Native Landscaping - Video 2 in a Series: Clearing the Invasives

[@salviabuckwheats7434]

Great video, thank you. However, I'd REALLY like to see you get in there and clear out that mess of thorny vines. I moved from Los Angeles where through blood sweat and tears and years I created a magnificent native plant garden amongst 70 and 80 foot mature trees. Then I sold it to move to Indiana, I featured the garden-tour-ready landscape in the sales brochure. In dry Los Angeles where grass will NOT grow without water and it does not rain from March to November, my yard had not been watered for five years (once the plants were established or one season, that is, before which I hand-watered). I left for the buyer a small library of books (like, 20) on California native plants (wasn't going to need them where I was headed), and also I left my handwritten 6-year compendium of all plants installed (many hundreds). I further made sure the buyer knew I offered all advice on the easy maintenance, such as cut the grasses back only before the new growing season, and leave seed heads on the salvias. I made sure the buyer knew that the gardener had worked there for many years and would know also to some extent. I never heard from them. A year later I returned to L.A. on business and drove to the old homestead to see everything. Driving there, I remembered about how one day I sat in a chair in the driveway watching a monarch emerge from a chrysalis, dry her wings and pump them up, then flutter away. The migrating monarchs (in CA they migrate from the coast to the inland deserts) laid so many eggs throughout my potted milkweeds and those throughout my yard that on several occasions I had to round up hungry caterpillars when my young plants were exhausted and drive them to another member of the native plant society's yard. I can't begin to tell you of all the incredible blooming, wonderful, native and indigenous plants I put in. No matter. when I got to the house - gone. All of it. Even the 80-ft ash tree (so precious here), and the 70-foot Jacaranda, that bloomed profusely every year purple - it would snow purple. Well, all gone, the salvias, manzanitas, fuschias, buckwheats, milkweeds, lilacs. The vines that bloomed on the picket fence scarlet red, the pinks, the clouds of whites. The native bumblebees, the lizards, the birds that would scratch through the leaves and eat the seeds off the salvias, the Coopers hawks that one summer took over the 2-tiered fountain. When the monarchs - or any of a dozen other butterflies I saw there - come through, there will be nothing. The first tree I put is was a Western redbud. I'm glad they grow like weeds here. Those idiot buyers - the woman by the way was a cable tv actress, shades of Megan markle no doubt - they did not just cut it. The entire property was razed, without a trace of a trunk or stem. There was nothing but dirt. I had a gorgeous tall wrought iron gate across the front of the property, painted only 5 years ago a nice forest green there in the Woodland Hills area. They attached sheet metal across the bars making a solid white wall, painted it stark white, then painted lacy blood-red hearts across the long front of this new sheet metal wall stuck to a security gate. (Whaaat??) I only saw the land because that gate/now solid sheet metal wall, sits on top of a short stucco wall and there is a 3-4 inch crack all across the front of that awful property. GOOD GRIEF. OK, that happened. And I do NOT speak of it. I don't. And I will never go the the San Fernando Valley again. You got me off on a tangent here. So, now I got 17+ acres and while I am a super-puny old woman now, by GOD I intend to bring this wonderful but INFESTED land to health. I have to make up for the loss of the planet at the home I abandoned - and then some. So, I am afraid I am not big and strong enough to handle that tool I believe you use to whack those nasties, and I am extremely, to a fault, fond of my legs. I doubt I can do it but if I watch you go in on these vines, which will whip up and scratch the hell our of one's face (why don't they make hard hats and face shields smaller than lumberjack size?), then maybe I can do it. Someone has to. In future, I can only hope, when my turn here is up, that the next buyer will not have anything to do with the cable tv industry. OK, OK, no offense!!! Except to Megan markle perhaps...

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Wow! Thanks for sharing. What a heart-rending story. As we have devoted our time and money in restoring our 60 acres, I always have in the back of my head, "What will happen when we are gone." This channel, in part, is to encourage the next generation (or all generations) to appreciate the native landscape, so that there will be people who will pick up the torch when we are unable to continue the fight. (Sorry for the mixed metaphor.) Thank you for your work and dedication.

