Map Summary Ideas for next year	DSV control by Sunday volunteers 2006 and goals for 2007 In addition to the work summarized below, the Sunday group also removed all Garlic Mustard from the Ash Woodlot, helped with Buckthorn removal, and planted the following in the woods (for a total of 324 person-hours this year): 3 small Sugar Maples several flats of Heart-leaved Aster seedlings Baneberry half a dozen Thimbleweeds Solomon's Seal Trillium 8 Wood Poppies 8 Foamflowers spiky sedge about 10 Muhlenbergii mexicana (native grass) flat of Zigzag Goldenrod seedlings 4 clumps of sedges 8 large pots of Canada Waterleaf about 40 Bloodroots On 22 October 2006, some members of the Sunday volunteer group (Andrew, Rob, Isabelle, Martine, Gretchen, and me) met to walk around the garden, talk about the work we did to control Dog-strangling Vine (DSV) in 2005 and 2006 and to plan strategies for 2007. Other members of the group are Kasi, Tony, Andrew K., Chris B., Chris E., Helena, Fiona, Lesley, Diane, Carrie, Monica, Pamela, and Lisa. Some people only came one day; others were there every week. We thank all of them for taking the time to help!! We also thank the Backyard Garden crew for weeding DSV out of the raspberry patch on the south side of the ravine, Caroline Cahill for weeding in the New Woodlot, and the many dog walkers who took a few minutes to pull out invasive species. Click on the numbers on the map below to view photos and reports for specific areas.
	Summary The big discovery of the year was that scythes are very effective for cutting DSV - more so than a weed whipper, which is noisy and difficult to use. A scythe allows considerable control over what is cut (we can avoid cutting "good plants and shrubs") and is generally easier on the operator. Now that we have 2 scythes, we can probably dispense with the use of large mowing machines, which are often too destructive. First noticed by Christine, goldenrods seem to inhibit DSV growth. DSV growing in even part shade may not be able to recover and produce more pods after being cut only once (see areas 1 and 6). Even after pods have formed, DSV can be cut and raked into piles or disposed of in bags. Ideas for next year Focus on specific large areas, e.g., feeder clearing, semicircle. Everyone work in that area at the same time - planting, weeding, cutting - so that DSV gets cut in open areas and removed by hand along edges and around trees. Try to get other volunteer groups (students, rangers) to follow up during the week to finish jobs. Experiment with slurry of goldenrod roots to determine effect on DSV. Goldenrod has an allelopathic effect, i.e., it inhibits other plants in its immediate area. Is it possible to use whatever substance is responsible for this effect as a herbicide against DSV? Need to figure out how to apply it to be effective. Nesting season prevents us from weeding a couple of critical areas, e.g., shrubs in field north of ash woods. Look carefully at this area BEFORE nesting season to see if we can take any preventive measures, like putting down newspapers around shrubs. Goals for 2007 always include "no seed production" which is what we've been aiming for for several years. In 2007 we should do what we did this year, but maybe extend the edges just a little to make sure ALL DSV in each area is not producing seeds, i.e., when we cut a field, go around the edges and make sure we get all pods. This will work better if we have "hand weeders" working WITH "cutters." Need to ensure that more people can use the scythes effectively and safely. Follow up on newspaper mulch experiments. Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to do anything to the DSV but cover it with newspapers. This wouldn't work in sunny areas where there are almost always lots of "good" plants mixed in with DSV, but it could be effective in small areas where there is nothing but DSV, e.g., along the drip line of the Norway Spruce trees above the pond and also around the semi-circle. This page was updated on 8 November 2006 © Fletcher Wildlife Garden Our e-mail address