Just Grow Something | Evidence-Based Home Gardening

Perennial weeds are in a different category than annuals. They don’t just re-seed, they regrow from the ground up, season after season, from root systems that can run three feet deep or spread fifteen feet sideways underground. In this episode, we’re tackling them systematically. First, a regional tour of the most aggressive perennial weeds in the U.S. - what they look like, how they spread, and why they’re so hard to beat.

Then, we work on management using Integrated Pest Management principles, starting with prevention and exclusion, moving through cultural and mechanical controls, and knowing when chemical options are appropriate.

Finally, we close with a hard look at the homemade internet sprays that are all over social media - and why some of them could do more damage to your soil than the weeds ever would.

Let's dig in.

References:

Montana State University Extension – Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) MontGuide MT201903AG

https://apps.msuextension.org/montguide/guide.html?sku=MT201903AG

University of Nevada, Reno Extension – Managing Field Bindweed (Publication 4834)

https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=4834

University of Minnesota Extension – Perennial Weeds Identification Guide

https://extension.umn.edu/weed-identification/perennial-weeds

University of Minnesota Extension – Canada Thistle Identification

https://extension.umn.edu/identify-invasive-species/canada-thistle

University of Maryland Extension – Canada Thistle

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/canada-thistle

Colorado State University Extension – Canada Thistle

https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/canada-thistle/

SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) – Canada Thistle: Manage Weeds on Your Farm

https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/canada-thistle/

NC State Extension Plant Toolbox – Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sorghum-halepense/

University of Georgia Extension – Johnsongrass Control in Pastures, Roadsides, and Noncropland Areas

https://fieldreport.caes.uga.edu/?p=62642

Schantz, M.C. (2025). Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense): a review of its invasion, management, and spread in the changing climate of the Southern Great Plains. Weed Science, 73(e31), 1–7.

https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2025.7

University of Maryland Extension – Poison Hemlock Identification and Management

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/poison-hemlock-identification-and-management

Montana State University Extension – Poison Hemlock MontGuide MT200013AG

https://apps.msuextension.org/montguide/guide.html?sku=MT200013AG

Purdue Extension – Poison Hemlock: Invasive Plant Series (FNR-437-W)

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-437-w.pdf

Mississippi State University Extension – Kudzu

https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/kudzu

Mississippi State University Extension – Torpedograss (Panicum repens)

https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/torpedograss

UC IPM – Nutsedge (Yellow and Purple)

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/nutsedge.html

West Virginia University Extension – Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)

https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/weeds/yellow-nutsedge

Penn State Extension – Japanese and Giant Knotweed

https://extension.psu.edu/japanese-and-giant-knotweed

University of Wisconsin Extension – Perennial Knotweed Identification (Mark Renz, Extension Weed Scientist)

https://renzweedscience.cals.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/177/2025/05/Perennial-knotweed-identification.pdf

Oregon State University Extension – Solve Pest Problems: Grasses & Grass-Like Pacific Northwest Weeds

https://solvepestproblems.oregonstate.edu/weeds/grass-like

Washington State University – Perennial Weed Control in the Pacific Northwest (PNW Pest Management Handbooks)

https://pnwhandbooks.org/weed/agronomic/corn/field-silage-seed/perennial-weed-control-quackgrass-field-bindweed-canada-thistle-johnsongrass-etc-0

Colorado State University Extension – Weed Management (IPM)

https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/weed-management/

NC State Extension – Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 8: Integrated Pest Management

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/8-integrated-pest-management-ipm

Washington State University – Weed Management (Pesticide Resources and Education Program)

https://pep.wsu.edu/weedmanagement/

UC IPM – Soil Solarization for Gardens and Landscapes

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/soil-solarization-for-gardens-landscapes/

University of Vermont Extension – Tarping, Solarization and Occultation

https://www.uvm.edu/extension/news/tarping-solarization-and-occultation

UConn Extension – Homemade Pesticide Issues: Understanding the Science (EXT014, Updated 2024)

https://extension.uconn.edu/publication/homemade-pesticides/

Ask Extension (Cooperative Extension National Q&A Service) – Vinegar, Salt, and Dawn Weed Killer

https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=888177

University of Florida IFAS Extension – Chapter 4: Integrated Pest Management (Weed Management Categories)

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/CV298

Resources:

Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com

Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses

Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop

Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/

Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething

Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething

Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mulch is one of the highest-return investments you can make in your vegetable garden and yet most gardeners are using whatever happens to be available rather than whatever would actually work best for their situation.

