Cultural Control of common tansy (Tanacetum Vulgare L.)
Photo By: www.paghat.com
Photo by: Michigan Wildflower
Photo By: Michigan Wildflower
Photo By: Michigan Wildflower
Sheep: Sheep can be used to help control common tansy. (1) The sheep eat the weed to the ground and don't hardly touch the grass. (1) Sheep eat common tansy with great enthusiasm. (9) After the sheep eat the weed to the ground and when the weed grows back it has to compete with the tall grasses. (1) This weakens the weed so it may eventually die off. (1) However, after sheep go through the winter eating hay it is hard to retrain them back to eating the weed. (1) So, put them in a fenced off field were there is a large amount of the weed that they are forced to eat. (1) This will retrain them to eat the weed. (1)
Goats: Goats can also be used to help prevent common tansy. (1) The goats eat the weed to the ground and don't hardly touch the grass. (1) They eat it with great enthusiasm. (9) After the goats eat the weed to the ground and when the weed grows back it has to compete with the tall grasses. (1) This weakens the weed so it may eventually die off. (1) However, after goats go through the winter eating hay it is hard to retrain them back to eating the weed. (1) So, put them in a fenced off field were there is a large amount of the weed that they are forced to eat. (1) This will retrain them to eat the weed. (1)
Tilling (Plowing): No data available. Not known to be effective. (1)
Hand Pulling: You can pull the weed but many fragments of the roots will stay in the soil. (1) The weed has big roots and they are near the surface so, the weed will regrow from these root fragments. (1) Hand pulling for common tansy has been reported to cause illness, suggesting toxins may be absorbed through unprotected skin. (7) So if you go out and pull common tansy you might want to wear gloves and pull in new sites or small patches. (7)
Controlled Burning: You can control burn the weed and it will make it easier to target the weed. (1) But, if you burn repeatedly you maybe just be increasing the weeds habitat by killing other plants that compete with it. (1)
Seeding/Reseeding: No data Found
Watering: This is not recommended because by watering the plant it helps the plant spread it's seeds around so it can reproduce. (1)
Fertilizing: Common tansy favors the disturbed soils along ditch banks, where the water spreads the seeds for miles down stream. You can still buy the seed from garden suppliers and grow more. If you see it listed in a seed catalogue, report this to your local weed fighters so they can stop its listing. Common tansy is not considered a noxious weed in many places. (9)
Grazing Methods: Use horse and cattle to trample the weed down so it can't grow. (1) Fence the animals in a small spot so they can eat the grass and trample the weeds. (1) Livestock sometimes browse on the tender young leaves but they leave it alone as it matures. (9) Tansy is distasteful and even toxic to some grazing animals. (11)
Links:
1. http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant12.htm
2. http://dnr.metrokc.gov/Weeds/tansyc.htm
3. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=TAVU
4. http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/commtan.htm
5. http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/pubs/mt9911.html
6. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/herbaceous/commontansy.html
7. http://database.dotflowers.com/item-common-tansy.html
8. http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sawtooth/botany/weeds/commontansy.htm
9. http://www.weedsbc.ca/weed_desc/com_tansy.html
10. http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/cm_tansy_cr.htm
Bibliography:
1) Elpel, Thomas J., Tanacetum vulgare--Common Tansy [Online] Available: http://www.3rivers.net/~tomelpel/weedsinfo/Tanacetum_vulgare.htm, January 2000. e-mail: thomas@hollowtop.com.
7) Montana State University. "Cultural Control." Tanacetum vulgare. Montana State University. 01 March 2006, http://www.montana.edu/www/pubs/mt9911.htm.
9) British Columbia. " Cultural Control" Tanacetum vulgare. 2001. Providence of British Columbia. 02 March 2006, http://www.weedsbc.ca/weed_desc/com_tansy.html.
11) Minnesota Department of Natural Resources "Cultural Control" Tacacetum vulgare. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 02 March 2006, http://www.dnr.mn.gov/invasives/terrestrialplants/herbaceous/commontansy.html.
By Jeremy Ward 1/18/02.
Updated by: Jessica Ward 3/2006.
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