| Show Sanpete faces weed threat r with musk thistle invasion BY JACK HERRING County A Agent ent For the past few months w we have been trying to make the people of the county aware of ofa ofa ofa a new weed menace which Is Invading us MUSK THISTLE is spreading very rapidly throughout the county and threatens to create a serious weed problem for landowners and operators by Infesting pastures pastures pas pas- tures tares meadows fields forests roadsides and waste areas It Itt t reduces forage quality and yields The plants plant's long sharp thick spines limit the use of ot Infested areas by livestock or for recreational purposes The plant can be recognized by Its very large reddish pur y pIe flower heads on solitary r H stems The plant is dark green greenH and may grow as high as seven feet On reaching maturity the heads nod or hang down and there may be as many as fifty heads to a plant and up to 1000 seeds per head The plants plant's spines are prominent prominent prominent nent on leaves and stems The dark green leaves are deeply cut and have a light-green light midI mid mid- I rib From results of ot a survey Just completed by the County Agent and USDA weed supervisor it was determined that the thistle Is five times more prevalent this year than last The areas around Ephraim are especially heavily infested It is growing abundantly along the highway north of ot Ephraim and Is also spreading rapidly to fields in that area There are also heavIly heavily heavily ily Infested fields west and east of Ephraim The thistle is not very no noticeable noticeable noticeable no- no until It has reached a stage in height where it is hard to control Spring treatments treatments treatments treat treat- ments of ot D 24 should be made before the flower stalk is six inches long Flower stalk elongation elongation elong elong- atlon starts about a month be before before before be- be fore bloom It Is not too late to spray most of the thistle around the county now but it should be done within the next ten days If U you cant can't get It sprayed mow it before it has a chance to goto go goto goto to seed and then spray in September and early October Just remember that every head that has a chance to go goto goto goto to seed could produce another thousand plants next year |
