Get Rid of Your Yard’s Invasive Garlic Mustard and Buckthorn; Wayzata Volunteers Host Free Seminar to Show You How
Wayzata city volunteers will host a free, one-hour seminar on Thursday, April 14, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Wayzata City Hall to teach residents how to recognize and eradicate two invasive plant species prevalent in Wayzata – garlic mustard and buckthorn.
The City Parks Department’s Scott Roberts will be the main presenter at the seminar. He will demonstrate the proper way to remove both invasive species, which have proliferated throughout the area in recent years.
Garlic mustard is a non-native biennial plant, 12 to 36 inches high, that has invaded private yards and woodlands. Its small, white flowers bloom in May. Its seeds live in soil for five years, which is why the best time to remove the plants is before they bloom.
Buckthorn, also non-native, crowds out other plants and threatens Minnesota forests. Its large, blue berries with seeds are eaten in early spring by birds and widely dispersed. Small buckthorn seedlings are simple to pull out of the ground, but if they are allowed to grow larger, they are more difficult to eradicate.
The seminar will help residents learn how to protect their properties from these unwelcome invaders.
Co-chairs of the event are Merrily Borg Babcock and John Berryhill, who coordinate volunteer projects for the Wayzata Big Woods.
No pre- registration is necessary for the April 14 seminar.
For more information, visit the city’s website www.wayzata.org or contact Merrily Borg Babcock: merrily@visi.com or 952-473-2999
