Oriental Bittersweet: Fall Is The Time!

Late September and early October present the ideal timing for dealing with oriental bittersweet. If you have decided to go with an herbicidal treatment this is when the plants are pulling nutrients back to the root system to store for the winter. Treatment will also be drawn into the root system, making it much more effective. If you are pulling vines from trees or uprooting them, there's still time to do so before the berries drop off the vines as you work. They're pretty well attached which should allow you to dispose of the vines with the berries intact. If berries drop on the ground, pick them up and dispose of them.

Speaking of disposing of invasive plants....

Never toss them in your debris pile or in nearby woods. They'll just go to seed and come back to haunt you and everyone else. Ideally plants should be bagged and tossed with the trash. If that is not possible take them to the local landfill. If seeds are dropping from the plants be sure to bag the plants or cover your truck bed or trailer to limit the number of seeds that fall by the road en route to the landfill. Then sweep out the vehicle at the landfill, rather than letting any remaining seeds blow out on the way home.

There's no such thing as free mulch....

If you've disposed of invasive plants at the landfill on Tryon Street, you may also know that eventually a mountainous debris pile is fed into a huge chipper, creating that "free mulch" you can get at the landfill and at the location near the transfer station on New London Turnpike. The potential problem of "free" mulch is that it may (does) contain the seeds from whatever invasives have been disposed of at the landfill. These seeds can be viable for several years. So the price you may pay for free mulch can be increased vigilence and work to make sure any invasives that spring up are immediately pulled.

Skeptical? Here's a picture taken at the landfill last week. Lots of berries here!

Mile-A-Minute Vine, Asian Weevils, Battling Botanists, and the New York Times

In 2013 there were at least two sightings of mile-a-minute vine in Glastonbury, one of which was documented by our friends at UConn (CLICK HERE to go to the Invasive Plant Journal's 2013 post about the discovery). In both instances the vines were removed but we have to assume that Glastonbury is at the beginning stages of a long-expected mile-a-minute infestation. With 52 square miles, much of which is wooded, there have to be unnoticed infestations that will spread and establish a seed bank before they're noticed. Well on that cheerful note...

There were two excellent articles in the New York Times recently featuring mile-a-minute vine. Links follow. The first is about infestation in New York City parks and attempts to control via the Asian weevil. The second is about two Connecticut botanists and their continuing battle against mile-a-minute vine. The article states that the vine has been documented in 42 Connecticut towns.

Urgent Task For Insect: Stop A Relentless Vine
 
On Patrol With the Weed Warriors

Advocates Present at Glastonbury Town Council

Three Glastonbury advocates for a Town invasives control plan and increased action to control invasive plants appeared before the Town Council on September 23, 2014. They made a very compelling case in the short time window allowed for "public comments."

To view the meeting CLICK HERE. The first two commentaries begins 6:30 minutes in, and the second begins at 23:00 minutes.

Thanks to these concerned citizens for taking action!

Early Fall: Best Time For Oriental Bittersweet Control

There are several good times for eradicating oriental bittersweet (but there are no bad times). Spring is the best time to pull small plants before their root structures become established. The best time to control seed crop is by cutting vines before the berries develop (by early June). If treatment with herbicide is needed any time will work but the most effective time is right now (mid-September to October 1st, more or less depending on weather).

Early fall is when plants are pulling nutrients down to the root system for storage over the winter. Any application of herbicide will also be pulled into the root system, which maximizes the effectiveness of the treatment. It is much better to have one effective treatment than treat ineffectively multiple times.

Treatment can be foliar for small plants, and cutting with treatment applied directly to the cut vine for larger plants (vines over 1/2 inch diameter). Do your research first and always use any herbicide in accordance with the label. Use the least possible amount to get the job done. Application to cut vines tends to use the least amount. Foliar sprays can impact beneficial insects and plants. If you can accomplish the job without herbicides that is preferred but some infestations are so bad that herbicides may need to be considered.

CLICK HERE for a good article explaining the fall treatment.

CLICK HERE for a fact sheet outlining treatment methods.

The decision as to whether to use any herbicide is up to the property owner. This site does not recommend any particular method. Property owners should do thorough research before making their decisions.

White Memorial Conservation Center ("Where We Live" WNPR)

On 8/7/14 WNPR's "Where We Live" program broadcast live from the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, CT. The focus of the show is conservation, including impact of invasive species as well as conserns about the survival of beneficial endangered species. This is an outstanding broadcast and a must listen for anyone concerned about the threat of invasive plants and the plight of beneficial endangered species. It will also provide an excellent perspective for the beginner conservationist.

