Quitting Weed
Trees

Paw Paw Trees

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Pawpaw trees, also known as Asimina triloba, are native to North America and can be found in a range of habitats from wetlands to dry ridges. These trees are known for their large, oblong-shaped fruit that is often used in cooking and baking. While pawpaws can be a delicious addition to your garden, they can also be invasive and spread quickly. In this blog post, the experts at Tree Services Annapolis tell us about what pawpaw trees are, their potential to become invasive, and how to control their spread.

paw paw tree

What are Pawpaw Trees?

Pawpaw trees are deciduous trees that can grow up to 40 feet tall. They have large, tropical-looking leaves that can grow up to 12 inches long and 6 inches wide. In the spring, pawpaw trees produce maroon-colored flowers that emit a sweet, musky odor. The fruit of pawpaw trees is typically harvested in the fall and can be eaten raw or used in recipes.

Pawpaw Trees as Invasive Species

While pawpaw trees are native to North America, they can become invasive in certain areas. When pawpaw trees are left unchecked, they can rapidly spread and outcompete native species, which can negatively impact the ecosystem. Invasive pawpaw trees can also be difficult to remove, as they have an extensive root system and can sprout new shoots from the roots.

Controlling the Spread of Pawpaw Trees

  1. Hand Removal: One of the most effective ways to control the spread of pawpaw trees is to remove them by hand. This method works best when the trees are small and can be easily pulled up. Make sure to remove as much of the root system as possible to prevent new shoots from growing.
  2. Herbicides: If hand removal is not an option, herbicides can be used to control the spread of pawpaw trees. Selective herbicides, such as glyphosate, can be used to kill pawpaw trees without harming other plants in the area. Herbicides should be used with caution and according to the instructions on the label.
  3. Mechanical Removal: Mechanical removal, such as cutting down pawpaw trees or using a stump grinder, can be an effective method of controlling their spread. This method works best for larger trees that cannot be removed by hand.
  4. Preventative Measures: Preventative measures can be taken to control the spread of pawpaw trees before they become invasive. Regular monitoring of your garden or property can help you identify any new pawpaw trees before they spread. Planting native species in your garden can also help prevent invasive species, such as pawpaw trees, from taking over.
  5. Encourage Native Wildlife: Encouraging native wildlife, such as birds and small mammals, to your garden or property can help control the spread of pawpaw trees. These animals can help to disperse the seeds of native plants, which can outcompete invasive species like pawpaw trees.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pawpaw trees can be a tasty addition to your garden, but they can also become invasive and spread quickly. Hand removal, herbicides, mechanical removal, preventative measures, and encouraging native wildlife can all be effective methods of controlling the spread of pawpaw trees. If you are unsure about how to control pawpaw trees on your property, consult with a local gardening or landscaping professional for advice. With proper management and control, you can enjoy the benefits of pawpaw trees without the negative impacts of their invasiveness.…

General

Pergolas

Do you even know what a pergola is? I didn’t until my wife said she wanted me to build one. She figured it would be a nice afternoon project. A month later and many hours of work later, it was done. It was done all in wood, but they also done in metal. Bel Air Stairs & Railings ( www.belairstairsrailings.com ) has made some nice ones.

A Green Roof

OK, so what is it. It is a rigid canopy to shade a deck or pool area (not over the pool). There is no roof over it per se. It has pillars and then a frame over the top. It can almost look like the joists supporting a floor or ceiling, although more decoratively done with the ends usually cut in a fancy way and routed to look pretty. Or it can be a lattice work of metal, either flat or curved.

Well, this doesn’t seem like a good way to create shade. But, you get green shade. Vines are planted around the posts that support the pergola and the vines grow up and cover the top so you not only have the shade from the leaves but the cooling effect of the plants instead of heat radiating down from some roofing material.

Weeds or Vines?

But here is where you have to be careful. Some vines can be more weeds than decorative plants. Trumpet vines can be very pretty but they are very intrusive. Their roots go deep and wide. When we first moved into our current house we discovered a plum tree buried under trumpet vine. Getting rid of the trumpet vine was a major struggle but we have  mostly succeeded. The plum tree is much happier.

Wisteria can be similarly problematic. In some ways more so because most vines if you cut the stalk will die out. Wisteria can be cut and sometimes keeps living up in the tree despite being cut off from its roots in the ground.

