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INVASIVES MANAGEMENT
The article below was included in the April e-News from 2009. We include it
again here with some updates. Remember, the most important step in
managing invasives is to prevent seeds from setting for next year.
A variety of non-native species (aquatic and terrestrial plants, animals, and other
organisms) have been introduced to Connecticut. Non-native species are alien to
Connecticut's ecosystem and can cause economic, environmental or ecological
harm. Non-native species can be aggressive and choke out native species.
These are referred to as invasive species and they are a serious problem in
Connecticut and elsewhere.
Here are some pointers on how to manage invasives:
Don't plant invasives. Invasive plants are here because humans brought them.
There are plenty of enjoyable garden plants that don't do harm, and there are
plenty of native plants that are beneficial to the environment.
Make sure you are trying to kill the right plant. It is easy to misidentify
something. You can end up pulling up the good guys, and carefully transplanting
the bad. The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group
(http://cipwg.uconn.edu/), and the USDA
(http://plants.usda.gov/java/noxiousDriver) have very good information about
invasives on their websites, including photos. If you're still not sure, consult with
local experts, ask a knowledgeable friend, wait until it flowers, etc. See the
schedule below for more information on how to identify some common invasives.
Know the plant you are trying to eradicate. Different approaches work for
different plants. For example, a plant that spreads by roots has to be treated
differently than one that spreads only by seed; one that tolerates shade can be
harder to kill than a full-sun plant.
Get ahead of the invasion. It is much easier to pull up a few small seedlings
than to remove a forest. Many invasive plants are spread by bird droppings, so
keep an eye out for unidentified plants underneath bird-roosting places, such as
trees and fence posts. The earlier in spring you get started, the better.
Manage from the edge. Let's assume that the bad guys got going somehow and
now you want to clear them out. The first step is the stop the spread by pushing
back the newer and weaker growth at the border of the patch, rather than trying
to pull out the largest plant.
Remove the entire root. Once you start pulling plants, make sure you prevent
re-sprouting by removing the entire root.
 Naromi Land Trust – April 2013
Stop the seeds. Even if you can't do anything else, if you can stop the plant from
going to seed, you will limit the amount of damage that the plant does.
Disposal. Once you have separated the unwanted plant from the land, what do
you do with it? If the plant has mature seeds on it, the seeds go anywhere the
dead plant goes (e.g. your compost pile). Birds will feast on the dump leavings
and then spread the seeds. Likewise, many of these plants can re-root
themselves if there's any contact with the soil. The best method is to bag the
seeds and roots in black plastic and leave the bag in direct sun to totally dry out.
If you get the plant early in the year before it has seeds, bushes in particular, can
be turned upside down in place so that the roots can not touch the soil again,
even with the help of a strong wind. In a wild area, the up-ended bushes make
good brush-pile habitat.
 Naromi Land Trust – April 2013