By Jackie Carroll Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense), a poisonous member of the nightshade family, is one of the most difficult weeds to eradicate since it resists most attempts at control. Tilling the soil only makes it worse because it brings seeds to the surface where they can germinate. Flame weeding doesn’t kill the weed either because the penetrating roots reach depths of 10 feet or more, where they survive after the tops are burned away. For horsenettle, herbicide is the most practical control method for many gardeners. Horsenettle Identification Like most seedlings, horsenettle begins life as two small, rounded leaves sitting opposite of each other on a short stem. The first true leaves come as a cluster. Although it still has smooth leaf margins at this point, the plant is beginning to show its true nature because it has prickly spines along the vein on the undersides of the leaves. As
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