Heed weed rules
What's the law in Tucson?
● Any and all weeds or lawn grasses that exceed 10 inches in height are prohibited within the city limits.
● Property owners are responsible for the narrow strip of right of way that often lies between their front yards and the street, and for their half of the alley behind their homes.
● Owners are first given a notice of violation, giving them a chance to remove or mow the offending vegetation.
● If they fail to correct the problem, they are issued citations, which require court appearances even if the weeds are removed.
What's the fine?
● The minimum fine of $100 upon conviction of a civil violation, up to a maximum of $2,500, at the judge's discretion.
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Complaints
● Have a gripe about weeds in a neighbor's yard or a city right of way, or anywhere else the little devils sprout?
● Call 791-3171 to complain. Anonymous complaints are accepted, or you can leave your name and number if you want someone in city government to call you back.
Is it a flower?
Is it a weed or a wildflower?
City regulators say some Tucsonans have tried to avoid cutting their weeds by claiming they're wildflowers.
Horticultural agent John Begeman of the Pima County Cooperative Extension Service says there are ways to tell the difference.
Weeds tend to have pale yellow, white or green blossoms. Wildflowers have more brightly colored red, blue, gold, lavender and yellow flowers.
Weeds have more foliage than flowers. Wildflowers have more dominant flowers than foliage.
If they grow 2 or 3 feet in a couple of weeks, they're probably weeds.
If you have dozens or hundreds of little plants together that all look alike, they're probably weeds. Wildflowers tend to be more spread out.
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