Reading Time: < 1 minute Nodding thistle is found in pockets around the province, but mainly in southern Alberta. This noxious weed is a prolific seed producer — a single flower can produce up to 1,200 seeds and a single plant up to 100,000 seeds. It can be recognized by the solitary large red to purple flowers at the end […] Read more
Don’t give this weed the nod
Don’t let this invader take hold
Reading Time: < 1 minute Leafy spurge is common throughout Alberta due to its ability to adapt to a variety of soil types through its extensive creeping root system. Stems are smooth and arranged in clumps, can grow up to a metre tall, and contain a milky latex. When it comes into contact with skin, the latex can cause irritation […] Read more
Don’t let this on your rangeland
Reading Time: < 1 minute Spotted knapweed has been reported in many areas of the province, especially ones with lots of vehicle traffic. Calgary, major highways, and border crossings are just a few areas with high densities of this prohibited noxious weed. The plant skeletons get caught in vehicle undercarriages, contributing to its spread. It also thrives in disturbed sites […] Read more
Invader blasts its way into wet areas
Reading Time: < 1 minute Himalayan balsam can be spotted in a number of municipalities across Alberta, and is especially common in flower beds. Before it was listed as a prohibited noxious weed, Himalayan balsam was a very popular ornamental. It was even readily available in greenhouses. Himalayan balsam is incredibly invasive in wet areas — mature seed capsules explode […] Read more
Smartphone app helps farmers scout for Alberta’s noxious weeds
App allows farmers to identify noxious weeds and report them to their local municipal fieldmen
Reading Time: 2 minutes Need help identifying a noxious weed? Of course, there’s an app for that. “Most people have a phone with them at any given time,” said Jeff Fleischer, a member of the communications committee for the Association of Alberta Agricultural Fieldmen. “We prepared the app so that people could have a list of all of the […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
