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Take out some frustration -- weed!

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED MAR 27, 2020

Bedstraw produces burrs that catch on socks, pant legs and pets' fur. Get rid of this weed as soon as possible. (Photo: Debbie Arrington)

Tackle invasive plants before they take hold

Is this a weed?

I get that question every workday at the Fremont Community Garden. I often ask it of myself as I tackle my plot or my garden at home, too.

A mystery plant sprouts and grows vigorously; will it be a bonus veggie or some unknown flower? Or will it be something invasive and impossible to control?

Spring is prime weed season in Sacramento with unwanted plants seemingly growing overnight. They spring out of nowhere and can quickly crowd out seedlings and new transplants.

A scuffle hoe works well in the battle against weeds.

(Photo courtesy UC IPM/by Jack Kelly Clark)

To avoid a takeover, whack weeds while they’re young. Cut them off just below the soil line with a hoe. A sharp scuffle hoe works wonders.

One of the fastest-growing and most-annoying weeds in Sacramento right now is bedstraw ( Gallium aparine ). This weed has many other nicknames including cleavers, catchweed, sticky weed and goosegrass. (Geese love to munch on this edible weed and deposit its seeds wherever they go.)

Bedstraw is covered with sticky hairs that catch onto whatever brushes its stems. (Hence, some of those nicknames.) If allowed, this weed forms tiny burrs, which are its seedpods. Those burrs seem to gravitate onto pets and are a pain to get out of fur. They also readily attach themselves to socks and pant legs.

Interestingly, bedstraw is a relative of coffee, and those burrs contain caffeine. They’ve been used as a coffee substitute. (Note to self: Something to remember if things get really desperate.)

No matter: Don’t sleep on bedstraw eradication or it will keep you up at night.

Other common weeds right now: Bermuda buttercup and its cousin creeping woodsorrel, nutsedge, bindweed and, of course, dandelions.

Some weeds such as dandelions and purslane are edible. But do some homework before you munch; others such as common groundsel can be toxic.

Which weeds are invading your garden? Check out the great resources at the University of California’s integrated pest management website, ipm.ucanr.edu .

The UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County have compiled several helpful tools for gardeners including a weed gallery, identification guides and tips for weed management. Find them at http://sacmg.ucanr.edu/Managing_weeds/ .

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UCCE master gardeners gardening Sacramento integrated pest management spring chores bedstraw Fremont Community Garden spring gardening UC IPM invasive plants weeds

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Garden Checklist for week of April 21

This week there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.

* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden is really hungry. Feed shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.

* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.

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