In this episode, we dig into the full lineup of organic mulches—straw, shredded leaves, wood chips, pine needles, grass clippings, and compost—as well as a shorter look at inorganic options like landscape fabric and black plastic.

For each type, you’ll learn how well it suppresses annual, perennial, and invasive weeds, how it handles moisture retention and heavy rainfall, how to apply it correctly, and what drawbacks to watch for in terms of pests, availability, and cost.

The bottom line: any mulch is better than bare soil. But the right mulch for your garden depends on your weed pressure, your climate, your crops, and your situation—and by the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly how to make that call. Let’s dig in!

Mulch Quick Reference

Best for annual weed suppression: Straw, wood chips, black plastic
Best for moisture retention: Wood chips, straw, compost

Best for slopes and heavy rain areas: Pine needles, wood chips

Best for soil building: Compost, shredded leaves

Best free options: Shredded leaves, grass clippings (herbicide-free), arborist chips

Best for soil warming: Black plastic

Avoid in vegetable gardens long-term: Landscape fabric

References:

Warnall School of Forestry and Natural Resources - Black Walnut Allelopathy: Tree Chemical Warfare: openscholar.uga.edu/record/22964/files/Walnut Allelopathy 11-10.pdf

Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville - Evaluation of Allelopathic Potential of Wood Chips for Weed Suppression in Horticultural Production Systems: ashs.org/hort/hort/published/rest/pdf-watermark/v1/journals/hortsci/40/3/article-p711.pdf/watermark-pdf/

University of Minnesota Extension — Mulching in the Home Garden: extension.umn.edu

Penn State Extension — Mulches for the Home Landscape: extension.psu.edu

NC State Extension Gardener Handbook — Mulching chapter: content.ces.ncsu.edu

University of Illinois Extension — Wood Chip Mulch: Landscape Boon or Bane: extension.illinois.edu

Cornell Cooperative Extension — Grass Clippings as Mulch: gardening.cornell.edu

University of Tennessee Extension — Using Leaves as Mulch and Compost: extension.tennessee.edu

Iowa State University Extension — Plastic Mulch in the Vegetable Garden: yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu

Michigan State University Extension — Landscape Fabric: Is It Really Worth It: canr.msu.edu

ChipDrop (free arborist chips): getchipdrop.com

Resources:
Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com

Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses

Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop

Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/

Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething

Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething

Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A listener asked for a deep dive on dahlias and I’m delivering, from the ground up (pun intended). But we’re not stopping there. In this episode, I’m covering the full world of spring-planted bulbs: dahlias, gladiolus, cannas, calla lilies, and tuberous begonias. You’ll learn when and how to plant them, how to grow them for maximum blooms, how to cut them for the vase (because that’s half the fun), and, critically, how to handle end-of-season care based on where you live. If you’re in a warmer zone, some of these can stay in the ground. If you’re in a colder zone like me, we’re digging them up, curing them, storing them, and doing it all again in the spring. Let’s dig in!

Quick-Reference: Zone-Based Overwintering Guide

Zone 9-10+: Leave everything in the ground. Mulch lightly after frost. Let plants rest and re-emerge in spring.
Zone 8: Cannas and callas can stay with heavy mulch. Dahlias and glads: consider digging, especially in colder parts of the zone.

Zone 7: Mulching is a gamble. Reliable: dig dahlias and glads. Cannas may survive with very heavy mulch in milder Zone 7.

Zone 6 and colder: Dig everything. Cure properly. Store in cool, dry, dark, frost-free conditions. Replant after soil warms to 60°F in spring.

