Went for a run yesterday down the Kent Trail training for the River Bank run coming up in a few weeks. I’ve enjoyed the Trillium and Trout lilies as well as the May apple on my runs the past few weeks. Running along you also can’t help but notice masses of tall plants in flower. These green plants with scalloped foliage have small white flowers at the top. They come in waves and grow quickly in some cases seeming to swallow up the native wildflowers. Yes the culprit is the dreaded Garlic Mustard.
When it comes to weeds you’ve got pull….and now is time to be pulling. Each plant produces thousands of seeds so if the plant is invading your landscape now is the time to pull before they go to seed. Garlic mustard is ahead of schedule like many other plants due to the unusually warm March weather. This invasive herb comes in waves and will dominate and choke out desirable plants like the Trillium I enjoy on my runs. Garlic Mustard was brought to the United States as a culinary herb in the 19th century. It fits the description be careful what you wish for as it produces lots of seed and spreads like wildfire. Be “weeding” by example, now is the time to identify and pull. Remember when it comes to weeds you’ve got pull.
