If you are a gardener you are no stranger to weeds and weeding. In fact, it could be stated that the act of gardening is really just the battle to keep your yard growing the desirable cultivated plants that you have chosen, rather than those that grow on their own. In any Lethbridge yard, you’ll find weeds like elm, green ash, sunflower, native fescues, canola and even desirable annuals that have self-sown sprouting up everywhere in the spring when the soil warms up. These “weeds” are just a group of locally grown plants that the gardener doesn’t want taking over their garden spaces and they need as much attention and effort for management as any weed listed on the Alberta Invasive Plants list. This article discusses the difference between annual and perennial weeds and sustainable techniques to stop them and/or keep them from taking over your managed outdoor spaces.

Often, we only consider the afterlife of a product – what happens after we dispose of it. But to be