Originally Posted by Earl

You learn something everyday in this business. For instance, I'd never heard of "pricker bushes," but they seem to be a problem for this reader!

QUESTION: "I am having a huge problem with pricker bushes. I have many of them growing in the hedge row of my lawn. I have tried yanking them out when the soil was wet and they died out for the season and I have
also tried burning them. Nothing seems to get rid of them and it appears they are coming back two-fold the next season. Is there a way to get rid of them for good? I sure would like to know."– Rachael
Spearance

ANSWER: I'm not exactly sure what type of plant you're talking about, but I'm guessing it is thistle. If it is, then I'm sorry to say that you will just have to keep digging them out before they go to seed. You will eventually rid your yard of them as long as the neighbors do
likewise!



A sad footnote: Recently, I wrote a column with encouraging news about the healthy return of the American elm that had been nearly obliterated by dreaded Dutch elm disease. You can read more at my Web site in the archived Plant Man column titled "They're back: American elms are on the rebound!"

In that column, I mentioned that a strain of disease-resistant trees had been developed from genetic material taken from one very special tree that lived in a graveyard in Princeton, NJ. Sadly, this strong old-timer has finally succumbed to the disease and had to be cut down and destroyed a few days ago to prevent the chance of infecting other trees. A count of the tree's rings revealed that it was probably 278 years old. Fortunately, this old "mother elm" was able to provide us with hundreds of healthy "offspring" to carry on her lineage before she died.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to and for resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org