Weed Wrangles & Programs

By Mara JF Rose

   The "Pollinator and Natural Resources Field Day and Workshop" is free and public. This year, it was at the Salamonie Interpretive Center, Andrews, Indiana, 15.5 miles from Wabash. It was on August 8, 2024. As a new Master Gardener Intern, I eagerly attended my first time.

    Approximately 60 people attended. Many attendees came to this fun workshop to get Continuing Certification Hours (CCH) for pesticide licenses.

     I was delighted to learn that two of my “gardening friends” had also signed up for this lovely field day. There were many familiar faces in the crowded room. That surprised me.

   A few were Master Gardeners. Others were Master Naturalists. Many in attendance were members of more than one group. There were representatives or presenters from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Services (USDA-NRCS), the Soil Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), State of Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management (SICIM), the Army Corps of Engineers, and Purdue University Extension-Wabash County.

   Everyone seemed open to networking and sharing knowledge. It was a beautiful summer day.

   Our hosts had generously set out boxes of donuts and hot coffee. They offered them at the start of the meet-and-greet.

   After our hosts and presenters assembled, we were introduced to some names and faces to match the acronyms. Each presenter stepped forward. They stated their name, expertise, and the group they represented.

    IDNR (Justin, Chandler), IDNR and UWIN (Teresa Rody), SICIM (Duggan), US Dept of Ag, US Corp of Eng, USDA, INRCS, IN Dept of AG (Kate Sanders), Purdue Ext. (Geoff Schortgen), SWCD (Penny Tomes), Izack Walton League, Friends of Wabash Interpretive Center and Master Gardeners (Robin Daihl, Belinda Ireland, Don Natolli, Mara Rose, and Lisa Sonafrank).  

   We received a handout on invasives. Then, they asked us to form carpool groups and line up our vehicles behind our IDNR hosts. They would lead the caravan to three field stations.

   At Station #1, “Native Pollinator Considerations and Ecosystem”, Justin Emmons, IDNR Wildlife Specialist, gave us a brief history of Salamonie Reservoir. This reservoir was developed to help control local flooding and downstream flooding as far away as Kokomo. The Wabash Corridor is unique. Much is prairie land. This area was once homesteads and farmlands (This field was an old campground. Next, it allowed disabled hunters to use ATVs for small game hunting.) The DNR leased the land to manage a habitat for wildlife and insects.

   Justin went on to explain how this field was prepped to be a pollinator field. It needed six herbicide sprays before planting. This took two full years. He stressed the need to know your soil type. Soil testing is best. But a good eyeball test for drainage is vital. Also, proper prep before planting is key. Don’t rush or skimp on preparation; you may need to do repeated treatments. You must destroy all existing plants to prep a field for pollinators. Use herbicides, smothering, tilling, or a mix of these methods.

   In a field, both invasive and aggressive plants can crowd out natives.

   Knowing your soil type, pick a diverse mixture that will breed success. Use different heights, colors, and blooming times. This way, nothing will take over completely. Less diversity means fewer pollinators and animals. So, that also means that small garden areas need a high density of mix.

   The field in which we were standing was a wet mix. After soil prep, winter volunteers used donations to hand-seed 1 .5 inches deep.

   This field had: Cardinal Flower, Cup plant, Slender Mountain Mint, Sneezeweed, Cone Flowers, Black-eyed Susans, Ironwood, Blazing Stars, New England Aster, Bergamot, Foxglove, Monkey Flower, Great Blue Lobelia, Queen Anne's Lace and Goldenrod. (Canada Goldenrod tends to take over the field, but Grass leaf Goldenrod is less aggressive.) The area seemed to be thriving with insects and birds.

   Justin wanted us to know that the first year the seed is getting established. The field will not look good during this time. Things like Wild Senna do well in wet areas, while Bottle Gentian takes years to grow. After a field has produced, it's important to note two things. First, you might want to sweep net it to identify the pollinators you attracted. Second, a late-summer controlled burn is vital. It promotes wildflowers and controls weeds. He also said that, for managing invasives, the edges were hardest to control.

   Station #2 was the “Wet Land Management” site. This wetland filters contaminants from the water. Then the water flows into the Salamonie Reservoir. Beaver damage flooded the whole wetland system. So, part of the work in this field was to rebuild the levee for more control. They use a two-pond system with two trenches between the ponds. Then, they use culverts into a ravine to the Salamonie Reservoir. Today, this DNR section has a few registered trappers. They    will help control the beaver population.

   They drill planted tall pollinator grasses four years ago. It was a test to see if the natives would reduce the invasives. The grasses in the area provide cover for small game animals such as rabbits. (Hunters take 300 rabbits per year from the area.)  Seeding flowers in this area is best below surface level in the fall and winter.  

   Justin also wanted us to get the word out about emerging invasive Phragmites. Phragmites are a common reed. They are a tall perennial grass with large feathery heads. The invasive species releases biochemicals from its complex roots into the soil. It is often hard to tell it from a native Phragmite. The native is less dense and does not harm biodiversity.

