The daily routine of weeding is constant. It is the one thing that all gardeners have in common. No matter the climate, location or size of your garden, one is never free from the chore of weeding. The process teaches us a lot about the tenacity of weeds as we quickly ascertain their means of procreation. If they don't explode, they catch on your clothing. If they don't fly with the wind, they arm themselves with thorns or poisonous oils. In fact weeds are so good at spreading their seed that famous modern inventions have been designed from studying the whys and wherefores of seed dispersal. Good examples include Velcro, devised from the seed of cockle burr and the stealth bomber which mimics the seeds of an Asian climbing gourd, Alsomitra macrocarpa.

Given the fact that weeds are good at spreading themselves, I always get a chuckle from watching kids blow on dandelion heads and watching the seeds float like little parachutes. When did the dandelion further its spread by brain washing small children?

During fall there always seems to be more weeding than the gardener can keep up with. It helps if you think in terms of what the weed will do once you attack it. Yellow wood sorrel or oxalis is a perfect example with its exploding seed pods. You have to grab as many seed pods as you can, lift them with a firm grip and try not to let the small seeds escape from your clenched fist, the whole time your pulling on the plant to dislodge it. This method is also useful with field penny cress or Thlaspi arvense. This tiny weed is a cool season volunteer which produces tiny seeds on elongated stems. The length of each stem makes it difficult to grab the entire thing and not let any spring-loaded seed get away. Fortunately the root system is almost non-existent and you will be able to pull it up.

When plants spread their seeds by flinging them away from the parent plant it is called active mechanical dispersal. Rain drops are frequent triggers as the hitting of rain drops on seed pods pop them open and the plant takes advantage of subsequent moisture to aid germination. Temperature can also be a factor. This is how hamamelis or witch hazel spreads its seeds. The pods are made up of two compartments, each filled with one seed. The warmth of late summer pops the seed pod open and flings the seeds far away from the mother plant. Our local impatiens, Impatiens biflora or touch-me-not is the most well known native that spreads its seeds far away from the original plant. The pod pops open with such force that the seeds are ejected immediately.

Prong or hooks are another strategy for moving seeds far from the parent plant. This method is known as passive mechanical dispersal. Bidens or two-pronged tick seed is very common in Virginia and readily comes to mind. Its ability to latch onto anything is remarkable as it can actually grab onto your skin. The flowers produced by this aster relative are bright yellow and carpet unmown fields in late summer. That along with lavender asters and little bluestem actually make for an attractive wildflower meadow and all are capable of spreading by attaching to fur or clothing. Another common traveler are members of the bean family or leguminosae family. Flowers are usually yellow, pink or white and extend on upright floral stems. Once the flowers have passed the seed pods are long, bean-like, flat, and individually triangular in shape. Once they attach to your clothing they are difficult to remove because they are covered in fine white hairs that act like glue. A shame that they do this as the plants themselves are really attractive in their flowering stage. In fact a wild flower planting can easily be achieved by simply donning a sweater, running through a field, in early fall, with your arms out streatched. Once your covered in the aforementioned hitchhikers, simply plant your sweater and water it regularly.