This homeowner sought advice on the most effective way to remove an invasive thornbush from their front yard.
A user on the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit found themselves in a bit of a pickle while trying to find the best way to eliminate the invasive Japanese barberry bush.
Originally an ornamental plant in the United States, the bush began crowding out native plants, disrupting ecosystems, and attracting insects that spread infections such as Lyme disease. This is the case with many invasive plants around the country that can be difficult to stop once they start spreading in your yard.
"The birds love this bush but I want to clear the plants away from the front of the house, and plant a little cluster of Red Osier Dogwood and Ninebark and some evergreens and such out away from the house a bit," the original poster wrote.
"I'm pretty sure this guy is invasive anyway, but honestly I'm intimidated by what I read online (thorns that get stuck under the skin and don't break down, etc). Any advice is greatly appreciated as I try to get my yard to a better place for myself and the birds!" the OP added.
Luckily, users were eager to chime in.
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"Barberries are the bane of my existence," one user said. "On top of what others suggested, be wary of the shed twigs and branches. Buggers are sneaky and decompose far too slowly for anyone's sanity. Rake the area. Then rake it again. Curse it's progenitor while you're at it."
"I just removed a few of these," another wrote. "As someone else wrote, use long-handled loppers to cut off at ground level. Then if you have space in your yard waste bin you can throw the whole bush in there, but you may have to carefully dismantle it a bit. "
Keeping your yard native is another way to avoid the threat of invasive plant species disrupting your ecosystem. Native lawns not only save time and money on maintenance but also support your local environment.
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Mowing the lawn 
Our guide on transforming your lawn into its ideal, native self will help ensure your yard doesn't end up like this homeowner's did.
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