Invasive
Plants
We
all moved to
BE
VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU PLANT ON YOUR PROPERTY.
Consult
the Garden Club, Environmental Commission, or Shade Tree Commission for
guidance.
REMOVE
UNWANTED INVASIVE PLANTS ON YOUR PROPERTY.
HELP
US TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE WOODLANDS.
Humans
are responsible for almost all of the invasive plant and animal problems.
We have caused major ecological problems by introducing alien species
into a new area, be it that we move from one area to another and want to
recreate plantings that we had in a prior location or that we see something
that looks appealing.
The
problem is that there are not natural pests or diseases to control the spread
of the non-native plants thus enabling them to over take and choke out the
native plants. It is generally accepted that one species supports 10 species of
animals, thus if an invasive plant takes over a habitat the impact of those
lost native species will be measured in not only plants but in birds and
animals to the point that extinction is quite possible.
Many
of these occurred as a result of landscapers planting non-native plants in
Some
of the worst invasives in
our woodlands are: garlic mustard, Japanese barberry, Asian bittersweet, winged
euonymous (burning bush),
ailanthus (tree of heaven),
For
help in identification consult the sources listed on this website.
Throughout
the year 2006, the Woodlands Management Committee published in the Home and
School Bulletin month-by-month guidance for residents in helping to control the
common invasive plants species in the Borough. As promised, here is a
compilation of the information provided in that series of articles.
And
please remember with your gardening and landscaping
April
This
is a good time to start pulling out invasive plants. Garlic mustard is very
common and is easily identifiable by the small clusters of round leaves that
have been green all winter. You can also pull out smaller plants of Japanese
barberry, multiflora rose, wineberry,
and oriental bittersweet.
May
This
is the time when second-year garlic mustard plants send up stalks to flower and
disperse thousands of seeds that can remain viable for years. Either pull the
plants or cut off the stalks with a weed whacker. Do not worry at this point
about the plants that are not sending up stalks. They are first-year plants
that can be removed later in the year. Concentrate on the plants that are
sending up stalks. Disposal is not a problem if you get to them before the seed
pods form. If you are not so lucky, then gather them and put them in plastic
bags.
Also,
you can keep pulling out smaller plants of Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, wineberry, and
oriental bittersweet.
June
Continue
removing garlic mustard stalks as we did last month. By now, disposal is a
problem because plants are going to seed. So the stalks should now be put into
plastic garbage bags and disposed of in your garbage. You will notice that the
leaves on the stalks are different from those in the clusters at the base. Do
not be confused. It is all garlic mustard and should be removed.
As
before, you can keep pulling out smaller plants of Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, wineberry, and
oriental bittersweet.
Mid-July,
August, September, October
This
is the season for cutting off larger invasive species at the ground and
treating the stump with an herbicide, such as Round-Up. Any seeds or berries
should be put into plastic garbage bags for disposal. The plants to watch for
and remove will be primarily Japanese barberry, multiflora
rose, wineberry, oriental bittersweet, and winged euonymous (burning bush).
You
can also pull any garlic mustard that you find unless there is too much. Areas
with too much to be pulled as a practical matter can be treated with an
herbicide in another month or so.
ANOTHER SPECIAL
AUTUMN REMINDER:
Autumn leaves should never be deposited in Borough lots or woodlands, neither
by residents nor by landscapers. Be very sure that they are properly disposed
of.
November
- December
This
is the season for treating large patches of garlic mustard with an herbicide,
such as Round-Up. It is generally safe to do this because other adjacent plants
which might be affected are dormant. You can also pull smaller patches of
garlic mustard. Disposal is not a problem. These plants will not produce seeds
until next year. Because each plant can produce so many seeds, you get a very
good return for your effort.
It
is a little late for cutting and applying herbicide to the stumps but small
seedlings and saplings can still be uprooted. This is particularly effective
for ailanthus because the roots are shallow. A very good tool for uprooting
small seedlings and saplings is the Weed Wrench. The Woodlands Committee has a
set of them. Contact us if you would like to try one out.
For
further information and guidance please refer to the following websites.
For
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/pestalerts/invasives/worst_nym.html
For the on-line report “Plant Invaders of the Mid-Atlantic
Natural Areas”
http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/index.htm
For information on The Nature Conservancy’s Invasive
Species Initiative
For a copy of an excellent 112-page report “An Overview of Nonindigenous Plant Species in
http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/InvasiveReport.pdf
For the Home Page of the Native Plant Society of
For two
http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/njriparianforestbuffers/nativeplants.htm
http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/njriparianforestbuffers/nativeALL.htm