I went to a flower show at LaDew Gardens where nurseries from all over the East Coast came to sell plants. One booth had trumpet vines, wisteria and other vines I knew to be invasive. After all the trouble I had had with them I was a little miffed that he was selling them. I asked him why and his answer surprised me.

Not All Varieties Are Created Equal

He said that it depends on the variety. He knew that some were horribly invasive and he didn’t sell those varieties. He only sold varieties that were well behaved and stayed put and didn’t spread like crazy. Oddly he said that sometimes it was the native variety that was well behaved and with other species it was the non-native variety that was well behaved. You just needed to know which was which and plant the right thing. So if you are thinking about a pergola, give Bel Air Stairs and Railings a call and also check carefully about the plants / vines that you plant.…

Weeds

Thistle – A Prickly Customer

Thistle. For those of you familiar with this weed, that’s all I have to write to get a cringe. Thistle is the weed that just won’t go away. We are in Baltimore, Maryland, but you could be anywhere on the East Coast, or across the US for that matter. Some are native and some are introduced invasive varieties.

I have tried to eradicate it from my gardens for several years now. I have gotten closer but not quite all of it is gone. There are a couple of tricky things with thistle. One, if you leave even a little of the root in the ground it will come back the next year. Two, if any single plant goes to seed you will have more work next year. This weed is more annoying than others because it has prickly stem and leaves, which makes it very unpleasant to pull up. Now that you are sufficiently warned, how do you get rid of them?

I’ll walk you through the several things I have tried to get rid of them. Disclaimer: These are just techniques I have tried and seem to work…

Dig out the root:

As I stated earlier, it is extremely important to get the whole root. This can be an unpleasant and difficult task if you wait until the thistle grows. It is best to try to dig out the root when they are young.

Clip the Bloom/Seeds:

If you can’t get to all of the thistles when they are young, at least prevent them from spreading about your yard. The best way is to cut off the blooms before they spread their pesky seeds further.

Use a pesticide (like RoundUp):

This will help for thistles that are not mixed up among all your other plants. Unfortunately, most thistles are in the thick of things, so using a pesticide might kill the plants you want to keep.

Using a weed preventer (like Preen):

A weed preventer is effective when used in the spring before the plants really get going and putting down roots. It also works on most other weeds as well which makes it a very nice tool against weeds.

I hope I have helped you fight back thistle if you are struggling with that problem. If not, I hope I have convinced you to tackle the problem quickly.…

Weeds

Corn Speedwell

Corn Speedwell (Veronica arvensis) is a hard-to-control weed that blossoms in winter annually. This plant is a beautiful sight to behold when it blossoms; with slender spine, deep-green leaves and purple flowers, you forget how terrible it can be to your lawn. Corn speedwell is a member of the Plantaginaceae family, but you can set it apart by its narrow alternate leaves and near sessile seed capsules and flowers. It has four petals and sepals in the flower. It grows in non-wetlands but at a times can be found in wetlands too.

Corn Speedwell

Corn Speedwell grows wildly in meadows and fields but can also be cultivated on rocky grounds as they thrive on harsh conditions where there is no competition by other plants. Its ability to replicate is favoured by its dry fruits that split open allowing new seeds to take root. Its ability to easily replicate makes it a big threat to lawns. With little moisture the seeds easily take root and the endless growth cycle continues unperturbed.

Though it can get occasional bees visiting its flowers, it doesn’t rely on insects to reproduce as the flowers can self-fertilize. It is its high level of independence from fauna that makes it a hard to crash weed.

Uses

Corn Speedwell is a weed that most lawn keepers hate, but it also has some potent medicinal properties. Herbalists appraise it for its antiscorbutic and diuretic properties. It can hence be used in treatment of scurvy, skin infections, and ulcers. It is crushed and applied externally as a healing balm. It is also used as a blood purifier.

Generally, the genus Veronica weeds are used for varied medicinal purposes, but they are a common herb in different parts of the world and their application differ with communities.

Ornamental Plant

Though some people cultivate Corn Speedwell as an ornamental plant, it can get messy as it easily overtakes various grass species in lawns and landscape beds. For ornamental use, there are other less weedy species of the Veronica genus that can well serve the purpose without posing a threat to your lawn. These include; Germander speedwell, Persian Speedwell, and Creeping Speedwell.