Bloom Timing and Vase Life at a Glance

Dahlias — Bloom: midsummer to first hard frost | Vase life: 5–8 days | Zone to leave in ground: 9+

Gladiolus — Bloom: ~70–90 days after planting | Vase life: 7–10 days | Zone to leave in ground: 8+ (with mulch)

Cannas — Bloom: midsummer to frost | Vase life: 4–7 days | Zone to leave in ground: 8+ (with mulch)

Calla Lilies — Bloom: summer | Vase life: 10–14 days | Zone to leave in ground: 8–9+ depending on type

Tuberous Begonias — Bloom: summer all season | Vase life: 3–5 days | Zone to leave in ground: 9+

References

University of Minnesota Extension — Dahlias: From Garden to Vase. extension.umn.edu

University of Missouri Extension — Growing Dahlias (G6600). extension.missouri.edu

NC State Extension Gardener Toolbox — Dahlia pinnata. plants.ces.ncsu.edu

Colorado State University Extension — Dahlias, Fact Sheet 7.418. extension.colostate.edu

Iowa State University Extension — Gladiolus for the Home Garden (PM 874). extension.iastate.edu

University of Florida IFAS Extension — Gladiolus Production. edis.ifas.ufl.edu

University of Illinois Extension — Canna Lily in the Garden. web.extension.illinois.edu

Michigan State University Extension — Digging and Storing Tender Bulbs. canr.msu.edu

University of Vermont Extension — Storing Tender Bulbs Over Winter. uvm.edu

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023). planthardiness.ars.usda.gov

Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com
Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses

Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop

Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/

Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething

Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething

Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We made it to 300 episodes! And to celebrate, I’m doing something a little different. I went looking for the questions home gardeners are asking most, the ones showing up in Reddit threads, Facebook groups, university extension Q&A lines, master gardener helplines, and my own DMs and emails, over and over and over again. Then I went to the research: university extensions, peer-reviewed horticulture studies, and land-grant university publications, to find the best science-backed answers available. The result is this episode, ten of the most common gardening questions, answered with evidence, nuance, and a little bit of real-world gardener perspective from someone who’s been doing it for over 20 years and with a degree in horticulture. Whether you’ve been listening since episode 1 or you just found me today, this one is for you.

Let’s dig in.

References

Watering

University of Maine Cooperative Extension — How Often Should I Water My Vegetable Garden?: https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/2020/07/14/watering-a-vegetable-garden/

Utah State University Extension — Water Recommendations for Vegetables: https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/water-recommendations-for-vegetables.pdf

Tomato Leaf Problems

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Common Tomato Plant Problems and How to Fix Them (May 2026) https://hpj.com/2026/05/06/common-tomato-plant-problems-and-how-to-fix-them/

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Why Are My Tomato Leaves Curling? https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2022/05/05/why-are-my-tomato-leaves-curling/

University of Maryland Extension — Key to Common Problems of Tomatoes https://extension.umd.edu/resource/key-common-problems-tomatoes

Blossom End Rot

University of Maryland Extension — Blossom End Rot on Vegetables https://extension.umd.edu/resource/blossom-end-rot-vegetables/

NC State Extension (Pender County) — Why Are My Squash Rotting? (2024) https://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/news/why-are-my-squash-rotting/

Soil Improvement

Oregon State University Extension — Improving Garden Soils With Organic Matter (EC 1561) https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ec-1561-improving-garden-soils-organic-matter

Oregon State University Extension — How to Use Compost in Gardens and Landscapes (EM 9308) https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9308-how-use-compost-gardens-landscapes

University of Maryland Extension — Soil to Fill Raised Beds https://extension.umd.edu/resource/soil-fill-raised-beds/

Fertilizing

Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension — Fertilizing the Vegetable Garden (revised March 2026) https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-323/426-323.html

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Fertilizing a Garden https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/fertilizing/

Pest Management

Utah State University Extension — Creating Sustainable Home Gardens: Organic Pest Management https://extension.usu.edu/utah4h/research/organic-pest-management

