You are looking through one of the ugly weeds that grow taller than Terry’s head (he is 6’2″ tall) has a billion tiny seeds (you can see their little casings still left on the branches). Just a small, ever so slightly touch will send the seeds cascading through the air and down to the ground waiting for SPRING! Kochia-Chenopodiaceae of the Goosefoot family a noxious plant.
The above is on our neighbors’ farm’s fence…I work diligently to keep this stuff from growing within the farm yard. The farm itself is on it’s own. The stems get 4-5 inches around when in full height. It’s a bugger to chop down once it’s at that height. Lots of people just let it grow, die off from the freezes, and let the wind shift them here and there and everywhere…sort of like tumble weeds. Although, these don’t tumble.
Once more this is a plant that originated in some other country—ASIA, introduced to Europe and then carried across to North America as a wonderful, delightful, ornamental for the back of someone’s flower bed.
I’ll bet they regretted the first year they they planted it.
This plant is one reason I wish we still had cows. Cows love it, so do sheep and goats, but only in the early stages of growth, once it gets ankle high the plant is safe.
I’ve been out trying to gather and destroy this dried up weed, although the seeds have already spilled. I can at least get rid of the stalks.
It’s also a good time to get rid of any and all winter annuals….cheat grass, for one.
Of course, if you are living in that horrible winter storm and deadly arctic air, you aren’t thinking of weeds.
Here we are way too dry and way too warm for this time of year. It is really scary — one half of the USA is freezing and the other is drying up.
Prayers and Magic Thoughts, with crossed fingers, for everyone to be safe and warm and dry in that huge winter storm. Here I offer the same for water to quiche the ground, fill the reservoirs and provide drinking water.
Your Friend,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
The number of plants and pests that have been introduced (accidentally or on purpose) in this country is amazing. I’d gladly send you some of our cold temperatures, but I don’t have any precipitation to send your way.
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i feel for cali and colo and the drought you’re having. i feel pretty fortunate being in texas this year.
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How is your weather now???? Yeah–that’s ALL we need is MORE weeds brought into our country from somewhere else. Kinda like them bringing Starlings here… GADS–what were they thinking??????
Cold here this morning. Was MINUS 2 about 6 a.m. Yipes! Got a couple of inches of snow yesterday –which is still here since it’s so doggone cold.
Hugs,
Betsy
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If there are weeds in my neighborhood, they’re covered with 8 inches of snow. That sneaky, chilly snow touched my belly! Yikes!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
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Sounds like a nasty plant…couldn, t you use Round Up and drill hole in main stems and pour it in. Or burn it…..we got rid of three troublesome trees using round up ..worked wonders
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We are too warm and dry, too. Our sheep will eat the cheat grass when it is young and tender only. Button weed was all over the place, but the sheep just love it and actually dig down to eat the roots. Now, if I could just get it out of my garden spot. I am glad we do not have your weed here…well not yet, anyway. It is a constant battle to get rid of noxious weeds and animals brought here from other countries
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I imagine it is hard to keep down, I have some Poison Ivy and Thistle that I spray with Round up, I try to get the plants when they have just begun to grow…but I still miss some. Some of the Poison Ivy that is well established can grow right up a tree and be six feet tall. Cold here but we are surviving the weather Canada sends this way. Terribly cold wind today:(
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Nasty looking weeds! There are so many invasive species here in Florida…everything thrives, plant and animal it seems. Some natives would probably classify snowbirds as invasives ;)! I hope you get the weather you need…rain ….
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is that weed the stuff that clings to your clothing when you get close to it? It hangs on with teeth so fierce its hard to rip off my pants…lol.
We are in the dry zone also Linda…and to think before moving to Oregon, folks used to say, you will rust because it rains there every day…well I am not rusted yet and hoping for some rainy days soon…everything is so dry and no snow in the mountains at all this year…guess climate change is happening huh?
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Our daytime temperatures are reaching into the 60s. The bad news is that there is a drought and our weeds never stop germinating and growing this winter.
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Oh, I hate kochia weed, too!! It is very troublesome here also. We have just been put in severe drought by FSA, so that may help some farmers, but doesn’t bring the moisture. The trouble with weed spray, ie. RoundUp is, if it is really dry and the weeds are not drinking in moisture, they won’t drink the RoundUp, either. 😦
Cold front coming here tonight with a slight chance of snow flurries tomorrow. High is to be about 26* here tomorrow. Has there been much snow in the high country? Or, is the east coast getting it all?!
Take care….blessings!
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How I wish we could trade some of that cold moisture for our dry heat and even things out for all of us. Are you getting a herd of springin’ heifers in your fields this year?
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It has been so dry here too! Thankfully the mountains are 85 – 90% normal snow fall. Down here its the 5th driest winter on record.
The weed I hate the most is Mullen! Cows LOVE the cheat grass….
I don’t think we have that weed here. If we do, I am sure the cows eat it.
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From what I’ve read, Australia is having the global warming right now.
I hope you get more moisture. ♥
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Here in the UK our greatest enemy is Japanese Knotweed – there has to be something doesn’t there.
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I decided that I couldn’t hit “Like” on this post! Weeds, seeds and drought … I will hope for the needed moisture to come your way!!
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We’re above average for snow, and below for temperature (6 this morning!) but no major issues…it’s winter. Eventually, it ends 😉
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Noxious weeds, especially the down wind ones are evil. Maybe you do need to rethink some grazers. Except they do need tending. Wishing you wet snow, at least in the hills.
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Wow, those are some tall weeds! I really hope you get the moisture you need. I know this drought is effecting a lot of people. I have family in northern California and things are not looking good there.
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There’s always a challenge when you’re farming, it seems LInda….
Hope you start to get the weather you want XXXX
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Like they say, one years seeds, seven years weeds. It can be a nightmare can’t it? E
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That’s a lovely sky behind that plant. If only the things we want to grow would do so well! May you get the precipitation you need to prevent drought conditions.
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