Garden Gate e-notes: From our garden to your desktop.

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Common ragweed
Ambrosia artemisiifolia

IDENTIFICATION — If you suffer from hay fever, this is the culprit. Common ragweed can grow anywhere from 1 to 4 ft. tall and produces green flowers in late summer. The stem can be one single stalk or multibranched. The feather-like leaves may have a slight floral scent when you crush it.

FAVORITE CONDITIONS — Common ragweed will grow in full sun on any cultivated soil.

CONTROL — It’s easy to hoe seedlings out of the garden and should one escape your early efforts and grow, you can easily hand pull them. Pulling weeds is easier just after a rain when the soil is still moist.