See immediately below for a link to the broadcast. When the "Where We Live" page opens scroll down, click on the "Listen" arrow icon, and enjoy!

"Where We Live" White Memorial Conservation Center Broadcast

Wild Grape: A Mixed Blessing

Wild grape vine is not on the Connecticut noxious weed list. It is a native plant and beneficial to birds and other wildlife. What could possibly go wrong?

The problems start when wild grape vines grow out of control. Vines can climb the tallest trees, take over the light in a large area, and kill everything beneath a thick blanket of leaves. Under these circumstances grape vine behaves like an invasive plant and the resulting destruction to vegetation offsets the benefits.

Wild grape at Riverfront Park, Glastonbury, September 2013.
Also note some Japanese Knotweed in bloom in lower right center of picture.

How does it get out of control? Wild grape loves the edges of clearings and if there is one thing man is good at, it is creating clearings whether they are for streets, parking lots, yards, fields, parks, etc. The abundance of light along the edges of clearings creates perfect growing conditions. Trees along the clearing edge provide nature's perfect trellis.

Unfortunately what man is not good at is controlling the consequences of his actions, so wild grape vine can become almost as damaging as invasive plants like oriental bittersweet.

For more information go to Penn State Info

Japanese Knotweed Information

A recent edition of Glastonbury Life pointed readers to this Journal for more information on Japanese Knotweed (JK). Please feel free to browse the Journal for plenty of JK information as well as info on other invasive plants that are causing serious tree and habitat damage in Glastonbury. If you're in a hurry and just want the JK info, here's a collection of helpful links:

JK Eradication Methods
Informational video, Donna Ellis (UConn) at Riverfront Park, Glastonbury
Invasive Plants Journal info showing examples of JK damage
JK Fact Sheet
JK Fact Sheet

Distinctive green bamboo-like stalks with reddish nodules.

Once established Japanese Knotweed takes over an area and continues to spread rapidly.

Habitat Restoration

If you've been reading this Journal you probably have a very high awareness of invasive plants in Glastonbury. That's the first step in dealing with the problem- being able to identify invasive plants, understanding the damage they do, and knowing why it is so important to control and eradicate them.

The second step is learning how to get rid of them and taking action. This requires work and persistence.

The third step and perhaps most important is habitat restoration, which involves knowing what alternative plants need to be established. Habitat restoration assures food supply for birds and other animals and reduces the speed with which invasives will try to re-establish a foothold.

What if you don't own woodland or open field property? Do you still have habitat restoration opportunities on your nice Glastonbury residential property? Absolutely! Simply replacing invasive shrubs like Japanese barberry and winged euonymus ("burning bush") with non-invasive alternatives is a huge help. Stay ahead of new infestations of invasive plants like oriental bittersweet, Japanese knotweed and others so the habitat you provide on your property is as beneficial as it can be. CLICK HERE to go to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station's booklet on native alternatives.

Habitat restoration is a painstaking but rewarding process. It doesn't happen overnight and we can't eradicate invasive plants then assume nature will do the restoration. Nature needs our help because most invasive plant problems were caused by human importation. Now we need to help fix the problem and stop the damage.

CLICK HERE for an excellent BirdNotes story about grassland restoration in Maryland. Much of the comments about working over the long haul are very applicable to our efforts here in Glastonbury.

Bittersweet Toxicity and Horses

Glastonbury Partners in Planting was recently approached by an equine veterinarian organization requesting permission to use one of our invasive plant images in a campaign they are doing to publicize the equine toxicity risks of bittersweet.

Sounded like an interesting subject. A little research brought us to a great University of Idaho web site that provides more information. It covers bittersweet and a host of other invasive and native plants that are toxic to horses. CLICK HERE for this must-read for Glastonbury horse owners!


 Here's a link to the picture in Weed Images: 5507738

Ferry Landing Park "Partner Day" A Success!

Some of the fifteen volunteers who gathered at Ferry Landing Park. (GPIP photo)

Beautiful weather greeted the fifteen bittersweet battlers who convened at Ferry Landing Park on June 7th to cut oriental bittersweet vines. The goal of vine-cutting is to save trees by killing the strangling vines, eliminate the vine foliage that takes over the tree canopy, reduce weight on the tree which reduces wind, snow and ice damage, and stop development the hundreds of thousands of berries that would otherwise be produced and spread the infestation to other locations. This is especially important along the Connecticut River where invasive plants are a threat to the riparian trees that hold the soil along the riverbanks.

