Birds Bring Weeds to Lawns
Have you ever seen a crow hopping on your front lawn? You might want to consider putting up a scarecrow. Birds’ feet are principle vehicles for the dissemination of weed seeds in lawns. If ther...
Category Archives: Weeds
Moss, a Pretty Garden Problem
Q: I live in Santa Clarita, which you know is semi-arid. However, my gardening problem is moss, which I thought only grew in moist areas. Is there anything that will kill the moss but will not harm o...
After the Rain . . . Peruvian Lilies
The reason Valley gardeners appreciate rain is not only because it relieves our constant concern about getting sufficient water to our plants. Rain makes plants more attractive and healthy, giving th...
Getting Rid of Ivy and Bamboo
Q: Help! The home we moved into this year was planted with invasive bamboo and an excessive amount of ivy. Are there any tips or tricks for permanently removing them? – Blistered and Tired in N...
Moss and What to Do with It
Q: I live in Santa Clarita, which you know is semi-arid. However, my gardening problem is moss, which I thought only grew in moist areas. Is there anything that will kill the moss but will not harm o...
Wild West Weed Born in Russia
The weeds in our gardens are as specialized as the plants we grow for flowers and fruit. Most weeds, like cultivated corn or Bartlett pears or giant dahlias, cannot be found in the wild. Their develo...
Weed Control
Q: In the flower bed in our front yard, we pulled all the weeds out, put down some landscape fabric and then put down some bark. But the weeds have returned, coming up through the landscape fabric an...
Mistletoe: Parastic Plant Par Excellence
Whether your interest is parasitic plants, ethnobotany or herbal medicine, the study and culture of mistletoe can quickly become intriguing diversions. There are more than 200 genera of mistletoe, sp...
Ornamental Plants That Turn Into Weeds
For years, my sons and I had been climbing up Hastain Trail at the south end of Franklin Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains, but had never seen that vining and twining plant with the bright yellow ...
Volunteers Not Always Welcome
Volunteers are not always welcome in the garden. Sure, there’s plenty of work that needs to be done and any free help would be appreciated. But a certain kind of volunteer may be no better than...
