We’re talking weeds here. The weeds you certainly have in your yard and garden right now. The real trick to control is to interrupt their life cycle: don’t let them go to seed.
Lawn
Let’s start with the lawn. You certainly have dandelions (Taraxicum officianale). I dug out large flowering plants early, and yes, they came back, but much smaller and no flowers. I use a long-handled “asparagus knife”, a notched metal tool that cuts off the plant with little effort. Dandelion tap roots may be up to 3 feet long and serve to bring nutrients such as calcium, nitrogen and other minerals to the surface, so they are not all bad. You will not get the whole root, but you will weaken the plant until it finally gives up.
Bees like yellow flowers and there is a new movement called “No Mow May” which encourages pollinators to do their jobs by humans allowing the dandelions and clover to flower. As the dandelions start to go to seed, I do mow them and bag the clippings to minimize further spreading.
Allow your grass to grow a little longer to help suppress other weed seeds that may drop in. As for watering the lawn, it is generally accepted to use one inch of water per week. This year I have not watered my lawn at all and there has been very little rain here. It is thick and green anyway. I fertilized early, with an organic product (no weed and feed!)
Popweed
In your garden and especially containers, watch for Cardamine hirsuta, AKA “Popweed”, or hairy bittercress. This plant apparently hitchhiked into Alaska via nursery pots. It has earned its nickname since the seed pods explode when ripe. Learn to recognize the plants and pull them early.
Chickweed
Chickweed (Stellaria media) can be rampant in the garden and should be pulled early, before it goes to seed. It’s high in vitamin C, so try a taste if you are not using chemicals. There are many books on backyard foraging to guide you in proper procedure for harvesting your weeds. And now the really bad kids:
Toadflax and Bird Vetch
Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) and Bird Vetch (Vicia cracca) are considered “Noxious Weeds” in Alaska and other states. They often trick us with pretty flowers. They may make up to one million seeds and stay dormant in the soil for many years, waiting for the right conditions. Toadflax is 69 within the invasive ranking and bird vetch is a 73 (range is 0-100 for invasive plants).
Alaska’s non-native plant invasiveness classification system evaluates non-native plant species according to their ecological impact, dispersal capacity, distribution and feasibility of control. This system assigns each plant an invasiveness score from 0 to 100, enabling it to be classified into different categories according to the threat it poses to ecosystems. It is used to guide management and monitoring priorities to protect Alaska’s natural habitats from invasive plants. For more information, read this document.
Rampion Bellflower
Rampion Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides), commonly called bluebell, is a rampant spreader in gardens. Yes, it’s pretty, and pretty aggressive. It has an invasive rank of 64.
Horsetail
A pretty thug! I’m sure you have Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) in your gardens. This is a native plant that’s been around since the dinosaur days, so you are going to have to live with it. It is difficult to eradicate.
Check Out These Sites for Information and Images:
http://dnr.alaska.gov/ag/akpmc/invasives/pdf/noxious-weeds.pdf
http://wssa.net/wp-content/uploads/WSSA-Weed-Science-Definitions.pdf
USDA site with blackline images: https://www.plants.usda.gov
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