In this episode I'm walking you through why perennial weeds keep coming back, and what the research says about the popular fixes, including vinegar sprays, cardboard and mulch, tilling, and counting on a hard freeze. Then I'll give you a fall and winter game plan that changes depending on whether your winters are frozen, moderate, or mild. And then we'll go weed by weed through bindweed, Canada thistle, Johnson grass and Bermuda grass, nutsedge, dandelions, and poison hemlock.
Let's dig in!
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References and Resources
Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County (Browning) — Fall Weed Control: https://lancaster.unl.edu/fall-weed-control
SARE (Mohler, Teasdale, & DiTommaso) — Manage Weeds On Your Farm: Canada Thistle: https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/canada-thistle/
SARE (Mohler, Teasdale, & DiTommaso) — Manage Weeds On Your Farm: Bindweeds: https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/bindweeds/
SARE (Mohler, Teasdale, & DiTommaso) — Manage Weeds On Your Farm: Johnsongrass: https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/johnson-grass/
Oregon State University Extension, Ask Extension (Bubl) — Does vinegar help with controlling weeds?: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-extension/featured/does-vinegar-help-controlling-weeds
University of Maine Cooperative Extension (Lounsbury, Birthisel, Lilley, & Maher) — Bulletin #1075, Tarping in the Northeast: Types of Tarps and How They Work: https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/1075e/types-of-tarps-and-how-they-work/
Oregon State University Extension (Filley) — EM 9652, Tracking weeds is first step in controlling them: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9652-tracking-weeds-first-step-controlling-them
Colorado State University Extension (Beck) — Canada Thistle: https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/canada-thistle/
Purdue University Extension (Fry, Stout, Griffin, et al.) — FNR-647-W, Johnsongrass Control: https://purdue.edu/fnr/extension/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/FNR-647-JohnsongrassADA-final-comp.pdf
UC Statewide IPM Program — Pest Notes: Bermudagrass, Publication 7453: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/bermudagrass/
UC Statewide IPM Program — Pest Notes: Nutsedge, Publication 7432: https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/nutsedge/
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