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Global Invasive Species Team listserve digest #040
Mon, 30 Aug 1999 16:54:18 -0700 (PDT)
--CONTENTS--
1. Tools for pulling purple loosestrife
2. Purple loosestrife pulling
3. Pulling loosestrife clumps
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1. Tools for pulling purple loosestrife
From: Debbie Pickering (dpickering(at)tnc.org)
We are having good success at pulling small patches and individual plants.
I have found a tool called a mini-tiller to be very effective at getting
most of the roots out while minimizing soil disturbance that might cause a
flush of seedlings. The tool has 3 heavy duty prongs on one side of the
head that you push under the base of the plant and pry back on the handle
to leverage the plant out of the ground. I also recently tried using
small weed wrenches on purple loosestrife and was pleasantly surprised at
how well they worked. The stems are just woody enough to keep from
breaking and this method has even less soil disturbance.
(When using a weed wrench in mucky conditions, putting the base of the
weed-wrench on a small piece of wood like a length of a 2x4 keeps the
wrench from sinking into the mud, decreases disturbance, and generally
improves the wrench's performance.---Barry)
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2. Purple loosestrife pulling
From: Garth Fuller (gfuller(at)tnc.org)
We have been pulling purple loosestrife from the wetlands in the MN Ordway
Prairie preserve for 6 seasons. Over this time more plants have been
found each year, from about 50 in 1993 to approximately 400 this year
(1999). It is my opinion that a large infestation nearby is providing a
seed source that hand pulling cannot compete with over the long haul.
We've started a biocontrol effort in the neighboring area in cooperation
with the county and the state. This hopefully will eventually take the
pressure off of the preserve. In the mean time we'll keep pulling...
I do not think that pulling increases the spread of the plant but I would
recommend minimizing the disturbance by using a shovel to dig up the
plant, then replace the soil and any existing cover. This seems to help
with the complete removal of the large roots (they break easily and will
most definitely resprout) and prevents a large mucky bare spot from
providing perfect habitat for new seedlings. Make sure that you either
pull the plant before it begins setting seed or remove the flower/seed
heads before pulling.
Have fun in the mud!
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3. Pulling loosestrife clumps
From: Kay Sadighi (KayTrees(at)aol.com)
We in the Berkshires (MA) pulled a few clumps of loosestrife in one very
sensitive wetland two years ago and there is no re-growth. We pulled much
more in a second site last summer and are pleased so far with the lack of
re-growth. We had been concerned that the pulling itself would create
enough disturbed ground to promote stronger re-growth but in these two
areas, we have been pleased with the results.
Kay Sadighi, Stewardship coordinator, TNC Berkshires (MA)