For this event Glastonbury Partners in Planting teamed up with the Land Heritage Coalition and Kongscut Land Trust, two Glastonbury conservation groups. We hope to revisit the site in the fall for a second Partner Day.

Kudos to the Fantastic Fifteen!!!   (click here for more pictures!)

May Invasive Plant Journal

A few quick reference photos taken on May 21st, showing what to look for......

GARLIC MUSTARD:

Look for distinctive leaves and flowers. Pull garlic mustard NOW before the seeds disperse.

 

Garlic mustard spreads rapidly and crowds out other plants.

Garlic mustard root system. Plants are usually pretty easy to pull with roots intact.


JAPANESE KNOTWEED:

ORIENTAL BITTERSWEET:

Vines are already wrapping onto tree branches. This spruce is already suffering from cytospora canker.

Oriental bittersweet vines are almost completely covering this white pine.

 

Garlic Mustard: Do It Now

If you haven't pulled up garlic mustard (GM) infestation, do it as soon as possible because time is quickly running out. The seeds will be maturing very soon, dispersing, and then it's too late. A single plant produces thousands of seeds and they can remain viable for up to 5 years. CLICK HERE for a great fact sheet with more information. You may have also seen GPIP's garlic mustard fact sheet in a recent issue of Glastonbury Life. Read about Newton's (MA.) experience with garlic mustard here.

Tips: When you pull GM place it directly into a large black contractor's clean-up bag. Don't carry around the pulled GM in your hands as you move from place to place pulling more weeds because seeds may dislodge from the pulled plants and now you're acting as a dispersal agent not an eradicator. Once you have filled the bag close it up and place it on the driveway in direct sun to cook the plants, then dispose of them via the trash.

Keeping this post short- gotta go pull garlic mustard now! Film at 11:00.

Winter Moth

If it's not one thing, it's another. UConn asks that we be on the alert for an invasive moth that originated in Europe and entered Nova Scotia in the 1950's. It has been spotted in the New London area and inland areas of eastern Connecticut as far north as Woodstock. It is also in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. According to the UConn Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program:

"This exotic insect is of great concern in our state due to its propensity for significant feeding damage to a number of fruit crops, trees, shrubs, and perennials. Winter moth has a broad host range, including apples, blueberries and a wide range of ornamentals.

 

At this time of year the larvae have moved from within the expanding buds and leaves and are now openly feeding on the foliage. Young larvae feed in and cause severe damage to developing buds on host plants, while older larvae become free feeders on plant foliage, which may cause complete defoliation.

 

Larvae are pale green caterpillars with a white stripe running down each side of the body. They have 2 pairs of prolegs, which are located at the back end of their body. They grow to a length of about 1 inch. Larvae are expected to be feeding on foliage within the next 2-3 weeks.The larvae will continue to feed until pupation, which will occur in late May or early June."

 

Please see the following sites for fact sheets, pictures and control information on winter moth:

• Insect Fact Sheets
• Winter Moth, Introduced Pests Outreach Project

Contact Donna Ellis or call 860-486-6448 if you suspect you have this pest.



Get Ready For Japanese Knotweed!

If you brush away leaf cover around last year's stalks you can see that Japanese knotweed is just starting to sprout in Glastonbury. This extremely invasive plant is considered to be the number one or two threat (depending on which expert you ask) in Connecticut. It spreads by seeds as well as rhizomes that grow very deep and spread many feet from the original plant. Once it takes hold it shades out everything else. There are a number of areas in town where you can see large thickets of Japanese knotweed that has killed every other form of vegetation in the area. Here's what it looks like as of mid-April:

Last year's cut stalks and new shoot developing, April 18, 2014

Unfortunately there's not a lot you can do about Japanese knotweed right now. The new growth needs to develop then in late spring you can start your eradication strategy. CLICK HERE for an excellent article with tips on how to eradicate this invasive plan from your property. It won't be easy but it will be worth the effort.

April: Here Comes Garlic Mustard

April is a good time to look for garlic mustard and pull up any emerging plants. Garlic mustard is an aggressive invasive plant brought into the Unites States in the 1860's. It smothers native plants and can kill trees and shrubs. It also crowds out butterfly host plants. The sale of garlic mustard is banned in Connecticut. Look for more information to be published soon in Glastonbury Life. In the meantime, here's what garlic mustard looks like as of mid-April:

Garlic mustard as of mid-April. Plant will get much larger as spring progresses
In the second year plants become taller (1-2 feet), flowers, and goes to seed..

