Published on: July 17, 2017
Controlling unwanted trees, shrubs, and woody perennial grasses can be difficult in landscapes, gardens, and natural areas. These troublesome woody plants often resprout after being cut back, and the resprouting shoots can outnumber the original plants. Some woody weed plants are natives but in certain settings can create fire hazards and become problematic to human health and movement.
So how can you manage plants like ivy, bamboo, and poison oak?
A new version of Pest Notes: Woody Weed Invaders, authored by UC Davis plant scientists Joseph DiTomaso and Guy Kyser, is now available online and in print. Use this guide to find answers to the thorny problem of managing undesirable woody plants.
A weed wrench is kind of like a post-puller. It’s a steel pry bar attached to a set of jaws which grip onto the trunk of a shrub when you pull down on the bar. “Weed Wrench” is now a generic term for a tool that used to be made by the Weed Wrench company. Nowadays weed wrenches are available from The Uprooter, Pullerbear, and probably others.