Control

This weed is one of the toughest weeds to control when it has blossomed. It is therefore easy to control with pre-emergence herbicides in fall (its winter sprouts germinate in fall). If you miss this critical time, it becomes entirely impossible to use herbicides to control it. The best way would be to hand weed them out of your lawn. Also make sure to uproot them before the seeds begin to scatter in the lawn.

Another reason why it is advisable to remove the weeds by hand weeding is, most herbicides will harm the grass on the lawn too. Corn Speedwell is more resistant to herbicides than most ornamental grass species used on lawns.…

Weeds

Dead Nettle

The dead nettle or purple deadnettle as is commonly referred is an annual winter weed that thrives in warm areas. It is sometimes called the henbit or ‘the devouring purple monster’ which is synonymous to the effect that weeds have on the environment. The dead nettle is a member of the mint family set apart by its four-sided square stem.

Dead Nettle

They have no stinging hairs. The flowers are tubular shaped with the upper and lower lip ends inclining towards each other. The blooming season, May to June, sees the plant produce flowers in a color variety of purple, white, lavender, and pink. Four nutlet seeds are produced when the flowers boom which can be used to replant the weed for continuous growth.

It grows rapidly transforming large farmed lands into reddish purple fields. This is largely because minimal to no effort is required for it to grow and spread. It has the ability to spread out 2 feet wide and grown up to 6 to 12 inches in height. It thrives in a variety of soils namely, sandy, loamy, or clayed, provided they are low light areas. Its preference is moist well-drained soil although it can still grow in dry conditions. Inadequate moisture especially during the summer heat tends to dry it out as well.

Uses

It is not entirely a nuisance as it has numerous medicinal purposes. It is considered a diaphoretic. Astringent, diuretic, purgative, and styptic.

  • Its leaves are helpful to external wounds and cuts. They help stop bleeding.
  • It contains strong anti-inflammatory properties, meaning of course that it can help reduce inflammation.
  • It helps to treat bad odor and vaginal discharge.
  • It is also known for reducing allergies. This is due to its antibacterial and antifungal components.
  • Its highly abundant in vitamin C, iron and fiber. These properties help boost immunity and fight infection.
  • The oil found in its seeds is rich in antioxidants.
  • The purple deadnettle is considered edible. It can be used to make salads, tea, soups, smoothies, etc. It works similar to other greens.

Caution is advised as it may have a laxative effect if taken in large quantities.

Deadnettle Control  

A pre-emergent herbicide or a post-emergent herbicide can be used to control the weeds when they are in their earliest stages and not blooming. If you prefer to not use the chemicals, mow them constantly to prevent them from blooming.

Another possible solution would be to grow a healthy lawn. The weeds don’t take well to competition so your grass is likely to win the competition for nutrients and space. Sometimes you might need a special grass blend. Your local nursery or professional lawn care experts will advise you best depending on your conditions.…

Weeds

Prostrate Spurge

 

Weed, the Prostrate Spurge may be controlled using pre or post emergent

Weed is also referred to as “prostrate spurge” and is found scattered around the front and the back yard. It appears as a clover or a fern. The native of this weed is the United States, particularly the eastern and southeastern parts. A common name is Spotted Spurge and this is technically a bit different from Prostrate. Overall both are considered to be the same.

Prostrate spurge likes hot temperatures and is a summer annual. It is mistaken as Prostrate Knotweed and is poisonous as they appear similar. Like Knotweed, the prostrate spurge grows spreading wide to the ground level. It may be growing erect, but this may not be regular. Visually Spurge is different from Knotweed is because the leaves in the center have a purple spot.  Leaves are hairy, toothed and grow opposite to each other.  Some have a red outline.  From the leaf base, there is a main vein attached to the stalk. Normally, stems are red, but some are green.

This belongs to the Euphoribiaceae family and the Euphorbia genus has more than 1000 species. They appear diverse, while some are similar, causing great confusion. However, all the type of spurges has greenish-white, tiny flowers enveloped by bracts or there is a leaf-like at the flower base. Depending on the location, Weeds flower appears during May-October.

Spurges grow from one taproot and multiply fast. They thrive along roadsides and sidewalk cracks in cultivated soils. Unlike prostrate knotweed, the spurges do not prevent soil erosion. These can be removed manually, but it is mandatory to wear gloves. The broken or pulled spurges give out a bitter milky juice causing skin irritations on coming contact. Though, it is rare for spurges to have a toxic effect, some are reported have toxic effect.

