Check out our latest installment on the Lawn Care Radio Network: Dive into aquatics.

When it comes to weeds, water is just like turf, only wetter. I caught up with Jason Fausey recently to talk about water and weeds. Fausey, Valent Professional Products’ field market development manager for Midwest, has spent years in the aquatics business. Here, he outlines what LCOs need to know about this profitable service.

And if you haven’t, get every new episode delivered right to your mobile device.

Just in from our Cool Plant Research desk: A team of scientists at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center are working on a way to harvest dandelions as a source for natural rubber.

The Russian dandelions, a cousin of the hated yellow flowers seen in lawns across America, look similar, but contain extra-bouncy insides that scientists can use as a supplement to traditional sources of rubber.

The Russian species — known scientifically as Taraxacum kok-saghyz, or TKS – have long, thick roots that have the right mix of rubber polymers, proteins and fatty acids in them that contain a natural latex. Break open a TKS root, roll the sticky, milky white cream that oozes out around in your palm, let it dry and it will bounce like a ball.

You can read more about the science and techniques of extracting raw materials from these plants here.

Here’s your weekend reading list. Enjoy!

• Olympic landscaping.
• Job openings are at their highest levels in four years.
• A dealer on what Tier 4 means to you. (via @johndeere)
• Broadleaf weed primer. (via @fmcturf)
• How to get the most from your home and garden show exhibitions.
• Related: How to work a trade show.
• Above: D&K outlines its quarterly gardning srevices for the southwest.

Let it not be said that the editors of Lawn & Landscape limit their art to Hall and Oates. We also like pictures of plants.

So, for our readers in the south, here’s “Response to Print of Kudzu, Texas” by Laura Plageman. Her interpretation of the textbook invasive plant is spectacular, and would make a great gift for any lover (or hater) of weeds.

Ever heard of weed bombing?  It’s probably not what you think.

A group in Miami is tired of overgrown weeds on vacant lots and public properties – weeds they say the city maintenance crews are in charge of clearing. So the group of friends has decided to take the matter into their own hand by spray painting the weeds bright colors to draw attention to the neglect.

Chief Bombadier Brad Knoefler told Miami’s New Times the strategy has actually improved the group’s relations with the Downtown Development Authority, the organization charged with the area’s upkeep.

It may not be the easiest way to rid weeds – and let’s hope they know what’s a weed and what’s not – but it is a decent strategy to gain people’s attention.

Photo: Courtesy of New Times and Grant Stern