Thursday, May 7, 2009

Garlic Mustard Update

Thought I'd post a photo of what these nasties look like from a distance. I hope it will help you identify them.

The garlic mustard is the tall, spindly looking stuff with white flowers. You can click the photo to enlarge it.

Now that I'm watching for it, I realize that this stuff is everywhere. It's along a lot of the roadsides around here, and there is a tree farm on my way home that has been completely taken over by it.

I have cleared everything along our driveway, which amounted to a garbage bag full. I still have this patch to go, and I need to get deeper into the woods to see if it's back in there. I'll try to get to that tomorrow, and to check the north woods. I don't recall seeing any back there, but I haven't been back to where it meets the fields, which is where it will start.

Another tidbit: The garlic mustard not only shades and crowds out all natives, it also exudes compounds from the roots that prevent both native wildflowers and young trees from growing. It truly is an evil, evil weed.

6 comments:

moosh said...

I read your profile and liked the part about remembering old dreams and setting out on path to follow them. That is exacatly where I'm at. Wish you well on your journey.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I think a group want to Prophetstown State park this spring to pull mustard plants.
For the mustard plants I wish you the best but I dont know. Im married 48 years today You have a good one dont work to hard Bye Bye Ed

spookydragonfly said...

I really enjoyed your last few posts, Vicki! I can identify with all of them...now I'm going to search and pull out those invasive wildflowers that are near my beds! I didn't know that if you saw an owl during the daytime it's bad luck! Hmmm?...maybe I won't look so hard anymore for that great capture!

Anonymous said...

I'm going to have to look into this garlic mustard stuff. Have to see if we get it as far north as we are. We have a horrible problem with this stuff called Purple Loosestrife in Norther New York. Luckily, I don't have any! =) Great post!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this...I thought I saw some back by the woods. Today we were after purple loostrife around the pond....all the nasty non-natives are such a problem

MyMaracas said...

Moosh, you're doing what I wish I had the courage or faith to do. I wish you well in your endeavors, too!

Ed, we must live pretty close to each other. Congratulations on your anniversary! If you have a blog, please send me a link, OK?

Spooky, the more I study the more I realize just how many of the plants we see in the wild were brought here from somewhere else, either on purpose or by accident. The surprising thing to me is how delicate the native plants are; it seems they should be better equipped to compete on their own turf. So to speak.

Smallpines, I'm pretty sure it's in New York too. We have purple loosestrife too. It's such a showy thing that it's easy to see. This mustard weed doesn't call attention to itself like that, so most people don't notice it or think about controlling it.

Michelle, you go girl! GET those meanies! LOL