In order to understand weed, you need to know that it is a type of plant which is undesirable in the field when the crops are grown. It can be described as a plant in the wrong time, at the wrong place to harm the actual purpose of the farmer. A weed can also be a plant pest that harms the actual crops by intercepting the supply of food and water from the soil. The weeds sometimes release harmful chemicals in the soil which causes death or degenerative reactions on the plants. These plants are unwanted where the setting of the ecology is man-made like a garden, park, lawns and most importantly in the farm fields. A weed is not a particular plant in botany, but any plant that harms the actual purpose of the farm.
Weed control is a very important task in the case of agriculture as it can harm the production of crops and the growth of the plants. There are several methods used to control the weeds like picking them up with hands to wilting with high heat, chemical application and also burning.
Significance of the Weeds
Weeds are mostly harmful. They interrupt the normal supply of food and water from the soil into the plants and get the nutrition for them. This hampers the growth of the actual desirable crop and thus causes a significant decrease in the production of the crop. But there are certain weeds that are friendly to the crops and show adaption to the adverse environment. In harsh environmental conditions, where the soil gets damaged frequently by natural forces like the heavy rainfall or strong wind, there the weeds help to keep the soil intact for the growth of the desirable crops. But after all these arguments the conclusion is still on the same platform that they are harmful to the plants. The reasons behind it are described below.
✔ The weeds compete with the desired plants for resources like food and water along with sunlight. This can make the actual crop plants weaker.
✔ The weeds sometimes are very good hosts for the pathogens and the vectors which are harmful to the desired plant.
✔ There are some birds and animals which live on the seeds and leaves of the weed plants. But they harm the actual plant unknowingly.
✔ The weeds mostly put natural venom into the soil and that causes a deficiency in the growth of the desired plants. Moreover, these harmful chemicals can irritate ✔ the skin and most importantly they are harmful to the stomach also.
What is Herbicide?
An herbicide is known to the common people as the weed killers and thus is used to control the growth and birth of weeds. There are distinctive herbicides for specific weeds and they are friendly for the desired crops. There are some random chemicals that are used to control the weeds but through them, the main crop can be affected to some extent. Generally, the non-selective weed killers are used in waste grounds and construction areas where the weeds are harmful to the constructions. The roots of the weeds may affect the base of the constructions or sometimes they make the soil loose to bear the load of the building or the construction.
Since in the modern era, everything has been changed to synthetic or artificial, so the herbicides are also synthetic. But the organic herbicides are still having demand in the market as they are less harmful to the original crop plant.
What is Organic Herbicide?
There are some biological agents that are used to control the weeds and are known as organic weed killer. These bioherbicides are mainly the phytotoxins, pathogens for the plants and some microbes which are used to kill the weeds. The bioherbicides are the compounds which are the secondary metabolites from the microscopic living agents like the microbes, bacteria, protozoa, fungi. Sometimes they are the phytotoxic leftovers or the excretions of the plants which are toxic for the weeds.
Some Popular Bio-Organic Weed Killers
Green Gobbler
This is one of the most preferred organic weed killers which are used by most of the farmers. This weed killer takes less than a day to kill the weeds. The main component of this weed killer is acetic acid which they extract from corn. The product is certified as organic and is ideal applied to agricultural and residential uses. This product can be used on the mulch beds, driveways, farmlands. It is capable of killing weeds like the white clover, dandelions, crabgrass, and moss.
Natural Armor
The particular weed killer is capable of killing more than 250 types of weeds and grass so that your desired crop doesn’t get disturbed during its growing phase. This is non-toxic and is biodegradable and thus it is harmless for the other members of the ecosystem. This doesn’t contaminate under-ground water as well as don’t kill the birds and other organisms. It also doesn’t take more than 24 hours to kill the unwanted grass and plants in your lawn or farmland.
Doctor Kirchener
This weed killer is based on saltwater and is not harmful at all for the other living organisms of the ecosystem. This special weed killer contains saltwater along with the edible vinegar and soap so that it can be strong enough to kill the weeds. This material doesn’t need to be diluted or mixed with any other things to be applied on.
Eco-Garden Solution
This solution is based on a formula that is environmentally friendly and doesn’t harm any of the other organisms present in the ecosystem. This is also safe for your kids at home and even if it is poured in the aquarium by mistake, then also there is no chance for the fishes to get harmed. It is safe and that’s why you can sprinkle it directly on the site where you want it to work. It is effective on weeds such as clover, crabgrass, and thistle, Dandelion and white clover.