Welcome To the Kumamoto Guide to Weeds
A Practical Guide to Identifying and Managing Weeds
If you like what is growing out there - then you don't have to call it a weed. Personally, I like a bit of yarrow or some violets sprinkled in the lawn. Some of the native grasses and flowers are quite attractive. Many of the listed "weeds" are actually wildflowers and many have herbal and medicinal properties. However, when a plant becomes invasive, when it crowds out desired species, when it becomes difficult to control, then it has become a weed, a nuisance, an evil plant.
Controlling Weeds
Natural controls: On those hot summer days in August, under bright sunshine, some 5% vinegar (white vinegar, not rice vinegar) with a little bit of dish detergent (to make it stick) sprayed on the leaves of any plant will cause it to wither.
Best seasons to kill stuff: See plant details for growth patterns. When the plant is emerging and seeking lots of nutrition, it will suck up the herbicide and die. Ifyou miss that chance, catch it late in the cycle when it is storing nutrients in its roots for the winter, the herbicides are effective then. Cutting and burning can stimulate growth in many plants, so you are just engaging them in battle, if you don't have a plan.
Updates to Come
I have some links and useful information for folks living in this area. It is coming soon!
http://www.homemadejapan.blogspot.com
A journal about life in the village.
http://www.japanlivingtips.blogspot.com
Practical tips on cooking, house keeping, gardening and living in Japan.
http://squidoo.com/getridofmoles
A NO COST natural way to effectively eliminate garden moles!
A good resource for identifying various flowers in Japan.
http://www.iff.pref.ishikawa.jp/zassouzukan/index.html
A good resource for identifying native species in Japan.
Photos for Identifying Plants
The photos were taken around my property here in Kumamoto, Kyushu, Japan. I have included the month that the photo was taken. They are identified by their Latin names which correspond to the general information on the plants page.
About the Author
I work on our family farm and maintain the family estates. I have lived in Kumamoto, Japan for over 20 years with my Japanese husband and kids. We have a small family farm, a log house, a rather large lawn and garden, a canal to maintain, and a lot of weeds in and around the fields. I wanted to learn more effective management for our own property and decided to post my findings. This is a work in progress but your comments are welcome.
