PMG Vegetation Control

How dense is phrag, really?

Phragmites dominates wetland environments, and it's not even close.

Invasive phragmites can grow up to 16 feet tall in stands so dense they can pack up to 200 stems per square meter. These near-monoculture stands can consist of 100% invasive phragmites.

Stalks easily reach heights well above a standing adult, and the density of a mature stand is so extreme that wildlife cannot nest in it, water cannot flow through it, you cannot walk through it, and herbicide must be perfectly timed to pe*****te it.

Around Great Salt Lake, we're working with the State of Utah to manage infestations across 180,000 acres. This is a yearly effort using a variety of methods, all working towards eliminating Phragmites.

A Focus on Phragmites

It’s been a few weeks since we last talked Phragmites.

What you may not know is that not *all* phragmites are a problem

𝗣𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘂𝘀
This is a subspecies that has existed in Utah for centuries growing at lower densities in areas with minimal human disturbance

𝗣𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀
This subspecies is a non-native invasive introduced from Eurasia. It grows aggressively and is now predominant across Utah’s Great Salt Lake and Utah wetlands, roadsides, and other disturbed areas across the sate.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽?

Phragmites reproduces two way at once. First, asexually, it expands through below ground and above ground stems that generate new shoots at patch edges.

Sexually, a single flowering head produces thousands of seeds each fall. These are dispersed by wind and water and they germinate readily wherever moist soil is disturbed and exposed (aka a lot of land around the Great Salt Lake).

In winter it goes dormant but leaves behind massive amounts of dead biomass that breaks down slowly, creating an impenetrable thicket of both living and dead material.

The result is tall, dense stands that shade out native plants, impede water flow, eliminate nesting and foraging habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl, create fire hazard, and consume water in a region that cannot afford to lose it.

Today these non-native subspecies threatens 180,000 acres across the Great Salt Lake project area alone. Can you believe the first record of Phragmites australis australis in Utah was only in 1993?

We've been fighting phragmites for nearly two decades. Here's what we've learned.

Since phragmites was first recorded in Utah in 1993, and serious management efforts began in 2006, land managers, conservation partners, and vegetation specialists have been building a playbook for what works.

We've learned that no single method wins alone. We've learned that consistency across multiple seasons is non-negotiable. And we've learned that the programs making the most progress are the ones that combine science, coordination, and persistence.

We've had the privilege of hosting a few tours around the Great Salt Lake and nearby riparian areas, talking to businesses, non-profits, and officials about Phragmites and our work to remove it.

Our goal? Teach about large scale Phragmites treatments and how hydrology plays a role in herbicide treatment timing. Seeing these ecosystems in person highlights exactly why precision vegetation management is vital for the health of our surrounding wetlands, especially the Great Salt Lake.

We’re looking forward to sharing more behind-the-scenes insights soon. Stay tuned as we dive deeper into our technical approach and the ongoing battle against invasive Phragmites.

Stop managing your vegetation contractor and start working towards real, lasting results with a vegetation partner.

Don't leave your site to chance. Talk to a PMG expert today for a site-specific strategy.
https://pmgvegetation.com/get-an-estimate

If your vegetation plan relies solely on Glyphosate, you aren’t just fighting a losing battle against w**ds, you’re fighting a losing battle against biology.

At PMG, we see the results of "Glyphosate-only" programs every day: frustrated managers, wasted budgets, and "Super Weeds" like Kochia and Palmer Amaranth that seem to thrive despite being sprayed.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 "𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰" 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺:
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽: Species like Kochia have evolved. You might as well just be watering them. When you use the same chemical year after year, you are actually "selecting" for the strongest, most resistant plants to take over your site.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵-𝗶𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗣𝗮𝗻" 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: Glyphosate is a post-emergent. It only kills what it touches today. It offers zero protection for tomorrow. Without a pre-emergent plan, new seeds will sprout the moment the next rain hits, leaving you right back where you started.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀: If you only spray when you see green, you are already behind. You’re paying for "emergency" burn-downs instead of investing in long-term site stability.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗠𝗚 "𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁" 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲
undefinedWe don't just "spray w**ds." We execute an Integrated Vegetation Management strategy:

𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: We use a expertly crafted cocktail of different chemicals. If a w**d is resistant to one chemical, the second or third one in our mix ensures a total kill.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: We apply a pre-emergent layer that neutralizes the "Seed Bank" before the plants ever break the surface.

𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Every area we spray is tracked. We provide data that proves application precision.

Stop re-spraying. Start reclaiming your site. Our goal is "Zero-Growth" in your gravel and well pads through science.