Are you a gardener? Do you know the names of the plants you encounter in your yards and local parks? In recent years I have gotten into gardening, especially interested in perennials that I can plant in my yard to attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. I have loved learning about all the different flowers, their habits and requirements and it has been a joy to make my yard a wildlife haven and oasis.
Because I live in the middle of the woods, I often deal with odd things popping up in my yard. Frequently I have no idea what these plants are and have to consult the internet for answers. Thankfully these days it is very easy to identify and learn about pretty much any plant that catches my eye. It is rewarding to have an intimacy with the plants and animals I encounter in my yard–I like knowing not only the names of things, but also their preferences and tendencies.
The woman who lived here before me was all about planting exotic species, though in her defense, it was in a time before the internet and before we realized that so many of these plants are prone to taking over. Non-native plants often crowd out native species and if left unchecked, will devour everything in their path. I am learning the hard way that many of the plants she chose are just about impossible to get rid of. I do not believe in using any kind of poison or chemical warfare to eliminate this stuff–so I must do the manual labor of pulling it out by hand or digging it up. Though time-consuming it is the only safe way to be sure I am not poisoning all of the animals I seek to attract to my forest.
For the next few weeks, my puzzlers will be invasive plants. I hope you’ll come along with me and see if you can recognize these and if you know any tips to getting rid of them.
Check out these photos then of our first puzzler in this series.
This vine often looks like a mini-oak leaf when it is young, but as it gets older, the leaves round out to have smooth edges. This vine wraps around pretty much anything in its path and in a short period of time, will become the only green you see.
Have a good weekend. Stay safe, get outside to enjoy the sunshine and I’ll see you again soon.
Does it wrap clockwise or counterclockwise around things?
I’m sure your hubby would be more than happy to pull those things up but there’s no telling what he might remove in the process
Not sure what that is, but I have tried spraying vinegar on poison ivy and it definitely worked!
Yes there are some great household products — like vinegar, or soap, that can kill weeds without using poison. I will talk about them on Saturday.