What is the difference between crabgrass and goosegrass? A quick guide to tell them apart
Goosegrass mostly grows in wastelands and along roadsides. It is also distributed in temperate and tropical regions worldwide. Its root system is extremely well developed, and its stems and leaves are tough. Today we will explain the difference between crabgrass and goosegrass.
1. The difference between crabgrass and goosegrass
Crabgrass is relatively thin, with slender stems and thin leaf blades. Goosegrass is relatively wide and thick, and its leaf blades are also thick. Crabgrass is produced in Tibet, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Hebei, Henan and Anhui, among other places.
2. The harm caused by goosegrass
Goosegrass competes with crops for water, nutrients and light energy. The root system of weeds is well developed, and their ability to absorb soil moisture and nutrients is very strong. Moreover, they have a strong growth advantage, and their consumption of water and fertilizer often exceeds the consumption of crop growth. Weeds have a strong growth advantage, and their plant height is often taller than the crops, affecting the crops' use of light energy and photosynthesis, interfering with and limiting crop growth.
It increases management labor and production costs. In farmland with more weeds, more labor is consumed for weeding, and because of the large amount of labor used, production costs increase.
3. Control measures for goosegrass
Physical weeding. The most commonly used method is mulching with plastic film to raise the temperature of the film and the soil surface, scalding weed seedlings to death or inhibiting weed growth.
Soil cultivation. Using farm tools such as plows, harrows and cultivators to cultivate at different times and in different seasons has a killing effect on weeds.
4. The medicinal value of goosegrass
The whole plant of goosegrass can be used medicinally. Nature and flavor: sweet, bland, neutral. It dispels wind and drains dampness, clears heat and detoxifies, and dissipates blood stasis and stops bleeding. It is used to prevent and treat Japanese encephalitis, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, rheumatic joint pain, jaundice, indigestion in children, diarrhea, dysentery and painful urination; also for bruises, external bleeding and dog bites.
Goosegrass has a well-developed root system and a very strong ability to absorb soil moisture and nutrients, and it has low soil requirements; when growing, it needs relatively strong light and is suited to temperate and tropical regions.