[@karunald]

@@TheWoodlandSteward Covenants. Hopefully

[@jakubgluszek2821]

Great video! I like how you took the time to talk about the importance of native plants. I live in a relatively forested area northeast of Louisville, KY, near the Ohio river, and most of our front yard has woodland-edge conditions (sparse canopy of trees, with an increasing shade gradient the closer you get to the woods). My favorite native plants to use in this type of habitat are: -Short's aster, Symphyotrichum shortii, (Good background plant for dry soil) -Blue wood aster, Symphyotrichum cordifolium, (Medium height and does well in medium moisture soil) -Blue mistflower, Conoclinium coelestinum, (Awesome colonizer of moist areas, but I found it can take a lot more shade and drought than most people realize) -Silky wild rye, Elymus villosus, (Very easy to grow from seed) -Purple joe pye weed, Eutrochium purpureum, (My favorite plant for moist, sunny woodland areas) -Crooked stem aster, Symphyotrichum prenanthoides, (This small aster is particularly beautiful up close and in person. Easy to grow in moist part-shade) -Elmleaf goldenrod, Solidago ulmifolia, (One of my favorite goldenrods of all time, but needs at lease some full sun during the day. Quite dought tolerant as well.) -Bottlebrush grass, Elymus hystrix, (Easy to grow from seed, which are easy to collect.) -Virginia strawberry, Fragaria virginiana, (Adaptable and spreads fast. Will intermingle with taller plants.) -Zigzag goldenrod, Solidago flexicaulis, (Would do very well around your stream!) -Basil bee balm, Monarda clinopodia, (To go alongside the Zigzag goldenrod!) -Tall thimbleweed, Anemone virginiana, (Provides great Winter interest) -Spoon leaved groundsel, Packera obovata, (Similar to its relative, the Golden grounsel, but is drought resistant. However, optimal growth is achieved in moist conditions. Also it's my favorite native plant.) Many of these plants I grew myself from locally collected seeds or from rhizome transplants. It is tempting for me to mention Drop Seed Native Plant Nursery, and the Cincinnati Nature Center, for it is from them that I acquired the rest of the plants on this list. The Cincinnati Nature Center, I believe, is actually closer to you than it is to me. They host native plant sales in Spring and Fall, while Drop Seed Native Plant Nursery is open year round by appointment. Thank you for reading, and I hope this was helpful.

[@salviabuckwheats7434]

Thanks!!!

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Very helpful! Thanks for taking the time to share. I am going to print out your list and comments. I'm sure it will help us and everyone who reads through these comments!

[@coleman6919]

thanks for sharing the project. I can imagine a small grove of bald cypress near the creek, or maybe eastern hemlock.

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

I would love hemlock, but I think our soil is too alkaline!

[@coleman6919]

@@TheWoodlandSteward ah, interesting. I would probably try one anyway. In my experience in southern Indiana - they root decently from proper cuttings, and do well on a mild-weather, north-facing slope especially one that says moist, like near a water source. Small isolated populations are what will save it from the wooly adelgid wiping it out. They've surprised me with resiliency but obviously you know what's best on your land. Keep us posted. Thanks

[@CurlyQsgarden]

I am so glad I found your channel! I’m in SW Ohio and would love to connect with you. We are trying to get a property and it has massive amounts of honeysuckle. I’m reassured that I can tackle it!

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

You can tackle it! (But it will be a lot of work. You can cancel your gym membership once you begin.)

[@blackforest995boisjolie5]

I live in Connecticut and I moved into a property that was overtaken by the Multiflora rose, honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, buckthorn mostly and over the years have been removing them, and planting things like common hibiscus, silver maple, American beech, white pine and other natives.

[@galations22o]

I agree cut and treat! I’m using a dauber or sometimes I use a syringe and blunt tip needlw

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

A dauber would work fine, but I like the added length of the sprayer.

[@jessbee74]

Nice work. A couple years ago I removed most of our larger honeysuckle bushes as well, but this time of year I see vines all over the forest floor. I will have to work on these one section at a time. During this process I have uncovered many lovely Christmas and Blunt Woodsia Ferns 😊🌿

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Nice! Increasing the light and decreasing the competition by removing the honeysuckles frees up the space for non-natives and natives alike. The work continues.

