11/24/05 Idaho weed booklet

Spotted Knapweed is a biennial that produces up to 25,000 seeds that may remain in the soil for up to eight years. It is a native plant of Europe and was brought to North America in the 1800`s. Flowering heads are pink to purple and appear from midsummer to fall. Spotted Knapweed produces a natural herbicide that eradicates plants around it. That's just one of the 36 noxious weeds that have been identified in Idaho and now they're part of a booklet put out by Roger Batt of the Idaho Weed Awareness campaign. Batt says it's a great tool to have because it can help Idahoans with the first step. BATT "That informs people on what these noxious weeds look like both in the early stages and in the blooming stages of the noxious weed. In the very back of the book it provides for a noxious weed control guide to talk to about which type of control methods are best for that particular noxious weed." Through the campaign Idahoans are more aware of the weed problem and its potential on agriculture and recreation. The booklet is free. BATT "There's available on the Idaho weed awareness website, that's www.idahoweedawareness.org or you can call our hotline number at 1-866-ID-WEEDS and request a book and from our office here we'll be happy to just mail it to you." The website Batt mentioned also has a list of weed management districts through out the state and local weed superintendents. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott