Get to know your weeds

Teagasc has produced an illustrated guide to tillage weeds. This 50-page guide is aimed at farmers, growers and students, to help them identify the more common tillage weeds in field and garden.

It contains details on 42 weed species grouped within their families. It is produced by Stephen Alexander of Teagasc, who says it is important to be able to identify weeds, particularly in the seedling stage. It can be difficult identifying weeds at the cotyledon stage, as many of them look rather similar. It gets a little easier when the first true leaves develop, and easier again when the flowers show. The only way to get good at weed identification is by constant practice, advises Mr Alexander. A hand lens (x10) or magnifying glass can be useful in weed identification.

There are a few basic terms to know when examining seedlings. The first leaves are the seed leaves or cotyledons. The next leaves formed are the first true leaves, which often look different to the cotyledons, and are sometimes different from the subsequent leaves that develop. The hypocotyl is that part of the stem below the cotyledons.