   In addition, we saw the invasive European Alder. The DNR is now trying to remove it by burning and mechanical methods. They also looked at using spray drones to control invasives. They are precise and super effective for wetlands.

  Most of the area's funding comes through crop leasing. But farmers can't use any ionic surfactants. Any herbicides that are used must be wetland safe.  There is no fall tillage, and the field crops are as close as you can get to organic. (One farmer said that he had 3,000 acres of soybeans. But, the 1500 acres grown here were the best.)

   Salamonie is home to the federally endangered snuffbox mussels. They have now been reintroduced to the Pigeon River. At the back of the first pond, we saw a fledgling Great Blue Heron get flying lessons. In the trench from the beaver slide to the second pond I saw the tiniest frogs I’ve ever seen! In the back pond, we saw the shy Green Heron. I also saw Buttonbush, Ironwood, and Chicory.

   Field Station # 3 – Prairie Establishment and Care is bounded by a picnic area to the east and a pond to the north. The pond has been used for kids' fishing tournaments. This field was sprayed three times before seeding. It was hand-seeded by volunteers at the same time as field # 1. But it was seeded with grasses and flowers together. This area has more grass than wildflowers. It was a very large field. It had many native species including Field Thistle. Most were 7 ft or taller. Once the majority of the field is about 12 inches tall, it gets mowed to 4 inches. Then it can grow again. Mowing once a month for the first year until August. They might burn in fall or next spring and spray after the burn. They will probably spray with Imazapic, used as a pre-emergent. Some native species tolerate it. This field abounded with dragonflies and grasshoppers.

   Justin said that former soybean fields are the easiest to convert to pollinator fields of wildflowers and grasses. The second easiest to convert is a former turf grass area.

   At the end of the field station part of the day, Justin reiterated some key points.

·   Test the soil and prepare it. These are the first steps to a pollinator field.

·   Many treatments will be needed before you start seeding.

·   There are three main methods of preparation: 1. Herbicides. 2. Smothering, multiple times. 3. Tillage, repeated. A mix of these methods can be used. The use of herbicides has been found to be the best solution in preparation for the long term.

·   It’s vital to have diverse plants. It is especially vital in small areas to have a concentration and diversity.

·   You’ll want different heights, colors and blooming times.

·   You may want to do sweep nettings to find your pollinators. This will help with your successive plantings.

·   Routine "controlled burns" in late summer are very helpful. 

   (We took a lunch break with an excellent variety of finger foods provided by our hosts. Then we reconvened in the classroom at 12:45 p.m. to conclude the day’s sessions.)

   Next, we learned of three ways to control invasive species: Mechanical, Chemical, and Cultural. The instructor was Dugan Julian (DUGAN@ sicim.info). He is the invasive species Northeast Regional Specialist on all invasives.

   Mechanical control includes fire, cutting, topping, grinding, and any tool that needs a human.  Downside to this method is that it may not work in a single attempt. The upside is that these methods of control can be used year around. For example, a brush axe used in the winter works well against invading brush.  He showed us a 6-inch electric hatchet that is his favorite tool. He also discussed using the right PPE. This includes chainsaw quick stop gloves and rubber gloves for chemicals.

   Chemical Notes included: Check the solution's makeup. Generic is half the price and has the same ingredients. “Do not apply where you are not supposed to and do not increase the dosage”. Know your target species, or at least it’s group (note: Torridon will kill everything).

   Dugan made a stand-out key point. Water type (city, well, lake, or rain) can change herbicide chemicals. The problem is the alkalinity and what chemicals bind to each other. He said many don't realize that mixing concentrated herbicide 50/50 with water can lose 10-30% of its effectiveness. To prevent this, mix a teaspoon of Ammonium Sulfate per gallon of water into the water first. Then, add the chemical. He assured us that "big box stores" have Ammonium Sulfate. Its use is as important as knowing the target species. Always use PPE properly and remember that the Label is the Law.

   Cultural Controls included timing, behaviors and procedures. They are key in trying to control invasive species. For instance, mowing spreads seeds in the spring. So, change when you mow to prevent spreading them. An example of procedures is county rules. They ban invasives in the community. Township trustees must enforce AG rules. The DNR site lists 44 invasive species under the terrestrial plant rule.

   To change behaviors, he advocated to push greenhouses to stock natives. Also, name-drop native nurseries if local greenhouses lack your requested species. Another behavior to change   is to sanitize your boot treads and tools between work sites.

   Next, the USDA presented. Adam Jones and Lindsay Egner discussed the Conservation Reserve Program. This program takes farmland and turns it into wildlife areas, or grass filter strips.  The Equip Program (Environmental Quality Incentive Program) is available if you want to plant pollinators.  There is no minimum acreage amount for this program. The program competes with other counties. There is a general and a continuous sign-up. Solar panels make the land ineligible for USDA programs. It is now disqualified as AG ground.

   The DNR (Chandler Sonafrank) then provided a game. It tested our knowledge from the presentations. It was a fun, collaborative way to end the day.

   My friends and I agreed that we’re excited to see what next year’s presentations at the Missisinewa Reservoir will be! Come join us!