Fixit: Eradicating horseradish can be tough

Q Two years ago I made the mistake of planting several horseradish roots in my garden. Now horseradish is taking over the whole garden. How can I get rid of it?

A The first suggestion of master gardener Lynn Meyer is to have a BYOS party -- bring your own shovel.

Dig out what you can now, then keep an eye on the patch. Dig, chop or spray any vestiges trying to make a comeback as soon as you see them.

Otherwise, persistent digging or spraying with an herbicide will get rid of horseradish. Roundup is the most common chemical plant-killer, and a variety of vinegar-based products are available if you prefer organic.

Keep in mind that leaves have to grow and take in sunlight to manufacture the energy that is stored in the roots for future horseradish growth. If you keep denying the roots that were missed on the dig-out, stored energy eventually will run out, and you'll win.

Unfortunately, horseradish excels at storing energy because of its big roots. But any plant will sooner or later run out of that stored energy. The only issue is who has more energy -- you or the horseradish.

Spring vacation to-dos Q Is it a good idea to turn off the water to the house when I leave for a vacation this spring?

• Open a faucet at the lowest point in the home. This will relieve the pressure on your plumbing and allow the pipes to drain slightly.

• Turn the gas water heater to " vacation" mode or its lowest setting and turn its circuit breaker off if it is electric. This will keep you from making unnecessary hot water while you're gone.

• Turn the thermostat down to 60 degrees or lower, depending on what is allowed by the device and recommended by the furnace manufacturer.

• Unplug the water softener so it doesn't try to regenerate or backwash while you are gone. If the floor drain is plugged, the backwash could flood the basement.

• Stop the mail and the paper, tell the neighbors that you're going to be gone and leave an emergency contact phone number with someone.