Last summer and fall, I endeavored to learn a bit about the weeds that persist in my garden, to better understand how to combat them effectively.

One of the worst offenders in my garden is hairy bittercress, or Cardamine hirsuta. It is a rapidly growing winter or summer annual, which begins its life innocently enough as a petite rosette of arugula-like leaves. Overnight, apparently, it sends up a flower stalk, pollinates itself, and sets tiny explosive seed capsules that spring open when they are touched, flinging seed (the average plant contains 600, by the way) for what feels like acres. If only I were so resilient.

On the way to the mailbox, I noticed a greenish mat in the midst of a stretch of mud. The knavish fellows are back, unthwarted by polar vortices, uncurbed dogs, and rapacious squirrels.

But this year, I come to the battle armed with a tiny bit of knowledge (yes, indeed, a dangerous thing!). I know not to turn my back on these wolves-in-sheep’s-clothing of the weed world, or they’ll have propagated themselves before I can say “Well, [redacted].” I’m heading out this minute to pull these impish devils (they come up quite easily). And I shall add a generous helping of mulch in case their evil little siblings are getting ideas.