[@thomasradocy1518]

Your videos are great! Just what I've been looking for as I try to figure out how to restore our 1.5 acres of native prairie habitat we have at work. I am getting rid of bush honeysuckle too, and I also like to leave the cuttings on the ground to provide cover for animals and eventually bring those nutrients back into the soil. What do you do with the branches that have berries? I've been painstakingly removing and bagging them so they don't end up on the ground. Do you know of a more efficient way to tackle those?

[@everyman6328]

I’m trying to remove 35 acres of it. After 10 years, my advice is to cut it, spray the stumps and not worry if the berries get planted. These plants are such a battle that managing your energy is a must. If you can get it before it fruits, great. If not, keep up the fight and remember it’ll be a small plant you can foliar spray in the spring.

[@thomasradocy1518]

@@everyman6328 Good point. Our energy is valuable.

[@susanharper7113]

Really enjoying your videos and learning SO much which is helping me restore our property. Thank you!

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Great reply @everyman6328! I agree completely. I hate to see those berries fall, but I would rather have them fall all in one place than be spread throughout the property by the birds. Managing your energy (and time) are great concepts.

[@jay_fruit]

Redbud is a showy native that fits nicely under power lines... Pear, plum, apple or other fruit trees would check the wildlife box.

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Great ideas! We will definitely keep some of the redbuds. While I support using fruit trees in the landscape, I am going to focus on natives for this project.

[@jakubgluszek2821]

@@TheWoodlandSteward There are native plum species in Ohio, like the American Plum or Hortulan Plum. Besides them...Dogwoods and Hawthorns are wonderful native trees that fit under power lines and are great for wildlife!

[@benalbrecht5431]

@@TheWoodlandSteward how about some paw paws?

[@shesaturn01]

Love your videos, just started doing same to our acreage in Middle TN. A couple questions, 1. When removing non natives in an area do you also remove dead natives and take care of the suckers that are already growing? 2. Do you remove/treat 20% herbcide virginia creeper or do you consider it native? 3. For those of us who are not good with plant ID, what source seems to best to ID plants? (Google and apps dont seem to get it right). Thanks for any insight

[@salviabuckwheats7434]

For identification, I like Iseek but a young neighbor got better results in late fall ID with Picture This. Iseek can't do bark alone or grasses. I love the Woodland Steward's video on winter tree I.D.

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

We do not remove dead natives (or dead non-natives for that matter). Virginia Creeper is not overly aggressive for us. I see it as an asset, but we have plenty of space for aggressive natives to live with more conservative species. I don't see any problem with selectively culling natives that are overly aggressive, if they are diminishing the biodiversity of an area. I use iNaturalist to get me in the ballpark for a new plant, then refine with texts and web searches.

[@susanharper7113]

I’d love to know what some native plants are. There’s so much out there about getting rid of invasives that I don’t know what is truly native.

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

We will definitely be talking more about the natives we will add and release!

[@salviabuckwheats7434]

Google your native plant society. There are several throughout the midwest certainly. I am a member of Indiana Native Plant Society. Natives are generally thought of as those plants that were here before the first European settlers, but that's hard to know exactly in some cases from what I have learned, and also there are plants that have been naturalized here for hundreds of years...then try to figure out indigenous - that is plants that grow in that specific local habitat for those thousands of years. For example, one can say Persimmon tree is native to Indiana, however, it is indigenous to the alluvial soil of the lower Wabash Valley in the very southern part of the state. Natives are great! Plant natives and the birds and bees will follow.

[@galations22o]

I find your local county extensions office has excellent info. And I use TVA for resources and education. And I read ut (Tennessee) extensions publications as well. My favorite app is picture this although you still have to dbl check with a field guide and a loupe in some cases . For some reason the app always calls my sugar maples Norway maples and I have correctly if’s them as sugar maples. I also use invasive plant society in Tennessee and go native organization oh and wildlife federation

[@KurtUhlir]

Thank you for bringing us along on this journey. My wife and I are working on a similar project on our family property in North Georgia. Hearing how you are thinking about your restoration project and approaching problems is quite valuable.

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Great to hear you are doing something similar!