South Dakota State University Extension — Organic Pest Control Methods (2025) https://extension.sdstate.edu/organic-pest-control-methods

Crop Rotation

Illinois Extension — Sow, Grow, Rotate: How Crop Rotation Promotes Gardening Success (Jan 2024) https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2024-01-05-sow-grow-rotate-how-crop-rotation-promotes-gardening-success

Harvest Timing

Illinois Extension Good Growing — Harvesting Vegetables: When and How to Pick Your Vegetables for Best Quality (June 2024) https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2024-06-28-harvesting-vegetables-when-and-how-pick-your-vegetables-best-quality

Iowa State University Extension — Vegetable Harvest Guide https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/vegetable-planting-and-harvesting-times

Resources

Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com
Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses

Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop

Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/

Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething

Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething

Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The subject of whether you should top your pepper plants can bring on a pretty strong debate among gardeners. That’s because this is one of those topics where the answer genuinely is: it depends. And I mean that in a very specific, evidence-based way that comes down to two things: your climate and your pepper type.

I’ll be straight with you, I do not top my peppers. We are in a zone 6b in west central Missouri and our season is just short enough that for our large sweet peppers, by the time a topped plant recovered and loaded up with new fruit, I’d be in a race with the first frost, so I don’t love my odds of winning. And for our smaller peppers, both hot and sweet, they branch naturally. They’ve never needed my help getting bushy and they generally end up so loaded with fruit there’s no need for me to create new growing points.

But that does NOT mean topping is wrong. In fact, if your growing season is long enough and you are growing the right type of pepper, there is a solid, research-grounded argument for it and I want to make that argument fairly today.

Let's dig in!

References:

Illinois Extension (University of Illinois) — Frillman, N. (2021). “Pruning tomatoes and peppers for healthier plants and a stronger harvest.” Flowers, Fruits, and Frass Blog. https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/flowers-fruits-and-frass/2021-05-17-pruning-tomatoes-and-peppers-healthier-plants-and

Nebraska Extension — “Garden Peppers.” University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension Publications. https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/967/html/view

University of Minnesota Extension — Ask Extension response on topping pepper plants (2021). https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=740168

University of Minnesota Extension — Weisenhorn, J. Ask Extension response on topping for yield (2016). https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=333053

University of Maryland Extension — Home and Garden Information Center. Ask Extension response on topping chile plants (2024). https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=869966

University of Minnesota Extension — “Growing Peppers in Home Gardens.” https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-peppers-home-gardens

Peer-Reviewed Research:

Humadi, F. (1980). “Effects of plant growth retardants and mechanical topping on growth and yield of pimiento pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).” Dissertation, University of Tennessee. Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/7869/

Buczkowska, H., & Najda, A. (2001). “Impact of plant topping on chemical composition of sweet pepper fruit.” Zeszyty Naukowe Akademii Techniczno-Rolniczej w Bydgoszczy. Rolnictwo, 46, 33–37.

Cao, D., Chabikwa, T., Barbier, F., Dun, E. A., Fichtner, F., Dong, L., Kerr, S. C., & Beveridge, C. A. (2023). “Auxin-independent effects of apical dominance induce changes in phytohormones correlated with bud outgrowth.” Plant Physiology, 192(2), 1420–1434. https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiad034

Avent, A. R., & Armitage, A. M. (2015). “Effects of Paclobutrazol and Pinching on Ornamental Pepper.” HortScience / Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. ResearchGate: DOI 10.21273/HORTSCI.

Hu, Q., Wei, Y., Gan, X., Zhang, O., Huangpu, J., Hu, B., & Wu, L. (2016). “Effects of pruning methods and harvest time on yield and benefit of pepper in greenhouse.” Jiangsu Agricultural Sciences, 44, 182–185.

Resources:

Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.com

Gardening Courses: https://justgrowsomething.com/courses

Just Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shop

Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/

Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomething

Feed my coffee habit: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomething

Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

Get 10% off and FREE shipping on my favorite raised planters at Planter Box Direct using code JUSTGROW10: https://planterboxdirect.com/?ref=593

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.