Irrigated Pastures

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A person looking at a bottle of 20% acetic acid vinegar weed killer with a signal word DANGER.
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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.
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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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A hand holding a dark green aquatic plant.
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Invasive Pest Spotlight: Hydrilla

June 5th, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is an invasive, aquatic weed that can be found in many slow-moving fresh water bodies in California. The plant forms large mats that can crowd out native plants, restrict water flow, and interfere with boating and fishing.
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Figure 1. Broadleaf plant characteristics page from the UC IPM Weed Gallery.
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Need Help Identifying Weeds?

March 26th, 2024
By Karey Windbiel
After all the winter rains you may find yourself dealing with weeds and struggling to control them. The first step in successfully controlling weeds is knowing what weed you have.
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A green backyard lawn surrounded by small shrubs.
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Killing Your Lawn?

November 8th, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
Kill your lawn! has become a popular phrase and landscaping trend in recent years. Whether you are looking to completely remove your lawn or just renovate it, this article will give you useful information to help you decide how best to do away with your existing lawn and prepare for your new design.
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Green feather-like leaves and white flat, clusters of flowers.
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Poisonous Plants in the Landscape

September 19th, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
Plentiful rainfall in California this spring created an ideal environment for many plants to thrive, including wildflowers, trees, and shrubs that desperately needed the water. However, other potentially harmful species also benefited from the unusually wet weather.
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Graphic image depicting horizontal and vertical fire paths.
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Weeds & Wildfires

August 28th, 2023
Wildfires are part of California's ecosystems, and they do not have to lead to the destruction of structures and livelihoods. Each of us can contribute to improving wildfire resilience, from individual homeowners and businesses to entire communities.
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A person standing in front of a hillside covered in yellow flowering French broom shrubs.
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Invasive Pest Spotlight: Brooms

August 23rd, 2023
By Mackenzie F Patton
The Invasive Pest Spotlight focuses on relevant or emerging invasive species in California. In this issue we are covering brooms, a group of invasive shrubs. Invasive Broom facts Brooms are upright shrubs in the legume family that typically produce small, yellow, pea-shaped flowers.
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A patch of highway iceplant, Carpobrotus edulis. Photo by Mitch Barrie, Flickr.com.
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Invasive Spotlight: Highway Iceplant

June 5th, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
You've probably seen this invasive plant growing along highways or the coast in California. Highway iceplant, Carpobrotus edulis, was intentionally introduced to prevent soil erosion along highways and coasts but it has since invaded many different ecosystems and outcompetes native plant species.
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