The Problem with Invasive Plants

Did you know that a lot of the common ornamental plants that many people used in their landscaping are actually non-native plant species.  Some of these species are quite benign and do exactly what they are meant to do.  They are planted, they bloom and die and that is the end of them.  But in many cases that is not what happens, in some cases the plant escapes its confines and spreads uncontrolled into the surrounding ecosystem. 

This usually does not go well for the local flora and fauna of that ecosystem.  When this new unknown plant spreads it will usually do so unchecked due to the lack of predators and diseases that kept it in check and balanced with it original ecosystem. 

One in particular that I want to talk about is a plant called Kudzu.  If you live in the South, East or Northwestern part of the U.S you are probably familiar with this menace already.  Imported from Asia in the late 1800- early 1900 this plant was brought over for a variety or purposes.  It was used in erosion control, livestock forage and some food and "medicinal uses".  However by 1953 it was shown to work all to well at the job it was brought over here for.  It spreads quickly about 1 ft/day and is resistant to many common herbicides.  This plant once brought over to be helpful to us is now the bane to the existence of many landowners and homeowners. 

But what is done is done and the many species we brought over are here to stay and there is not much we can do about it except continue to manage and control them as best we can.

What can we do to help?  

1. Learn the local invasive plants and control/eradicate them from your property.
2. Dont plant non-native ornamental on your land.
3. Research into local natives that will do what you want/need.
4. Tell others about the damage that invasives cause.

Prairie Lily by Josh Larson

This beautiful Prairie Lily on the right is a native to much of the Midwest and it a great addition to any native landscaping.  Seeds for this beautiful native flower can be found at many native seed stores.  One that I know of is the Prairie Moon Nursery near Winona, MN.  If we all do our little bit we can help this poor beleaguered country of ours and bring back the native wonder it once had.

For more information about invasive and native plants you can talk to your local extension agent or check out land management agency sites like the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and NRCS.

 

Until next time my fellow environmentalists

 

Josh 

 

 

3rd Update of My Texas Winter Garden

If you have been following along this is my 3rd installment of My Texas Winter Garden.  The goals of this garden were to grow the cool season crops of radishes, beets, lettuce and spinach during my time here in Texas.  To do this I utilized a greenhouse and a control planting exposed to the elements.  So far the results have been dramatic but expected and what I hoped to achieve from my research.


 Below are pictures that pretty much say it all.

Control Lettuce

Greenhouse Lettuce

You can see in the picture on the left the control lettuce planting is barely out of the ground and is only about 1 inch in height.  On the other hand the picture below depicts the same variety of lettuce planted on the same day.  You can clearly tell from the picture that it is much larger and healthier than the control.  Though countless tests and studies have clearly shown that greenhouses moderate and improve growing conditions sometimes it takes seeing it for yourself to really let it sink in.  I still have hope for the control lettuce that it may rebound and become edible.  One thing I am fairly certain of is that I will be enjoying the greenhouse lettuce long before the control lettuce.

I cannot speculate on the spinach that I planted since my dogs decided some digging was needed in that garden bed and my spinach was lost in the crossfire.  Though I can guess the results would be similar to that of the lettuce.

Cover Crops

In addition to this my cover crop plantings in a third garden bed are going well.  The Winter Rye and Hairy Vetch mix seems to be fairing better than the lettuce though I have not gotten the growth that I expected with it being largely unchanged since the last update.  If it hasn't been irreparably harmed by the cold temperatures it was exposed to I expect the growth will take off in the next month as temperatures continue to warm and sunlight get stronger with the approach of spring. 


Until next time fellow environmentalists

Josh