It is an especially difficult time with sandburs and winter weeds. Here are some helpful tips to help keep them under control.

• If the infested area is not large, pop the plants out of the soil with the tip of your shovel. Bag the plants with their crop of burs for the garbage can. For large area drag a carpet remnant to catch the burs.
• Apply pre-emergent herbicide for winter weeds. Products such as Amaze or XL work to prevent both grass and broadleaf weeds such as annual bluegrass, rescue grass, thistle, bedstraw, dandelions, and beggars lice.
• Lightly prune hybrid tea roses, restart the insecticide and fungicide sprays, and apply fertilizer to support the fall flush of growth and blooms.
• If you fall behind in harvesting okra, peppers, eggplant, or other hot weather vegetables, remove and compost overly mature fruit so the plant can produce a new tender crop.