29/05/2013 - Plant Identification Unit 20574

On 29/05/2013 there is no morning class on Plant Collection Gardening on Unit  21026 because the ground is too wet due to heavy snow on 28/05/2013.

In the afternoon we had Plant Identification class on Unit 20574 with Ms. Lisa Short. The topic she discuss with us was  Weeds in  New Zealand.

Weed Control can be someone favourite plant or flower maybe daisies for example - but some who has a green type of lawn, loathe them. Many describe weeds as an unwanted plants growing in wrong place, if it grow quickly and is hard to control then it's weed.

Perennials are plants that come up each season and may die down over the winter months. Some perennials plants can look like some common types of weeds.

Weeds can be split into many categories but I find it easy to divide them into two sections - Annuals and Perennials. Annual weeds in general spread by seed. Perennial weeds are weeds that live for more than one season - this means that they do not die after one season, some perennial weeds may die down over the cooler month but adorn themselves with fresh healthy new green leaves.

How do weeds get to New Zealand?

- 74% were introduced as ornamental (garden) plants

- 14% were introduced for agriculture, horticulture and forestry

- only 10% were accidentally introduced

- 2% others

Weeds are useful to some people for soil stabilisation for reduce erosion, habitat and food for wildlife, nectar and pollen for honeybees and human consumption, medicine, building materials craft-making.

Weeds Characteristics

The top four weekly characteristics to remember are

• weeds produce many seeds and can reproduce vegetatively
• weeds grab all the nutrients and water
• weeds germinate and grow faster than native plants
• weeds avoid damage from natural enemies
• weeds have physiological adaptations such as fast uptake of nutrients
• weeds are tolerant of a variety of soil and climatic conditions (hardy generalists - can live almost anywhere)

Apart from that we went to Dunedin garden to see the samples of weeds which are required and samples of native trees for workbook.                                                                                                                                                         

Sample that we identify are Euphorbia peplus (Family Name : Euphorbbiaceae)

                                            Vicia sativa (Family Name : Fabaceeae)

                                            Lamium purpureum (Family Name : Lamiaceae)

                                            Epilobium ciliatum (Family Name : Onagraceae)

                                            Piantago lanceolata (Family Name : Rumiaceae)

                                            Solanum nigrum (Family Name : Solanaceae)

                                            Urtica urens (Family Name : Urtiaceae)

                                                                                                                                             

Today the weather in the afternoon isa sunny day with 11 degree Celcius. Wind is light winds.Rainfall 0.00mm. Humidity 58%. Pressure N/A