Mark Reynolds
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- Joined
- May 30, 2023
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A weed by definition is a plant that is unwanted in a specific location. I can, and have, flipped the idea of a plant being a weed or a solution completely on its head. For example, and this is a deep rooted weed to boot, I've made a recommendation of planting tamarisk (salt cedar) in the Southeast US before. Those of you who know what it is are now thinking I've lost my mind. I've made recommendations of planting it on top of slury ponds that are created in mining operations. By law, these ponds must be 'dried up' by the mine companies who install very expensive evaporators to do the job, and are a nightmare to maintain. However, a mature tamarisk tree can, and does, transpire hundreds of gallons of water a day, at no cost and no maintenance, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars if not into the millions over the time to dry down these slury ponds. Conversely, these 'weeds' dry up livestock ponds and creeks creating deserts everywhere they grow. So, is it a weed, or a Godsend?
Additional note, the slury ponds create an absolute environmental disaster if the circular dams that are built to retain them fail, creating many acres (hundreds?) of unproductive, contaminated rangeland.
A note on soil types. Soil can exhibit a huge range of characteristic variety within a very short distance, a couple hundred yards. Soil does vary by region of the country, but the variability at the local level makes recommendations without specifics of the specific soil impossible.
Additional note, the slury ponds create an absolute environmental disaster if the circular dams that are built to retain them fail, creating many acres (hundreds?) of unproductive, contaminated rangeland.
A note on soil types. Soil can exhibit a huge range of characteristic variety within a very short distance, a couple hundred yards. Soil does vary by region of the country, but the variability at the local level makes recommendations without specifics of the specific soil impossible.