Small Successes and Dealing With our Biggest Obstacle

I signed us up on the Homegrown National Park map a few days ago, and I plan to continue adding new as well as existing native plantings. As I mentioned in my last post, celebrating small successes helps to keep us from being overwhelmed with our ongoing knotweed issue. 

Here is a photo from just a few days ago of the serviceberry, Amelanchier x grandiflora, that we planted in the fall of 2023. We have taken photos of it in full bloom on May third both this year and last. This is in front of our house, in an area of the turf where we have put down cardboard and then covered it with composted wood chips from our township's maintenance yard. We also have a white snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus, that we planted last year leafing out in this area. This is one of several garden areas or beds that we have started this way amongst or on the edge of the turf yard. This one we are referring to as "the shrub garden," but we also plan to include other plantings here.  

Over in the south knotweed expanse, we installed a cage around the newly planted birch which has been leafing out, to protect it from browsing. Sadly, a fair number of young knotweed shoots have emerged as well. The shoots emerging such as the one in the photo can be dug up to be "properly disposed of" after they dry up in the sun. The ones emerging from large clumps from past years are more worrying. 

Yesterday, I came across an article here about trying to eliminate knotweed and instead resolving to manage it. I think that the author of the PennState Extension article is dealing with a larger expanse, but her article makes me think about a couple of issues. One is the site and why the knotweed thrives there. Just past our property line a mini bog is formed from the overflow from our spring house. This feature of the area needs to stay. Mini bogs and vernal pools are precious features. We might start thinking of other plantings that will compete with the knotweed. The portion of the knotweed expanse on our property is in full sun. Whether we eliminate or only "manage" the knotweed, we will need to be very aware of a plan to "revegetate" the site which is a major point of Joan Jubela's article. Outcompeting the knotweed and planting keystone natives will need to combine as goals as we move forward in this area.