It’s amazing to gardeners that our lawns and landscapes can just be greening up in spring and yet there are weeds already growing like gangbusters and blooming! How do they get started so quickly? Aside from dandelions, three of the most common culprits found in the spring landscape are creeping Charlie, henbit and field speedwell.... Continue Reading →
Soil Temperatures and Spring Preemergence Herbicide Applications
Warm temperatures in March have had many homeowners wondering about this year’s first spring preemergence (PRE) herbicide application. When is the right time to apply in spring? If you've waited, that's good. PRE Herbicide Residual PRE herbicides act by killing germinating weed seedlings; they come in contact with the herbicide as they grow their first shoot... Continue Reading →
Woody Weeds – Controlling Volunteer Trees
A weed is any plant growing where it isn’t wanted and, although they are less common than other weeds, trees and shrubs can also become weeds. Usually, these plants get started through seed dispersal by wind or wildlife and they can pop up in the most inconvenient places – fence lines, right next to a... Continue Reading →
Controlling Weedy Vines
One of the most difficult weed situations to deal with on an acreage or large property is weedy vines growing in hedges or trees. Wild cucumber, burcucumber, and honeyvine milkweed are the most common culprits. These plants shade the foliage of the host plant, and interfere with their ability to photosynthesis. This is especially damaging to evergreen trees, which don’t tolerate shading well. Note: Field and hedge bindweed, and dodder can... Continue Reading →
Getting Ready for Fall
Late summer and fall are an exciting time in the garden. Harvest is in full swing, perennials can be divided, lawns can be overseeded, and so much more! It’s a shame to miss this window of opportunity to “upgrade” your landscape. There’s work to be done – that’s for sure – but focusing on the... Continue Reading →
Mid-summer Weed Control Tips: Broadleaf Perennial and Winter Annual Weeds
Last week, we looked at the best time and methods for controlling yellow nutsedge and summer annual weeds. Next up, let’s discuss broadleaf perennial and winter annual weeds. Examples of broadleaf weeds include dandelions, violets, ground ivy and poison ivy; from a very simplified perspective, broadleaf weeds are any weed which is not a grass... Continue Reading →
Mid-Summer Weed Control Tips
About this time every summer weeds begin to drive us crazy; they love the heat of mid-summer! Here are some tips to help maintain your sanity and create the best long-term strategy to minimize weeds in your landscape. Even though weeds are most problematic now, this is one of the worst times of year to get... Continue Reading →
Poison Ivy – Identification and Control
“Leaves of three, let it be!” Remember this rule of thumb to protect yourself from an itchy poison ivy rash this summer! Plants look innocent enough at this point in the season, but handling them is a mistake. All parts of a poison ivy plant – leaves, stems, roots, fruits – contain an oil called urushiol... Continue Reading →
Prepare Your Landscape’s Spring Game Plan
After waiting all winter for a new growing season to start, when spring finally does arrive it seems to hit us hard and fast. Then before we know it, spring is gone and we’re in the middle of summer. There are many tasks to accomplish in the spring landscape. To help you develop a plan... Continue Reading →
Greenbrier – A Thorny Invader
Whenever woody weeds appear in a landscape, they can be especially challenging to control. Common woody weeds include tree seedlings, buckthorn, multiflora rose, ornamental pear, tartarian honeysuckle, poison ivy vines and greenbrier. Often woody weeds originate from seeds eaten by wildlife and deposited at random. But take heart, fall is a good time to control... Continue Reading →
Poison Hemlock
There has been great concern in recent weeks from home gardeners about poison hemlock, also known as poison parsley. Botanically known as Conium maculatum, poison hemlock is blooming right now with large flat clusters of white flowers so can be easily spotted. Poison hemlock is native to Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. It was... Continue Reading →
Soil Temperatures and Spring Preemergence Herbicide Applications
Warm temperatures in March have had many homeowners wondering about this year’s first spring preemergence (PRE) herbicide application. When is the right time to apply in spring? If you've waited, that's good. PRE Herbicide Residual PRE herbicides act by killing newly germinated weed seedlings; they come in contact with the herbicide as they grow their... Continue Reading →