Do stuff with and for your neighbors
eliminating invasive plants
Professionally, I work as an artist's model and gardener's assistant. The first occupation, posing for artists, allows me ample time for contemplation, and the second, puts me out into lawns, gardens, walkways, etc., where I come into contact with weeds. The destruction that these plants cause is significant: their far-reaching, tightly-knit propagating root systems prevent other plants from receiving nourishment and water, their chocking vines can kill trees, their toxins prevent birds and other creatures from nesting. As humans, we don't tolerate the invasion of vermin such as cockroaches, mice, rats, etc., into our living environment. We should develop a sense of no tolerance for plants that invade our environment, as well. Other countries have been fighting back for years. For example, check out defra.gov.uk. to see how the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, and Ireland handles this issue.
As a member of the Jamaica Plain neighborsforneighbors, I want to be proactive, I feel I am a caring member of my community when I eliminate an infestation of harmful plants. But at this time, we are still a society of individuals with the concept of private property being paramount. I don't want to trespass, I don't want to preach, I just want to be able to offer advice and my service to those homeowners/occupants/renters, whomever, and rid OUR environment of these noxious plants.
As a member of the Jamaica Plain neighborsforneighbors, I want to be proactive, I feel I am a caring member of my community when I eliminate an infestation of harmful plants. But at this time, we are still a society of individuals with the concept of private property being paramount. I don't want to trespass, I don't want to preach, I just want to be able to offer advice and my service to those homeowners/occupants/renters, whomever, and rid OUR environment of these noxious plants.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Stacy Carpenter on
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Hi Becky,
Great post!
Most people just don't know what the common invasive species look like, so they don't think they have them on the site or they fight with them every year with what seems like a losing battle. In addition, homeowners frequently confuse japanese knotweed with bamboo, have always had a burning bush, can't find a solution to totally kill bittersweet or can't tell a Norway maple from a sugar maple.
Perhaps posting a picture of an common invasive with a basic key for identification, brief description of its harm and a viable system of eliminating the plant would be helpful. -
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Permalink Reply by Becky Cooke on
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Hello Stacy,
your idea about posting pictures, etc of invasive plants (and also other unwanted plants considered weeds) is a good idea. When I get around to creating my own website, I will provide information on these plants and why it's a good thing to try to eliminate them. Right now, information is easy to come by with a little effort—doing a search on Google provides many sites, pictures, etc. Also, let me provide a bit of advice for those who find weeds coming back year after year—many of these plants will return if you don't pull them out by the roots—and for many of these plants, propagating by the roots is the number one means of invading a large area—picking them, mowing them, or using a weedwacker strengthens the roots.
One of the worst "weed" trees is the Norway maple, easily distinguished from other maples by the milky sap that oozes from stems, leaves, etc when you break them open (similar to dandelion sap). Also, if you notice sites where these trees grow, the ground beneath them is barren, with impacted earth.
I could go on and on, but let me allow others to share. Thanks... -
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