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
