One homeowner recently made a disturbing discovery on their property, which, it turned out, was populated almost exclusively by invasive plant species. Overwhelmed and unsure of how to proceed, the homeowner turned to the always reliable r/NativePlantGardening subreddit for advice.
The poster, who lives in southeastern Pennsylvania, wrote that they were "not really sure what to do." They have several acres of land and described a shrub layer that is overrun with invasive species. In between the invasive species, the only noninvasive they have growing is black walnut trees.
Honeysuckle, burning bush, and viburnum — the plants the poster speculated as the cause of the issue — are all dreaded invasive species in many parts of the United States. They have a reputation for growing out of control, smothering native species, and outcompeting them for resources.
🗣️ Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?
🔘 Absolutely not 💯
🔘 Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝
🔘 Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️
🔘 We should ban HOAs 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
By rewilding your yard with native plants, you can create a healthy ecosystem for pollinators while also saving time with lawn maintenance and saving money by cutting down on the need for watering.
If the poster wanted to have any hope of controlling their own yard, it was clear that they were going to have to do something. But the task ahead seemed daunting.
Luckily, many of the other members of the subreddit had plenty of useful advice about how to start.
"Don't try to do it all at once. Divide it into sections that make sense to you. … It's amazing what you can do with a little perseverance and a plan!" one commenter wrote.
"Never let any of the invasive plants seed. Get them out before that happens. Take care of one chunk at a time. My favorite way to do it was 30 minutes a day every day. Winter, spring, summer, fall and in any safe weather," another wrote.
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