Got plant invaders? Replace with natives this spring. I'm not building any new garden beds this year, instead I'm replacing plant invaders that I put in my garden years ago. Like cleaning out a closet, sometimes this is hard work. Common daylily (pictured) and the common vinca groundcover I put in my garden are both pretty plants that deer won't eat, thrive in any soil and blanket the ground. But they can easily escape our gardens and spread to wild places, outcompeting our native wildflowers and grasses. Sadly, I've seen masses of both common daylilies and vinca on my hikes at our state parks this spring. So my new gardening mantra is remove invasives, plant natives, repeat.
Wondering what plant invaders are growing in your garden or yard? A great guide is put out by the National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife. Here is the link: Plant Invaders of MidAtlantic Natural Areas. Spring is a great time to remove these invaders as they typically come out of dormancy prior to our native plants. They are also easier to remove after the spring rains. Make sure to remove as much of the roots as possible when manually removing. After you get rid of some of these invaders, come find some new natives at my spring plant sales starting in May!
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