[@matt__miller]

Hello, do you have any experience with Japanese Pachysandra and periwinkle? My goal for this spring is to get them both removed from the woods outside of my house but they are everywhere. I’d like to avoid using roundup but I just don’t see any way around it. Any suggestions?

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Fortunately (for me) I don't have any experience with Pachysandra or Periwinkle invading the woodlands. Selective use of glyphosate (Roundup) sounds like a good option.

[@karunald]

I had an ocean of Vinca in my back woodland. I dug and pulled. Then hired workers to get it out. Same were missed or came back but were easily removed by me. Neighbor has it infesting her woods and it's nearing or at my property line. I did spray a small test area with a low Glyphosate and need to go look. I'm thinking a higher dose is needed for this one. Assuming it's a huge area.

[@galations22o]

And plant native alternative

[@nathanb7539]

Not sure if stream area is wet enough but button bush is a good one

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Thanks! We have two buttonbush ready to move in there.

[@benalbrecht5431]

Where do you get your natives? Do you generally transplant or sow seeds?

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

This is a new project for us, because we have not had to add any natives to the rest of our woodland; just release the natives that are already there. We just posted a new video where we discuss collecting local native seeds and are trying direct sowing and starting in milk jugs.

[@galations22o]

How did you make that dauber on your spraying rod?

[@anitahendrix7573]

Have very large infestation of multiflora rose. Best time to cut and treat stump and with what??

[@galations22o]

I keep Virginia creeper for soil erosion prevention until I can replace it

[@Keith-sw1co]

Here are a few thoughts from my efforts in a somewhat similar project that I am in the very early stages of. I am working on a strip that’s about 30 by 200 feet that is along a road. This is the only spot on my property that has spots that gets full sun, so I want to capitalize on that. I also want some privacy from the road. Over the past several years, I have nurtured and added to the volunteer cedars in the area farthest from the road to provide some privacy. In front of them I am constructing a 10 ft strip of shrubs and small trees (kept fragrant sumac and so far added elderberry and black chokeberry) and in the final 10 ft (which is still a wall of invasives) I plan low growing natives, mostly perineal flowers. I recognize that my goals are probably different than yours, but these are my thoughts for my situation.

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

I appreciate the input! I think our goals are probably similar. I don't need the privacy, since we are a good 1/3 mile off the road, so we want to be able to see into the woods.

[@salviabuckwheats7434]

You can create wonderful bird habitat with that plan.

[@martimoore740]

Do oakleaf hydrangeas grow up there? They are my favorites, and what got me interested in native plants. Their blooms are so pretty, but the fall color is beautiful, too.

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Oakleaf Hydrangeas do grow around here and we have them in our foundation landscape. They do not grow naturally this far north, so I would not consider them native to our area. That's just how I choose to draw the line. They are beautiful!

[@galations22o]

Oh! Plant service berries!!

[@karunald]

It would be interesting if you got the Native burning bush (E. atropurpureaus). It's absolutely Stunning. C=8 Swink/Wilhelm Would make for a great educational video re the differences. Prettier than the alien by far.

[@markjones5561]

Really enjoying this so far. It would be good to see how using native planting can somewhat replicate the non native colors and forms that so many people use to front their properties. Burning bush is very popular because of it vivid reds in autumn. Having something like that reproduces those colors at that time of year would be a great way to ease people's minds that having native planting does not mean they have to say goodbye to the things they have probably grown accustomed to.

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Very good point! We intend to cover some of those "use this instead of that" situations.

[@karunald]

There's a native version. C-8 rating (Swink/Wilhelm). Euonymus atropurpurea. It's stunning. WAY prettier than alien.

[@treesofcarolinianontario]

Just a thought ... it's nice to have some green in winter, so perhaps leave a cedar or two. Dwarf Chinquapin Oak might be nice. Wouldn't have to worry about the hydro lines!

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Don't worry! Julie is very protective of any green that shows up in winter. I'm sure some of it will remain.

[@brianredban9393]

Asian bitter sweet is my arch enemy. I own 5 acres in Connecticut and in the last 10 years we have just got hammered with it. The roads and highways are disgusting looking. Unless something is done soon we will have zero trees along our road ways. No one seems to notice or care. I have called the local news several times and gotten no response

[@TheWoodlandSteward]

Keep trying!