Preen Weed IQ Quiz

Weed Facts >> Weed Quiz




1. Any plant can be a weed.

TRUE	A plant that is unwanted, out of place, or just has no discernable value can be considered a weed. Approximately 3% or 8,000 of the 250,000 plant species found worldwide are classified as weeds.

2. Weeds are harmless.

FALSE	Weeds deprive desirable plants of needed water, light and soil nutrients. Often unsightly, they can scratch and irritate skin, aggravate allergies and even harbor insects and disease. Without the use of weed control products, economic losses in the U.S. would reach 20 billion dollars each year.

3. All weeds die naturally after the first frost.

FALSE	Weeds can be annual, biennial or perennial - just like flowers and other desirable plants. Even if they die after one season, they still leave plenty of weed seeds behind to take their place the following spring!

4. Weed seeds are especially adapted to spread.

TRUE	Most seed pods have special structures, allowing them to either cling or float. They are widely spread by animals, insects, hay, mulch, and topsoil.

5. Weeds produce the same number of seeds as grass and ornamental plants.

FALSE	Most plants only produce several hundred seeds, while one single weed can produce anywhere from 10,000 to over 100,000 seeds. With these odds, its easy to see how weeds can quickly take over your garden or lawn if left untreated.

6. Dormant weed seeds can survive for 40 years or more beneath the soil surface.

TRUE	While most weed seeds only exist in the soil a few years, there is a small percentage that can remain dormant for decades. Using properly timed weed control, you can prevent these seeds from germinating and greatly reduce the size of your soil's weed seed bank.

7. Improper watering is a common cause of weed invasion.

TRUE	Weeds thrive in conditions that normally stress other plants. Frequent, light waterings, poor soil pH, inadequate fertilization, and incorrect mowing height all give weeds the opportunity to become established and invade flower beds and lawns.

8. Pulling a weed is the most effective way to kill it.

FALSE	Since some perennial weeds reproduce from pieces of roots, some plants can regenerate themselves even if a small part of its root is left behind. The only way to ensure the plant won't return is to make certain the entire root system is removed. This is especially difficult under dry conditions, if the weed has developed a deep taproot or if an extensive rhizome network has been established underground.
		Purslane weeds with strong taproots

9. It is easier to prevent weeds than to stop the spread of established weeds.

TRUE	Because of their persistent nature, tenacious rooting and massive seed proliferation, weeds are naturally harder to control once established. By simply applying a preventative weed control product before their seeds germinate, you can effectively eliminate weeds and avoid hours of weeding!

10. All weed control products are the same.

FALSE	Some weed control products only kill the area of the plant they contact, may injure other plants, and leave behind the dying weed. A more simple solution is to eliminate the hassle of killing weeds by preventing them before they start to germinate.