Purple Loosestrife Management

Purple loosestrife weeds grow extremely quickly. The location of their preferred growth is a problem of more than just the rate of growth. It also causes a problem for the management. Getting into the roots is extremely difficult if you don’t have the right tools and experience. Purple loosestrife management is especially problematic when other vegetation and plants grow around the weed. There are options available, though.

Preventing the Seeds from Producing New Weeds

There will be some locations that you can get into for hand management. It’s possible to pull out the weeds by the roots and dig up the seeds before they have a chance to grow and expand. You will need to store the remove seeds, roots, and stems in a bag. Putting them into your compost heap will just mean more weeds sprout.
Using Beetles and Insects for Growth Management
If you can’t get to the purple loosestrifes, you may be able to insects and beetles to your advantage. A root weevil and seed weevil are two insect options, although the total benefit to your land and other vegetation is currently unknown. The best options are using the Glaerucella calmariensis or the Galerucella pucilla beetles. Both of these species will eat the steams, leaves, flowers, and seeds to get rid of any chance of the weeds repopulating. You will need 500 beetles or more due to the speed that the weeds repopulate, though.
Using Chemical Options
One of the most effective ways is through chemical options. The sprays will get into all areas that the purple loosestrifes grow, helping to prevent flowering and seed production. The downside is you could affect some of the other plants growing. Some of the seeds can disperse during this, so chopping the heads off the weeds is recommended.
These are your options for purple loosestrife management. If in doubt, get in touch with a reputable weed management company to help. Contact SprayTech at 720.248.0000.