Using Pre-emergent helps in controlling. This may be done before it starts germinating in spring. Seeds that are in the soil are long lasting. However, the spurges may be suppressed easily by mulches or perennials densely planted in the weed growing areas.

Generally, prostrate spurge is controllable by pre- and post-emergent herbicides, but requires repeat applications. Mechanical methods are also useful. Soil also matters to consider post or pre-emergent weed control. Nevertheless using selective herbicides is essential as this post emergent weed control method includes few drawbacks. Thus, rotating different chemicals is recommended so that weeds do not become chemical resistant and the most important face that cannot be ignored is that in this process the soils lose important microbes.…

Weeds

English Ivy

 

English Ivy (Hedera helix) has for a long time been planted as a ground cover. However, it is not native to the United States, and many people now consider it to be an invasive species and a pest and a weed.

It is good as a ground cover because it forms a thick mat and prevents other things from growing. However, controlling it is a problem. Getting English Ivy to stay where you want it to stay can be a full time job. If it is near your lawn, it will be happy to put out shoots and start invading the lawn.

Bushes and Trees in Danger

Trees and bushes can be an even bigger problem, although they are easier to deal with than the lawn. If ivy gets into the lawn, it is almost impossible to get out without digging it all out and restarting with a new lawn. You can’t use a weed killer like you can with some broad leaf plants in the lawn because what you need to kill the ivy will also kill the grass.

For trees and bushes, you need to cut the stems at the base of the tree and the part above that will die. You should also dig out the roots if possible or it will immediately start growing back.

Smothered Trees and Bushes

If you don’t control the ivy it can completely smother a bush or tree. It will grow up the trunk and out the branches. With the sunlight it gets there, the growth habit changes. The leaves get larger and it flowers and puts out many berries. The berries about about a quarter inch in diameter and dark blue or black in color. Besides blowing and starting ivy plants in different places, birds also eat them and the seeds end up wherever the birds droppings go. Frequently below branches in trees and bushes.

We bought a house and the grounds hadn’t been taken care of. There was a tree that was completely enveloped in ivy. The individual stalks were up to 2 inches in diameter and they had merged together so the tree was wrapped all the way around in ivy 1-2 inches thick and going up at least 10 feet in this solid mass before splitting into visible individual vines and going up another 30-40 feet in addition to out branches and creating branches of its own. What a mess.

Danger to Houses

Some people think that it can be very sophisticated to have ivy growing on a building. But it is very damaging to houses. It grips to the house with small roots that come out from the vine. They will find any small crack and potentially make them bigger over time. They are particularly harsh on the mortar between the brick. And when they get up to where the eaves and gutters are, they can do a lot of damage. Both physical damage and damage due to moisture retention.

A Safer Ivy

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) is not actually an ivy but is part of the grape family. It is actually the ivy that you frequently see growing on the walls of Ivy League colleges and at Wrigley Field in Chicago. It is deciduous unlike the evergreen English Ivy. Boston Ivy is spectacular in the fall, turning bright reds and other colors.

It attaches to buildings with little sticky pads instead of roots and for that reason doesn’t do much if any damage. If you do want to remove it, don’t pull it off while living. Cut the vine at the base and let the vine die before trying to take it off.…

Trees

Mulberry

 

Mulberry trees are one of the banes of my existence. We had a large one on our property that was a voluntary. I am pretty sure it wasn’t planted on purpose. It was big and it was ugly. Its roots were starting to destroy a sidewalk in one place and it was shading out other trees and plants that were much more interesting. When we had the Yew Tree incident, we were able to get rid of the mulberry.

Roots, Roots and More Roots

It still hasn’t wanted to go away. The tree company that took it down ground the stump but there were huge roots. Many of the roots were right where we were going to plant the arborvitae to replace the yew. The tree company knew this, so I was a bit miffed. I dug some of it up myself and then had them come back and finish getting the bigger roots out.

Even so, in a couple of places, a new tree is trying to grow up from the roots and I am having to combat it.

Birds love them and because of that you have to be constantly looking for small mulberry trees sprouting. Frequently under branches and bushes where birds sit and then poop. Get them as early as you can because they put down a long tap root amazingly quickly. They are a fast growing tree and are somewhat unusual in that they not only have a large tap root  but they also have large horizontal roots. Most trees have roots that extend about to the edge of the trees canopy if you were to draw a line straight down from it. The mulberry’s roots seem to go further.

History of the Mulberry

There was a native mulberry but others were imported from Europe and other places in 1733 by a General Oglethorpe and later by others who were trying to start a silk trade in the United States. They also liked the tree because it was fast growing and provided lots of fruit.

Good Eatin’

Farmers found they could fatten hogs with mulberry trees which would grow even on poor thin soil that other plants did not do well on. The fruit is apparently very delicious. I should have tried some before the tree was cut down. Apparently it is not a commercial crop in the US because the fruit is so fragile that it is difficult to pick and transport on a commercial scale. So if you have one on your property or know of one in your neighborhood, next summer try eating some of the fruit.…

Weeds

Sedge

Sedges look a lot like grasses at first but are not the same. They can be very difficult to control. As one article said they are like the good witch and the bad witch from the Wizard of OZ. Some are used for ornamental purposes and others are invasive and difficult to eradicate once they are established.

To make matters worse, there are different types of the invasive ones and they require different strategies. Some of the common problem ones are yellow nut sedge, purple nut sedge, umbrella sedge, globe sedge, cylindrical sedge and annual sedge.

Prefer Moist Environments

Sedges tend to like moist environments, sometimes marshy, although some varieties do fine in drier soil. They tend to grow taller, have larger blades to their leave and have seed heads that are much larger and not as fine and delicate as grass seed heads when you let grass get that long. Most of the sedges also have a triangular stem although some have round stems.

Since most sedges like moisture, one way to control them is to add soil to low lying areas so water doesn’t collect there as much. Another way is to keep the grass mowed so the sedge can’t form seed heads. If they are in the garden where you don’t mow, even if you don’t pull them, make sure that you cut off the seed head before they drop their seeds.

Different Strokes for Different Folks (Or Sedges)

You also need to identify which sedge or sedges you have so you can plan the correct means of attack. Some sedges are perennial and others are annual. If yours are annual, the key to control is to prevent it from dropping any seeds.

If you have a perennial variety, you have more of a problem. There are some herbicides that could be effective. They are different from ones for grasses and broadleaf weeds. One is called SedgeHammer.

On the Scott’s website it says that the nutsedges are perennial. They have roots that can extend down 10-14 inches and they have small tubers or nutlets that grown on the roots that new plants grow from. So if you don’t get all of the root, they just grow back.

Long Grass or Short?

Scotts says to mow the grass long. It says that nutsedge are stimulated by short cutting and by leaving the grass longer it helps the grass to crowd out the nutsedge.

An article by two weed scientists from the University of Tennessee say to cut the grass quite short and cut it a couple of times a week to control nutsedge. Not sure whether to believe them or Scotts.…

Weeds

Japanese Stiltgrass

Japanese stiltgrass looks a bit like a miniature bamboo. Not the tall variety that you get bamboo poles from but one of the smaller varieties. Stiltgrass only gets at most about 6-8 inches high but if not controlled, it can get up to two feet high.  To see a picture, click here.

Annual but Long-Lived Seeds

It is an annual, so that makes it slightly easier to deal with. However, the seeds can be viable for years, so if you pull them and they are close to going to seed, don’t compost them. You will regret it next year.

Remove by Weeding / Pulling

Luckily, they barely have any root structure at all so they are easy to pull up. They appear in the summer but grow extensively in the fall. Pull them before they can go to seed. Pull the weed after a rain or wet the area you will be weeding. This goes for any weed. It is much easier to pull them and have the roots come to when the soil is wet. When it is dry, they tend to snap off and leave the roots in the ground and you will just have to come back and do it all over again.

Stiltgrass likes moister and shady conditions which grass doesn’t do too well in. You can condition the soil to make it better for your grass so it can compete better with the stiltgrass. You could also help things by doing some pruning of trees in the area to get more sunlight to the ground.

If the soil is too moist, core aeration can help. Also, once the stiltgrass is pulled, you should put down something to prevent the seeds from germinating. A natural product is corn gluten which should be put down in the spring. Or you could use Preen. You might want to retreat after 3 months with either Preen or the corn gluten.…