GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The city of Glens Falls has a problem growing through the cracks, and the city is hoping that the public can lend a hand.

The city is rolling out a new “Pitch In & Pull!” campaign, asking citizens and business and building owners to help keep the streets tidy from weeds, citing recent overgrowth due to recent rains.

The initiative asks groups to organize through the month of August, pulling weeds from alleyways, sidewalks, parking areas and curbsides. The effort has been spearheaded by the Glens Falls Business Improvement District (BID).

“We have noticed fewer cigarette butts and fast food wrappers, which is wonderful, but the weeds this year are more than any one person or the city’s Department of Public Works can handle, and we need everyone to pitch in to take care of our beautiful city,” said Glens Falls BID President Dan Burke. “It’s a small thing anyone can do to pull a few weeds while you walk, and keep the city looking its best.”

The initiative is more than just a request to get up and get pulling. The city also put out a list of suggestions for building a weed-whacking strategy.

Those suggestions include pulling weeds after a rainy day, when they’ll come out the easiest; grabbing down to the roots, as far as possible; using gardening gloves, as well as garden forks, trowels and other tools; and knowing how to identify types of weed and other plants.

The city also recommends using boiling water to kill weeds and make some easier to get out of the ground, but cautions against doing so in flower beds or any other soil that has other growth worth keeping.

Weeds can be thrown away in trash cans around town.

Weed pullers-at-arms can join the fight for cleaner sidewalks and share photos on Facebook or Instagram, and can tag the city at @DowntownGlensFalls and use the hashtags #pitchinandpull and #glensfalls.