Sometimes landscape plants in our own yards are invasive and we may not even be aware of it. These plants may be the cause of environmental disruption in natural areas nearby or even miles away. Here are three common alien invader landscape plants that are classified RESTRICTED by the Wisconsin DNR. You are not required [Continue]
As we build homes further out into what was once countryside, we encroach on the homes of many species of wildlife, including deer. With fewer undeveloped acres available to provide natural food, deer are forced to look at our residential landscapes for sustenance. Many of our home landscapes and gardens are virtual deer buffets. [Continue]
We all want to do what’s best for our environment in order to support a healthy ecosystem so that the animals we love to hunt and fish will thrive. Controlling invasive plants is an important part of that. An invasive plant is one that causes economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. They [Continue]
Buckthorn is a nasty plant that is taking over woodlands, wetlands, prairies and other natural habitats. You may have some growing in your own yard and not know it. Buckthorn was introduced to the United States in the 1800s as a tough, hardy landscape shrub. That toughness resulted in it becoming aggressively invasive to [Continue]
I can’t tell you how much it creeps me out to write about worms. I’ve always been a little afraid of them and have avoided touching them at all costs. But I felt I had to write it. Didn’t want to, felt I owed it to you. So here goes. Eeewww! Most people know that [Continue]
June is Wisconsin’s Invasive Species Awareness Month, but May is a better time to control the invasive plants growing on your property. Plants are smaller and easier to remove and mosquitoes and deerflies haven’t yet arrived to make the work miserable. It is likely that you have invasive plants in your landscape. Buckthorn is a [Continue]
Well, this one snuck up on us! Invasive water hyacinth has been a huge problem in the lakes, rivers and streams of Africa, South America and the southeastern United States for many years. We thought we were protected from it up here in Wisconsin above the 40th parallel, the supposed northernmost reach of the plant. [Continue]
Our country’s earliest invasive plants originated mostly in Europe as our ancestors brought them from their homelands to grow in the new world. Today invaders come from the world over as they are imported intentionally as nursery stock to decorate our landscapes or inadvertently in soil along with those landscape plants. Three of today’s worst [Continue]
I try not to repeat topics here but one of the invasive plants I’ve mentioned before has become so prevalent and is so dangerous that it merits another go round. Wild parsnip is blooming now in mid-summer and you might mistake it for a dill plant. It has a wide umbrella of tiny yellow flowers [Continue]
If you’ve been aware of and familiar with invasive plants for any length of time, you’ve probably realized that the majority of invasive plants are very attractive, and that an inordinate number of them are purple. The same is true of this issue’s featured invasive, spotted knapweed. At first glance, knapweed looks remarkably like the bachelor’s button [Continue]