FTD Biggest Weed Contest

Chris Boerboom, Ext. Weed Scientist

The Biggest Weed Contest had several interesting, tall, and large weeds entered last week at the Weed Doctor Booth at Farm Technology Days.  Entries included weeds like sweet clover, poison hemlock, and giant ragweed.  However, the biennial, common burdock, remains a weed that is tough to beat during a summer show. 

The biggest weed contest calculates weed size by multiplying a weed’s height by its width.  As such, a tall, wide burdock can easily beat many other tall (but slender) weeds like giant ragweed.  Many people recognized this fact and entered several fine specimens of burdock.  However, a truly impressive burdock was entered by Gary Scholten of Oostberg on the last day of the show.  This grand prize winning burdock was a show stopper, measuring 10.5 ft tall by 8.6 ft wide.  This is the largest weed ever entered in the contest during the 8 years that it has been held.  Because this record may never be broken, we will likely change the rules of the weed contest for next year’s Farm Technology Days.  Stay turned for details before the 2007 Green County FTD and we hope to entice you to share in the fun next year.