Tips on how to get rid of the invasive exotic plants that stand between you and a beautiful natural landscape
KISMA—The Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area spearheads invasive species management in our region and is a great resource for identifying the bad guys and offering native replacements.
Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (& species pages)–The parent organization of KISMA
Getting Rid of Buckthorn Plus, where to buy your buckthorn baggies.
Using natives to battle invasives Goutweed, periwinkle, English ivy . . . Once you start gardening for life, you almost always have to contend with invasive exotics, which provide about as much ecosystem value as a parking lot. One of my favorite native plant gurus is Nancy Lawson, author of The Humane Gardener. In this blog, she outlines how she battles invasives with tough native spreaders. Be sure to check out the comments; somebody might just have the perfect solution to your problem.
Goutweed/Bishop’s Weed/Snow on the Mountain—The Laidback Gardener recommends smothering for a full year, and even then, you have to be vigilant. Why can’t we just ban the sale of this miserable cancer of a plant??
Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes Cooperative—Lots of info on identifying and getting rid of woody invasives, plus some nice alternatives to plant in their stead.
FYI, Japanese barberry encourages ticks—Japanese barberry doesn’t just choke out native vegetation.
Best timing to treat invasives—Info about how to time various invasive species treatments and cut-stump treatments
Treating your cut stumps—It’s not usually enough just to cut down an invasive woody plant. Here’s guidance on how to treat the stumps with herbicide so they don’t resprout.
Michigan Citizen’s Guide to Invasive Plant Disposal guide—What to do with it after you’ve removed it
For specific questions about herbicides: contact ISN for guidelines & active ingredient recommendations for your property/site.