Carpet Burrweed "Soliva sessilis) is considered a noxious weed with no benefits. It is a winter annual that dies back in the summer after forming seeds, and not watering your lawn leaves the soil open for the seeds to sprout when the rains come. Humans tend to be the major source of the spread of the seeds. The spines are attached to the seeds. Germination begins early and seedlings develop rapidly, usually faster than the grass it grows in. Since you don't water your lawn, and the weed likes compacted soil and sun, you might consider either sheet-mulching your entire lawn area (shading it out), or rototilling the whole thing, then when you see the first small plant, keep the top few inches of soil loosened. And keep doing it (preventing the compaction it likes). Germination starts with the first heavy rains of autumn, so you would need to keep on top of it when you need to, not when you can get around to it (too late). Scientists seem to think that there is a fairly low carry-over of seed from year to year, so if you could eliminate the seed production for one year (about Feb to July or so), the existing seeds may not live long enough to keep germinating year after year. If you want to keep your lawn, you should probably ferilize it with compost or manure, overseed it well, water it, and cut it higher so it can help shade out the burrweed. Or you could fertilize with natural fertilizers (compost and manure), then lay sod over it. The microbial action of the compost and manure could help the seeds to rot, with the help of the sod in keeping out the light. It can be removed manually in late winter and early spring, but if you wait until the seeds form, you're wasting your time. This weed is rather famous here in WA, as we get a lot of rain for 8-9 months, then nothing all summer, producing the conditions it prefers. 8-( Sue

My problem is that the evening primrose is mixed in with plants that I want to save, so I have been weeding by hand and losing the battle. I received some beautiful pink yarrow from a friend who was dividing up some plants and there must have been evening primrose mixed in. I have been battling this plant for two years now and it has moved around to several different beds and is overtaking many plants now, including my yarrow. It grows around the bases of rose bushes, which are so thorny and thick, I have a hard time weeding them out. It pops up in the middle of my thyme and sneaks under the fence where it quietly bides its time. I would resort to RoundUp if there weren't other plants that I want to save, so I have been trying to hand weed them out. But THEY KEEP COMING BACK! It seems every year there is a garden thug that I'm fighting with--first black-eyed susan, then sweet autumn clematis, and now this pretty little pink flower. I know I've read that if you keep cutting a plant down to the ground it eventually gives up and dies out, but I don't know that it would work with this--plus they are everywhere! I'm feeling a little discouraged, since I weeded them all out last fall and I can see them popping back up throughout the beds already. Any suggestions?

The safest herbicide for St Aug is anything with atrazine. Visit the local nursery or box store and look for herbicides with a purple label. Then read the ingredients. Most of the atrazine labels have prominent purple colors. BUT, not all purple labels have atrazine, so read them. While atrazine is safe(ish) for St Aug, it is not safe at all for animals. Read the directions 3x before you use it. And NOW is the time to use it as opposed to waiting a month. It can take 2-3 weeks before you see the weeds dying.

Don't you miss those shade trees? Bet they helped lower HVAC bills! If you like a more classic look, here is something pretty. Especially helpful if you like shutters; right now they're out of place on your window style. This is a combo of metal and shingle roofing, probably because the garage and front porch were additions to the existing house I'd guess. Exterior lights should be about 1/3 of the front door's height. Columns could change to 8' squares, IMO. Romabio can help you change the brick color if you want to lighten it.