Pollen from ragweed is the main cause of seasonal rhinitis, which affects 1 in 5 people in Québec. The best way to reduce the impact of ragweed is by eliminating it from your surroundings. To achieve this, you may do the following:
- Pull or mow the ragweed on your land
- Prevent ragweed from growing
Pulling or mowing ragweed
For small land
On small land, such as a residential one, it is best to pull the ragweed as soon as you spot it. You can pull:
- By hand
- By uprooting the plant with a garden tool, such as a hoe
For big land
For larger land, you can cut the plant with a lawnmower. For best results, and to reduce the amount of pollen released as much as possible, mow ragweed twice a year, in mid-July and mid-August.
Pulling and mowing are 2 quick and effective ways to get rid of ragweed from your land.
You can throw the pulled or cut plants with the rest of your garbage. It is not recommended to put them in your compost as the ragweed seeds can contaminate it.
Preventing ragweed from growing
Ragweed does not grow easily on healthy and fertile lawns. To limit the presence of ragweed, you can do the following:
- Use mulch or groundcover in places where there is no lawn
- Improve soil quality with compost or fertilizer
- Sow the land, or plant other vegetation
You can consult a specialist at a garden centre to learn which products are best suited to preventing ragweed from growing on your land.