BESTPRACTICES

It is the mission of Stream Team to protect and enhance water resources and associated habitats and wildlife in Thurston County through citizen action and education. Stream Team is funded and jointly managed by the stormwater utilities of the Cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater and Thurston County. www.streamteam.info

Remove&ReplaceShadeTolerantInvasivePlantSpeciesInYourYardHowareEnglishivy,periwinkle,herb-Robert,yellowarchangelandajugabugleweedalike?Theyareallcommon

shade-lovingplantsthatspreadrapidlyandbecomeinvasiveinourforestsandnaturalareas.Theyseverelyimpactlocalhabitatbyovertakingthenativeplantsthatnativewildlifedependonforfoodandshelter.Surprisinglyenough,youwillstillfindtheseinvasiveplantsforsaleatmanyhomeandgardencenters!Shadyyardsandforestedareasprovidetheidealgrowingconditionsfortheseinvaders.Theirtolerancetoshade

allowsthemtooverrunhealthyforests,formingthickmatsofvegetationthatoutcompeteandsmotherbeneficialnativeunderstoryplants.Theyspreadwhenpeople,animals,waterandvehiclesdistributeseedsorplantfragmentsfromyardsandneighborhoodstoforestsandparks.Dumpingyardwasteisanothermajorwayinvasiveplantsarespread.Eliminatinginvasiveplantsfromyouryardanddisposingofthemproperlyisoneofthebestwaystopreventtheirspreadtoournaturalareas.ReplacinginvasiveplantswithnativesYoucanhelpprotectourlocalnaturalareasbyremovingandreplacinginvasivespeciesinyouryard.OurPacific

Northwestnativeplantsprovidehighqualityfoodandshelterfornativewildlife.Byreplacinginvasiveswithnativeplantsyouwillalsoenhancehabitatforwildlifespecies.Nativeplantsarealsoeasytocareforbecausetheyarewelladaptedtoouruniqueclimate.Theyarehardy,uselesswater,anddonotrequirefertilizers,savingwaterandsavingyoutimeandmoney!WhattodoToremoveinvasiveplants,loosenthesoilaroundthemwithadiggingforkandpulloutasmuchoftherootmass

aspossible.Adiggingforkispreferredtoashovelasitwillreducerootbreakageandallowyoutoremovemoreoftheroots.Itisbesttopullherb-Robertandyellowarchangelbeforetheirflowershavegonetoseed.Itisveryimportanttobagandtrashtheplantsafterpulling.Neverputinvasivesintotheyardwastebin,compost

pile,oryourjurisdictionaldrop-offsite.Please,neverdumpyarddebrisintonaturalareasorstormponds!Properdisposalensuresthattheplantsyouremovewillnotspreadorcontaminatecompostmadefromyouryarddebris.Onceyoursiteisclearofinvasives,replantwithnatives.Onpagesevenyouwillfindseveralbeautifulalternatives

thatalsoprovidewildlifehabitat.Ifmowingoverinvasiveplants,remembertocleanandwashyourmower

ofplantfragmentssotheywillnotspreadthroughoutyourlawn.

Mulch&maintainAdd2-3inchesofmulcharoundnewnativeplantstoprotectthemwhiletheyestablishrootsystemsandgrow

stronger.Mulchreducesmoistureloss,coversandprotectsbaresoilandinhibitsnewweedgrowth.Youcanbuymulchatyourlocalgardensupplystoreormakeitathome.Compost,barkchips,fallenleavesandstrawarecommonmaterialsusedasmulch.Forafewyears,watchyourreplantedareaforanynewweedgrowth.Pulloutnewgrowthandremulchas

needed.Removingandreplacinginvasiveplantscanrequirepersistence,butthebenefitstoyouryardandourcommunity’secosystemarewellworththeeffort.Enjoyyournewnativegarden!

HelpProtectUrbanWildlifeHabitat

BESTPRACTICES:HelpProtectUrbanWildlifeHabitat 2of2

It is the mission of Stream Team to protect and enhance water resources and associated habitats and wildlife in Thurston County through citizen action and education. Stream Team is funded and jointly managed by the stormwater utilities of the Cities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater and Thurston County. www.streamteam.info

Herb-Robert(Geraniumrobertium)HowTheySpread:SeedsRemovalMethod: Pullinearlyspringbeforetheygotoseedormow*beforefloweringif

youcannotgetthempulled.Moreinfo: http://tinyurl.com/herbrobert

YellowArchangel(Lamiumgaleobdolon)HowTheySpread:Seeds,Rhizomes(runners)androotsRemovalMethod: Pullinearlyspringbeforetheygotoseedormow*beforefloweringif

youcannotgetthempulled.

AjugaBugleweed(Ajugareptans)HowTheySpread:Rhizomes(runners)androotsRemovalMethod: Digrootsanytimeofyear

Periwinkle(VincaminorandVincamajor)HowTheySpread:Seeds,Rhizomes(runners)androotsRemovalMethod: Digrootsanytimeofyear

EnglishIvy(Hederahelix)HowTheySpread:Berries/seedsRemovalMethod: Pullordigrootsanytimeofyear

ShadeLovingNativePlantAlternativesGroundcovers

• Pacificbleedingheart(Dicentraformosa)• Falselily-of-the-valley(Maianthemumdilatatum)• Piggybackplant(Tolmieamenziesii)• Fringecup(Tellimagrandiflora)• Sloughsedge(Carexobnupta)• Deerfern(Blechnumspicant)• Swordfern(Polystichummunitum)

Shrubs• Salal(Gaultheriashallon)• CascadeOregon-grape(Mahonianervosa)• Evergreenhuckleberry(Vacciniumovatum)• Redhuckleberry(Vacciniumparvifolium)

Formoreinformationontheseandotherinvasiveornaturalizingplants,visithttp://www.co.thurston.wa.us/tcweedsorhttp://www.kingcounty.gov

Source:StreamTeamNews,Spring2018