Next invasive - article

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are the ones that are going to drive local gardeners crazy as they are so ubiquitous here: crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), Mahonia (Mahonia bealei), heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii).

I regret our crepe myrtle as I am constantly fighting the volunteers all over the yard. Prior owner also planted mahonia and it's the same -- prickly volunteers everywhere.

I never saw heavenly bamboo before I loved outside of the Beltway. The flowers threw me for a loop.

Hmm, are you thinking of Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) - fluffy pink blooms on a tree? Very invasive and the main host plant for the latest bug invader: spotted lantern fly.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/a-tale-of-two-invaders-tree-of-heaven-and-spotted-lanternfly

Nandina (aka heavenly bamboo) is a shrub with bamboo-like leaves, but is most grown for its clusters of red berries that persist in winter on evergreen leaves. Unfortunately, it is invasive and the berries are toxic to our native birds, but they don't know it so they eat them.

https://delta.audubon.org/news/nandina-berries-kill-birds

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stiltgrass is the bane of my existence.

Ugh. This. And if everyone just cut it down before seeding, even just a little, it could reduce it some. I've had a lot of success in my yard and in the woods next to my yard. But the houses across the street, down the street, etc. just ignor it so it goes to seed and continues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stiltgrass is the bane of my existence.

Super easy to control. It's an annual, so put out your preemergent of choice when the forsythia bloom.

Can you please explain this in plain English for those not familiar with gardening?

DP. Forsythia bloom in early spring, which is when plants and weeds start to wake up from their winter slumber. Use of a preventative herbicide (preemergent) at that time will suppress the growth more effectively then trying to control weeds once they are fully established.
Stiltgrass is easy to pull out especially after a soaking rain. I’ve been able to control it in my yard with diligent hand weeding.

Yes, but some of us don't prefer to use herbicides. You can also cut it (or pull it) before it goes to seed (which is now). Then you can pull what is left and/or smother it with leaf mulch. I've had a lot of success with this but, as stated, if no one else is doing this then their seeds are blowing into other areas.

I will also add, where I've pulled, I've planted agressive native plants (like Obedient Plant and Blackeyed susans) and native ferns. These crowd out the stilt grass. Plus, I am planting natives so win-win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I enjoyed this article, especially the premise that suppression is more realistic and the importance of introducing North American natives as climate changes. This makes sense. Now, I need to figure out what southern and western natives might do well in these increasingly hot summers.

I also find it helpful to focus on the most harmful invasives rather than worrying about removing all the invasives in my yard. For example, hosta and liriope - not helpful to our ecosystem; but not top of the priority list, either.

This helps me focus on the easier, quicker, more effective areas of the yard to work on - rather than ripping out an entire area of liriope, for example, I can replace that still-young butterfly bush with a New Jersey tea. Or forget about pulling every pokeweek because it's at least native and plant new natives.

[Anonymous]

We're still fighting our neighbors that refuse to get rid of the ivy that is ruining our shared fence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're still fighting our neighbors that refuse to get rid of the ivy that is ruining our shared fence.

Roundup on anything on your side of the fence will keep it to their side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Knotweed is the worst.

I’ve seen so many varieties of knotweed this summer. I reported it to MCPS hoping the groundskeepers would yank it. Nope. It’s flourishing all over Silver Spring campuses.

It would be amazing if part of the ms & hs curriculum was removing/cutting the vines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stiltgrass is the bane of my existence.

Super easy to control. It's an annual, so put out your preemergent of choice when the forsythia bloom.

Can you please explain this in plain English for those not familiar with gardening?

DP. Forsythia bloom in early spring, which is when plants and weeds start to wake up from their winter slumber. Use of a preventative herbicide (preemergent) at that time will suppress the growth more effectively then trying to control weeds once they are fully established.
Stiltgrass is easy to pull out especially after a soaking rain. I’ve been able to control it in my yard with diligent hand weeding.

Yes, but some of us don't prefer to use herbicides. You can also cut it (or pull it) before it goes to seed (which is now). Then you can pull what is left and/or smother it with leaf mulch. I've had a lot of success with this but, as stated, if no one else is doing this then their seeds are blowing into other areas.

I will also add, where I've pulled, I've planted agressive native plants (like Obedient Plant and Blackeyed susans) and native ferns. These crowd out the stilt grass. Plus, I am planting natives so win-win.

Corn gluten is a natural pre-emergent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're still fighting our neighbors that refuse to get rid of the ivy that is ruining our shared fence.

Roundup on anything on your side of the fence will keep it to their side.

It's not very effective on English ivy due the waxy coating in the leaves.

[Anonymous]

Goutweed
Chinese wisteria
Oriental bittersweet
Knotweed
Kudzu
Dock
Burning bush
Trumpet vine
Norway maple
Japanese honeysuckle

Just to name some of the worst

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're still fighting our neighbors that refuse to get rid of the ivy that is ruining our shared fence.

Roundup on anything on your side of the fence will keep it to their side.

It's not very effective on English ivy due the waxy coating in the leaves.

Add in a surfactant for waxy leaves and plants. A couple ounces of detergent will do the trick for cheap.

[Anonymous]

Italian Arum comes straight out of Satan's arse. Horrible horrible plant. It is spreading everywhere in the DMV. The National Arboretum was absolutely infested with it this year.

[Anonymous]

Can't you eat kudzu? They should start encouraging people to watch it. I think it's pretty healthy too, right?

[Anonymous]

I've been dealing with nut sedge- ugh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Goutweed
Chinese wisteria
Oriental bittersweet
Knotweed
Kudzu
Dock
Burning bush
Trumpet vine
Norway maple
Japanese honeysuckle

Just to name some of the worst

We need a delegation of Norwegian lumberjacks to attend to this matter, at once. I would be happy to host!