The Buzz On Pollinators
Identifying and Removing Invasive Plants
Written and photographed by Sandra Ozkur
Invasive plants are non-native species that have been introduced to North America either deliberately or by accident and once established grow out of control causing environmental, societal and agricultural damage. Not all non-native plants are invasive, so familiarize yourself with the most threatening ones in Ontario to avoid purchasing or sharing these plants with friends.
Betty Knight, a Master Gardener in NOTL says, “The best way to eliminate invasive species is to never plant them in the first place! Invasive species can be transformers reproducing rapidly, growing quickly, changing the biome of the soil and crowding out other nearby plants. They are hard to remove once established.”
You may be surprised to learn that some of your favorite plants are indeed invasive. I, personally have a lot of English Ivy growing in my yard; at first, I liked it because it was great ground cover and didn’t require much care. However, it soon became a problem when it grew up the side of my house, onto my cedars, and then into my flower garden eventually choking out all the original flowers. It has been impossible to remove from my trees and has damaged the brickwork on my home, I wish I had stopped it years ago.
When invasive species are confined to your yard, they may not seem like a problem, but once they escape into nature they can quickly take over and choke out the native plants, trees and flowers, destroying native habitat and biodiversity. Invasive plants can spread by several methods; one is by seeds released from the plant or eaten by birds who then distribute them over hundreds of miles through their droppings. The second way is by stems (rhizomes) that grow horizontally underground and choke out other plant roots as the expand. The third method is through the watershed system where the seeds move with the water flow and establish themselves on the banks along the way.
The first step to removing invasive plants is to properly identify them. Take a picture of the plant and use Google or an App called Seek by iNatrualist to correctly identify the plant, use several sources to confirm. Once you are certain, remove them by cutting, pulling, digging, or solarizing the plants. Getting rid of invasives is easiest when they are first spotted before they get established. If you have larger areas, begin working from the outside inward to contain them and reduce their spread. Solarizing involves covering the area with clear plastic to kill the plants before removing. The use of herbicides is never recommended unless large areas have gotten out of control, or are entangled with Poison Ivy.
Begin your attack by digging out the entire plant roots and rhizomes. Use a garden fork to loosen up the underground root system and rhizomes and rake any remaining parts from the soil. If you do this work after a rain the soil will be moist and the plants will give way much easier. Try to get them out before they go to seed and never put invasive plants or seeds into your compost pile or bin, they will sprout and re-contaminate your garden! Once you have removed all the plant materials, put them into a black garbage bag and set it in the sun for a couple of weeks to kill the plants inside before disposing of it into the garbage. If the job seems too overwhelming, invite a friend to help. Put on some lively tunes, pour your favorite beverage and grove as you go but don’t forget to return the favour.
Identifying and Removing Invasive Plants
Written and photographed by Sandra Ozkur
Invasive plants are non-native species that have been introduced to North America either deliberately or by accident and once established grow out of control causing environmental, societal and agricultural damage. Not all non-native plants are invasive, so familiarize yourself with the most threatening ones in Ontario to avoid purchasing or sharing these plants with friends.
Betty Knight, a Master Gardener in NOTL says, “The best way to eliminate invasive species is to never plant them in the first place! Invasive species can be transformers reproducing rapidly, growing quickly, changing the biome of the soil and crowding out other nearby plants. They are hard to remove once established.”
You may be surprised to learn that some of your favorite plants are indeed invasive. I, personally have a lot of English Ivy growing in my yard; at first, I liked it because it was great ground cover and didn’t require much care. However, it soon became a problem when it grew up the side of my house, onto my cedars, and then into my flower garden eventually choking out all the original flowers. It has been impossible to remove from my trees and has damaged the brickwork on my home, I wish I had stopped it years ago.
When invasive species are confined to your yard, they may not seem like a problem, but once they escape into nature they can quickly take over and choke out the native plants, trees and flowers, destroying native habitat and biodiversity. Invasive plants can spread by several methods; one is by seeds released from the plant or eaten by birds who then distribute them over hundreds of miles through their droppings. The second way is by stems (rhizomes) that grow horizontally underground and choke out other plant roots as the expand. The third method is through the watershed system where the seeds move with the water flow and establish themselves on the banks along the way.
The first step to removing invasive plants is to properly identify them. Take a picture of the plant and use Google or an App called Seek by iNatrualist to correctly identify the plant, use several sources to confirm. Once you are certain, remove them by cutting, pulling, digging, or solarizing the plants. Getting rid of invasives is easiest when they are first spotted before they get established. If you have larger areas, begin working from the outside inward to contain them and reduce their spread. Solarizing involves covering the area with clear plastic to kill the plants before removing. The use of herbicides is never recommended unless large areas have gotten out of control, or are entangled with Poison Ivy.
Begin your attack by digging out the entire plant roots and rhizomes. Use a garden fork to loosen up the underground root system and rhizomes and rake any remaining parts from the soil. If you do this work after a rain the soil will be moist and the plants will give way much easier. Try to get them out before they go to seed and never put invasive plants or seeds into your compost pile or bin, they will sprout and re-contaminate your garden! Once you have removed all the plant materials, put them into a black garbage bag and set it in the sun for a couple of weeks to kill the plants inside before disposing of it into the garbage. If the job seems too overwhelming, invite a friend to help. Put on some lively tunes, pour your favorite beverage and grove as you go but don’t forget to return the favour.
