It is essential to treat weeds to reduce the competition to desired plants in a field or pasture according to Jill Scheidt, agronomy specialist with University of Missouri Extension.
The reason is simple: when weeds are present, they are competing with desired plants for nutrients, sunlight, air and moisture.
However, in order to have success, correctly identifying the weeds is key. Identifying a weed incorrectly can lead to applying the wrong treatment.
"The most successful way to kill a weed is to treat it while it is in a young stage of growth," said Scheidt. "Most weeds are hard to control once they have reached over four inches in height or diameter."
University of Missouri Extension has many helpful resources to help producers correctly identify weeds and learn about growth stages and the most effective method for control.
The website http:// weedID.missouri.edu contains about 350 plant species that could be encountered as a weed of field and horticultural crops, pastures, lawns, gardens, and noncrop or aquatic areas in Missouri and surrounding states.
Users choose either "broadleaf" or "grass and grass-like" and then narrow the list of suspects by selecting from among more than a dozen characteristics such as habitat, lifecycle, leaf type and root system.
University of Missouri Extension has released a free app for iPhones, iPads and Android devices to help people identify weeds in the field, lawn or garden.
The app, called ID Weeds, has information on more than 400 plant species that could be encountered as weeds in crop fields, pastures, lawns, gardens or aquatic areas in Missouri and surrounding states.
ID Weeds lets users narrow the list of suspects with a series of drop-down boxes for various plant characteristics.
If a user is not familiar with technical terms such as "ligules" or "spatulate," they can click on "what's this" to see an illustration.
Download iPhone and other iOS devices at itunes.apple.com/app/id-weeds/id559906313. For Android devices, search for "ID Weeds" at play.google.com/store.
Finally, the University of Missouri Extension has many helpful guides on herbicides and control methods for weed control.
One document, "MUPastureWeedBrush. PDF" lists weed names, control methods, mixtures and correct timing herbicide application. This link can also be found on the Cedar County Extension website or by going to http:// extension.missouri.edu and typing in "Pasture Weed and Brush Control."