![Wild blackberries growing along a roadway and encroaching into the home landscape. [Credit: Scott Oneto]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/95850small.jpg)
Ripe, juicy, sweet blackberries: what's not to love? Blackberries are grown for us to eat and enjoy, but some species can be considered weeds when they take over home landscapes, roadsides and waterways, and other areas. The most problematic species are the introduced wild blackberries, cutleaf blackberry and Himalayan blackberry. Blackberries can be highly competitive, smothering existing plants with their dense stands. Accumulation of dead stems can create a dangerous fire hazard.
In urban landscapes, blackberry brambles can create habitat and food for wildlife and birds, but also for rats and other pests. When invasive wild blackberries take over a...
- Posted by: Lauren Fordyce
![Mature dallisgrass plant, Paspalum dilatatum. [Credit: K Windbiel-Rojas]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/95301small.jpg)
Knowing what weedy grass you have in your lawn or landscape is very important in being able to properly control it. Dallisgrass is a common perennial weed that is easily identified and grows in uneven clumps in lawns and turf. This growth pattern creates a tripping hazard as well as a poor playing surface for parks, front lawns, and athletic fields. Clumps must be dug out to prevent its growth. Solarization with clear plastic can help control dallisgrass.
For more details about the biology of dallisgrass, management methods, and extensive information about herbicides, see the newly updated Pest Notes: Dallisgrass, authored by UC Cooperative Extension...
UC IPM is excited to continue with our monthly urban and community IPM webinars. Webinars cover pest identification, management, and pesticide use around homes and gardens for California residents.
Spring webinar registration is now open to the public. All webinars are one hour, held on the third Thursday of the month at 12:00pm noon. The webinars are free, but advance registration is required. Please see below for a list of upcoming webinars and check out the webinar website for more information.
Upcoming Webinars
- February 17, 2022: Bed Bug Prevention.
- Author: Elaine Lander
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Recent wet weather in many parts of the state has spurred emergence of winter weeds. How these weeds are managed varies by the type of weed and where it's growing. In IPM, identification is always the first step toward effective pest management. A few common weeds you may be seeing in your garden or landscape now are profiled below.
Oxalis
Also known as Bermuda buttercup, buttercup oxalis, or sourgrass, this weed grows throughout California's coastal and inland landscapes. It can be a weed in lawns, flowerbeds, groundcovers, and shruby areas around the home. It has an upright growth with 3 heart-shaped leaflets and produces bright yellow flowers in late winter or early spring. See
We are pleased to announce our new YouTube playlist for the Urban & Community IPM Webinars. Currently available recordings include:
- What is IPM?
- Navigating the UC IPM Website and New Features
- Springtime Household Pests
- Plant Diseases and Abiotic Disorders
Additional webinar recordings are coming soon! Subscribe to our
