A Garden Runs Through It - UCCE Master Gardeners of Colusa County

Tree-of heaven is an invasive weed. A tree of heaven it is not! It was initially valued as an urban street tree and was widely planted in the United States particularly around the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. Tree-of heaven can reach heights of 80 feet and grow to 3 feet in diameter.

Almost every plant has one or more aphid species that occasionally feed on it. Although aphids can curl leaves and produce stick honeydew, they rarely kill plants. When aphid numbers are high, natural enemies frequently feed on them. When pesticides are necessary, use less toxic products.

Such a silly name for a bad, bad weed. This weed seemed to appear overnight in 2010. It is invasive! Catchweed bedstraw is a summer annual broadleaf plant that is starting to show in your gardens now! Its bristles attach to people's clothing and the hair of animals, aiding in its dispersal.

Gophers are small burrowing rodents that feed on roots of many plants. A single gopher can ruin a garden in a short time and gopher gnawing can damage irrigation lines and sprinkler systems. Early detection is critical to prevent damage.

Both sprinkler and drip irrigation systems should be checked regularly for broken components for leaks that may otherwise go undetected. Examples are clogged nozzles, worn nozzles, tilted sprinkler heads and heads in the same zone with varying output rates.