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It's such a pretty addition to a spring garden -- brilliantly green leaves, delicate, lacy, white flowers -- and it's a menace. Introduced by European settlers, garlic mustard is considered to be an invasive species across North America. It aggressively competes with native species, often reducing their numbers. This in turn reduces the food supply for a variety of insects and wildlife and affects those populations in turn. So, despite its attractive appearance, it is essential to prevent the plant from reseeding by pulling the plants, chopping, or burning them.
Frugal living tip #45.
16 hours ago
8 comments:
It's a problem here, too..along with a list of others....some of which is still sold in big box stores! Gail
Invasives being sold? Yikes! That does not sound good.
/krys
I'm afraid that I'm guilty of adding to the problem of invasives (posted about it yesterday). I sowed a big bag of wildflower seed last fall without reading the label and doing some research. There is such a strict agricultural inspection system here in Florida, but it doesn't seem to catch what the box stores sell. I think the ag people are concerned mainly with protecting the citrus industry. I'm going to be more vigilant in the future and try not to do too much more damage. I've seen these plants you're talking about even here in FL.
walk2write: How can one object to too many Kornblumenblau :) ? They're so pretty! Although the garlic mustard has the potential for being a serious nuisance, it really hasn't spread very far in my garden in the 10 or so years since it first appeared although I do make a point of pulling the plants after the flowers finish but before the seed pods ripen & burst.
On the flip side, I've tried planting some plants that others have claimed to be extremely invasive and impossible to get rid of only to have them wither & die despite my best efforts to encourage them to take over and thrive. I guess, in the long run, it probably boils down to the immediate soil conditions and environment.
/krys
Now I think I know what that mystery plant is on my neighbor's side .. I thought it was pretty too .. but she did end up pulling it out (she must have known too ? ) Good grief they sell it at the garden centers ? now that can't be right .. although they still sell gout weed too .. duh !? LOL
Joy: I haven't seen any garlic mustard for sale around here but, like you, I think I've seen goutweed for sale. I got a clump of it from a relative 10 or 15 years ago with dire warnings that it would spread like the proverbial weed -- this was good because I was looking for a vigorous ground cover for a bare spot. My little clump of gout weed, after so many years, might, if I'm being generous, now cover a whole square metre. I guess it's not overly fond of its "new" habitat.
It is a menace. We have it here by the millions. Almost impossible to control. It reseeds at a horrific rate.
Marnie
Marnie: Yikes! That sounds a little intimidating. Are there any local rules/regs. which mandate its removal? Around here, for instance, I believe we're obligated to remove any ragweed that may be growing on our property.
/krys
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