Garlic mustard is a biennial flowering plant that produces seed in its second year, so be sure to pull up plants before they flower and go to seed.

April Invasive Plant Journal

March and April are great months to walk your property and take stock of any invasive plant vines, Japanese knotweed stalks, poison ivy (not an invasive plant, but a nuisance), and other plants that can easily be identified without their foliage.

The lack of understory foliage permits a full view of what's really growing and what to expect in June. Once the ground has thawed you can get in and pull up shrubs like burning bush (winged euonymus), Japanese barberry (which is not only invasive but a favorite hangout of deer ticks) and other invasives.

It's also a good time to cut oriental bittersweet and poison ivy (remember, poison ivy oil can trigger an allergic reaction year-round; it's not just the leaves that get you). Cutting ahead of foliage and berry development will significantly reduce potential for spreading infestation, but you will need to keep after resprouting of cut vine stalks. Treatment with herbicide is an option to be considered only after careful research.

For cutting oriental bittersweet vines consider following "The Glastonbury Method." CLICK HERE for a general description. This can be used with or without herbicide treatment and again, that is a decision to be made by property owners only after doing careful research. It is up to you to do the necessary homework to make good decisions, to work safely, and be responsible for your own decisions and actions.

At least 50 vines of varying sizes cut from a heavily infested tree following The Glastonbury Method.
Now the tree can be monitored, new vine growth easily identified, and vine resprouting controlled.

Hartford Courant: Southington Park Under Attack From Invasive Plants

Thanks to Della W for sharing the following article from the 3/21/14 issue of The Courant.

Click here to view article.

2014 Environmental Excellence Award Goes to GPIP!

Glastonbury Partners in Planting (GPIP) has been selected to receive the prestigious Environmental Excellence Award from the Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Glastonbury, in recognition of their participation in the outstanding effort and partnership to eradicate bittersweet in Glastonbury's Riverfront Park.

The award announcement letter goes on to say, "This award recognizes the GPIP Battling Invasives Group's efforts to save the trees and habitats of birds in Glastonbury, while educating the public about the invasive species of plants that are killing our native vegetation."

The Award will be presented at the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Audubon Society Center's Earth Fair, themed "In Celebration of Trees" at 12:00 PM on Saturday, April 26, 2014, at the Center located at 1361 Main St., Glastonbury, CT. Click here for more information on the event.

GPIP's Battling Invasives Group is sharing the award with the Town of Glastonbury and Greg Foran, Park Superintendent and Tree Warden, who also partnered on the Riverfront Park effort.

Most importantly the award represents the amazing work done by over 80 volunteers during the course of several work days at the Park, as well as strong community outreach efforts supported by local media including the Glastonbury Citizen, Glastonbury Life, and the Hartford Courant.

Since 1997, the Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Glastonbury has awarded the Environment Excellence Award to honor companies, groups and individuals in Glastonbury and surrounding communities who demonstrate responsibility and integrity towards the environment.

National Invasive Species Awareness Week (February 23-28)

From the Weed Science Society of America's 2/10/14 press release:

National Invasive Species Awareness Week is scheduled for February 23-28. And according to experts with the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), it’s a topic that deserves our attention. Non-native plants, animals and pathogens can harm humans and the environment and impact our nation’s economy. The damage done by invasive plants alone costs the U.S. an estimated $34.7 billion a year.

Invasive weeds can produce skin irritation, trigger allergies and poison pets and livestock. They can clog waterways, kill native trees, and shade out crops, ornamentals and prized native flora. They are found in every imaginable habitat, including oceans, lakes, streams, wetlands, croplands, rangelands, natural areas, parks, forests, urban environments, yards and gardens.

'Though the impact of invasive species is profound, there are important steps we can take to manage infestations and prevent their spread,' says Lee Van Wychen, Ph.D., director of science policy for the WSSA. 'It all begins with awareness.'

Eight Ways You Can Help:

1. Learn about invasive species, especially those found in your region. Your county extension office (http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html) and the National Invasive Species Information Center (http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/index.shtml) are both trusted resources.

[enroll for the new Glastonbury Adult Education Invasive Plant course,

click here for more information]

2. Clean hiking boots, waders, boats and trailers, off-road vehicles and other gear to stop invasive species from hitching a ride to a new location.

