two when it is around 12-16 inches in height with great success! It is to be found all over the UK and apart from the danger to building and roads, it is choking the river banks and hedgerows. There are desperate attempts going on to try to erradicate it, but I doubt whether it will be entirely successful.

With regard to your paddock Kim (and the rolling of it!). As you rightly say it will need many months to grow once seeded. As you cant graze other animals on it once it has grown (sheep) then keep mowing it to get the grass more established with its roots firmly in the ground. The rolling is done with a big (well big enough for the job, but not necessarily a full farm sized one) metal/iron roller - the sort your quad could manage to pull, but not your hubby and son together by hand. This will 'bed' the grass down even more and give you a better and more permanent pasture area for the boys. (When you are ready, have a search around and you may be able to hire or borrow the right sized roller, but please remember that rolling can only be done when the soil/grass is dry, otherwise the wet ground will stick to the roller and tear up your turf instead of flattening it down!!) I must just add that rolling a pasture is not absolutely necessary, but if you can do it a couple of times at the right time, it will make all the difference to the new grass.

Hope this helps a bit!

Anna

Thanks! It did help!

Ok, took a few more pics out in the sun, 101 degree sun.

Here are somewhat better pics. I do believe this is the knotweed they show in that link I gave. It has the little flowers, but mine are not as bloomed out as the one in the link.

I think you can click on the pics to make them their original size, then you can see the flowers better.

As far as getting rid of it, I will have my hands full. It is in half of my yard I am making into their pasture/arena, and coming up in the smaller yards on the outside of that area. Will definitely have to do some round uping. I have to be careful though because my dogs have that yard all the time. I will lock them off of it for a couple days after I round up, but hopefully it will be ok to turn them back on it after the couple days. The don't eat that stuff anyway, but still, want to be safe.

If I left the boys over there they could easily take care of that weed for me. It didn't take them long to turn their living areas into dry lots! LOL

 

[shelia]

If you use roundup you will kill all of your grass, but those weeds will come back even stronger. What I have found that works pretty good is lots of water and lots of fertilizer. They tend to like dry compacted soil. If your in a big hurry you may not have much success since it is so late in the year and allready very hot. You have some free fertilizer from your horses. Dump that on top of the plants and hose it down good so it starts to break up. The manure will help choke off the plants a little and provide nutrients to the soil around them. keep the ground moist. Buy some good fertilizer and spread it. In about a week rake the ground even a little bit and plant some grass seed and keep the ground moist. You may need to cover it a little with some bedding straw. Not a lot though. Try to keep the animals off of it if you can so they don't pack it down or pull it up by the roots.

You will find that your soil is not as bad as you thought. Living in a subdivision with a sodded lawn take very different care than living in the country with natural dirt. You have to water for a much longer period of time but once the grass is established you won't have to water as often as you would in a subdivision.

I have found that weed and feed works pretty good too. At first it seems like it didn't work at all, but it does make a difference. It just takes longer to kill the weeds. It is expensive though.

I think you probably have the same soil as I do. I have heavy clay and hardpan. I started with no grass when I moved in and shortly the neighbors said my lawn looks like a golf course. i also used ironite.

I still get those weeds in some of the dry lots though.

 

[K.C. Lunde]

Hi!!

I am a Weed Inspector with the Agricultural Services office in my County. I live in Western Canada; Calgary AB.

It looks like the plant you have there is what we refer to as Chickweed up here. It is a mat-forming, groundcrawling weed that is very hard to handpull and competitive with crop/gardens. It is not harmful to horses.

Its very hard to be certain through a picture, however-- A quick check-- See if the stems of the plant have 1 single row of fine, white hair. The plant must have opposite leaves also, and it's white flowers have 5 petals (each petal deeply notched so it will appear as though there are 10 petals). If no to any of these questions then you can be certain it is not Chickweed.

For future weed references I would recommend the Alberta Invasive Council website-- Love, love, love it!!! Individual sheets about some of the more common weeds we find up here in the Canadian Prairies..

AIPC Weed IQ Sheets

Weeds I would recommend you knowing about would be ANYTHING in the Nightshade family (Solanaceae... Tomatoes are in this family also) just for safety's sake... plus:

BLACK HENBANE

Absolutely toxic to EVERYTHING!!

And..

TALL BUTTERCUP

Causes inflamation and blistering in the mouthes of livestock (not to mention their bellies!)

PS YES I DO love ripping these weeds out of peoples FLOWER BEDS <3 hahah!!!

Cheers.

 

[SNDFarms]

This is another good source with pics, mostly Texas Plants but I found that these same plants are everywhere.. lol

http://essmextension.tamu.edu/plantsdev/book/toxics/

 

[AnnaC]

Thank you for the info K.C. I knew it wasn't Knotweed and was just going to go out and take a pic of the one plant I have just discovered here hiding amongst some undergrowth, to post here for Kim, so you saved me a wet trip out into the rain!

We also get a weed like the one in Kim's pictures near the hard baked ground aound some of our gateways - but wasn't quite sure it was the same weed as I am in the UK. Si it could be the hard baked/clay type soil that it likes as we dont have it in our pasture fields.

Kim, if every you need to use Roundup for the odd weed or two, then make a paper cone to put round the plant before you spray - stops the Roundup spray falling on surrounding grass/other plants. Always spray on a dry/sunny day and you are safe to let the dogs out after the spray has completely dried.

I think you may be better looking for a general fertilizer rather than rely on extra horse poo going down on your paddocks - too much horse poo can make a pasture 'sick' and also makes the soil too acidic which can lead to loads of buttercups and nettles suddenly being happy to grow and take over! LOL!! A quick fix for grass growing can be to give your soil a 'scratch over'/ harrow, then apply the fertilizer, hope for a fair amount of gentle rain to wash it in, then rest the pasture and wait for the grass that is already there to grow, multiply, spread etc. Of course you will get any weeds growing too, but over time you can wander about and do a little hand pulling to keep them under control if you feel like it!

Anna