Today, we’re going to talk about all the steps you take before actually taking any action against your pests. Next week, we’ll talk about the 4 ways that you can safely get rid of pests in your garden.

Today, we’re going to talk about all the steps you take before actually taking any action against your pests. Next week, we’ll talk about the 4 ways that you can safely get rid of pests in your garden.

At GFE, our south orchard is full of Oxalis pes-caprae, otherwise known as sour grass. This horrible weed originated in South Africa in a climate so similar to ours that it has gone crazy in California, invading everywhere. It’s bright yellow flower and clover-like leaves can be found on roadsides, in restored or disturbed natural areas, parks and gardens. It is relentless and it never sleeps. Many a gardener has spent hours weeding this pest, only to come back a week later and find it fully re-established. So what can we do?

At GFE we are out of control of the oxalis in our steep orchards. That’s the bad news and the good news. The oxalis in the borders and pathways and street tree basins is much reduced, and it is gone in the veggie beds. We’ve achieved this partial control by repeated weeding with a special technique.