3. Avoid dumping aquariums or live bait into waterways.

4. Use forage, hay, mulch and soil that are certified as “weed free.”

5. Plant only non-invasive plants in your garden, and remove any known invaders.

6. Report new or expanded invasive species outbreaks to authorities. (See http://www.invasive.org/report.cfm for a state-by-state list of contacts.)

7. Volunteer to help remove invasive species from public lands and natural areas.

[stay tuned to www.glastonburyinvasives.org and www.glastonburyinvasives.com

to learn about opportunities to volunteer in Glastonbury!]

8. Ask your political representatives at the state, local and national level to support invasive species control efforts.

Click here to link to Glastonbury Legislators.

Click here to link to Connecticut's Congressional Legislators.

About the Weed Science Society of America
The Weed Science Society of America, a nonprofit scientific society, was founded in 1956 to encourage and promote the development of knowledge concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The Weed Science Society of America promotes research, education and extension outreach activities related to weeds, provides science-based information to the public and policy makers, fosters awareness of weeds and their impact on managed and natural ecosystems, and promotes cooperation among weed science organizations across the nation and around the world. For more information, visit http://www.wssa.net.

More Good Resources (Including Facebook)

We're continually reaching out to other organizations to form new partnerships and identify resources for invasive plant information and projects in our area. Here are several worth checking out:

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping Systems (www.EDDMapS.org): EDDMapS is a web-based invasive plants mapping system. It's fast, easy to use and doesn't require Geographic Information Systems experience. Smartphones and GPS are helpful but not necessary. There are also some simple and very accurate "low tech" options for the rest of us.

Outsmart Invasive Species Project: This project is sponsored by our neighbors in Massachusetts and also uses EDDMapS. Their site has useful videos on invasives in general and a good explanation of how to sign up for and use EDDMapS.

CT River Invasives YouTube Channel: Outstanding videos on how to identify key invasives. A must-see.

New York State YouTube Channel: More videos and a lot of information on the NY invasives speaker and webinar series.

Invasives on Facebook: You can receive invasive plant updates from the following sources (use your Facebook search to find each page, then click "Like"). If you know of other good invasive plant Facebook pages please let us know via information@gpip.org

• Glastonbury Partners in Planting, Inc.
• Outsmart Invasive Species

Let's Work Together To Get Rid Of This Invasive Tree-Strangling Nightmare
(photo at Riverfront Park, December 2013, copyright GPIP)



Japanese Knotweed: The Concrete-Busting Superweed

During the 2013 GPIP Invasive Plant Walk, our guest speaker Donna Ellis from the UCONN Extension Service cited Japanese Knotweed as the greatest invasive plant threat in our state. That left many of us scratching our heads because every day we see incredible tree damage all around us caused by oriental bittersweet. Donna graciously let us have our say (or perhaps responded to our chanting "oriental bittersweet!!") and wisely conceded the point in the interest of getting out of town alive.

After discovering several videos of Japanese Knotweed damage in the UK, where the infestation is a number of years ahead of us, maybe we should grudgingly agree to a tie as to which invasive plant is the bigger bad actor. Oriental bittersweet may cause far more dramatic and visible tree destruction, but as a future threat Japanese Knotweed is making huge strides and is well poised to do significant property damage.

Japanese Knotweed grows rapidly, up to 3" a day, and is capable of splitting concrete slabs. It grows up through asphalt and is almost impossible to eradicate because it can grow 8 or more feet deep. In its native habitat it grows through volcanic rock (that's how tough this stuff is). The rhizomes can be lie dormant for up to 20 years. If you dig them up and throw them away, a section as long as as 2" can take root and start a new plant. Some experts call it "the terrorist of the weed world."

Matters have become so dire in the UK that it has become a criminal offense to cause the spread of Japanese Knotweed. Violators are subject to stiff fines and up to 6 months in jail. The bill for Japanese Knotweed infestation clean-up at the 2012 Olympics site was in the tens of millions of dollars; without full eradication the weed could do extensive damage to stadiums and other structures at the site. Experiments are underway to determine if importing aphalara itadori (an insect native to Japan that eats the sap of Japanese Knotweed plants) could help slow infestation in the UK.

Do we have Japanese Knotweed in Glastonbury? Absolutely and plenty of it. See photos at the GPIP photo library. Taking action now can make all the difference. Don't wait until the task becomes impossible or the cost of property and infrastructure damage gets our attention. Let's not let the UK (video below) be a preview of our future.

 

The video below deals with eradication via stem

injection and is at a fairly high technical level: