Weed Management

Event

Central Sierra: Back to Basics (EDC MG)

Event Date
Apr 19 2025

Are you brand new to gardening, but have a burning desire to learn proper practices? Have you had some gardening experience, but not much success achieving healthy plants? Plan to attend MG Sheri Burke's free public education class on "Back to Basics.
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 Field bindweed, a noxious weed in California has distinctive leaves and white flowers. Jeanette Alosi
Article

What Makes a Weed a Weed?

April 21st, 2025
For many of us, gardening involves a constant battle with weeds. Basically, a weed is nothing more than a plant growing where it is not wanted, the classic example being dandelions in the lawn. But as the old saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and there are many “weeds” that are, in…
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Bermuda buttercup infesting a bed of landscaped plants.
Article

Spring is in the Air, and Oxalis is Everywhere

April 17th, 2025
By Lindsey Hack
Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), also called buttercup oxalis or sourgrass, might be a familiar sight in winter and spring, particularly to those who live in coastal regions or the Sacramento Valley. Some people enjoy seeing this plant’s cheerful yellow flowers pop up in their spring gardens, but for…
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Four men in weedy area. One is holding a measuring container while another sprays liquid into it from a wand attached to a backpack sprayer. A third person holds a clipboard and the furth holds a stopwatch.
Article

New Online Course: Calibrating Herbicide Applications for Non-Agricultural Areas

April 14th, 2025
By Cheryl A Reynolds
Calibration might sound intimidating, but it’s critical for safe and effective herbicide application. Proper calibration ensures that the correct amount of pesticide is applied to an area while achieving the desired level of pest control. To support land managers and pesticide applicators, the UC Statewide…
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Person wearing gardening gloves spreading mulch in a garden bed.
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Mulch

Mulching is a simple yet powerful tool for gardeners and landscapers. By applying mulch properly, you can enhance the health and appearance of your plants, reduce water use, and even improve the quality of your soil over time.
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Banner weeds
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Weeds & Invasive Plants

Lambert Yuri, Unsplash > Types of weeds > Life cycle of weeds > How to identify weeds > Managing weeds > What to do when you already have weeds > What you should know about weedkillers > How to prevent weeds Weeds are generally defined as any plant growing in a place where you dont want it, or a pla...
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Ask Our Helpline

Something in your garden or home bugging you? Do your roses have strange spots? Is something eating your tomatoes? The Merced Master Gardeners are here to help! Contact our Helpline to get answers to your garden challenges and pest problems. Send an email to anrmgmerced@ucanr.edu.
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A person looking at a bottle of 20% acetic acid vinegar weed killer with a signal word DANGER.
Article

Can I Use Vinegar to Control Weeds?

July 18th, 2024
Acetic acid, also known as vinegar, is used in products for weed control. Many people choose it because it is natural. However, acetic acid can damage skin and eyes, especially at concentrations commonly found in weed killers.
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A small green plant with long, narrow leaves in a bed of brown wood bark mulch.
Article

Nutsedge—Yes, We Hate It Too!

June 26th, 2024
By Belinda Messenger-Sikes
Nutsedges are aggressive and persistent weeds that commonly infest lawns, vegetable and flower gardens, and landscapes. These perennial sedges are a problem in lawns because they grow faster than turfgrasses and result in non-uniform turf.
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