Native Landscapes

This technique for controlling unwanted woody species is called a basal treatment. It’s not an exciting task but it’s necessary and critical to control non-native invasive plant species growing in your native habitat. Skip this step or don’t get thorough control and they will make you pay in time, blood, sweat and $.

This is how we get a huge jump in the dormant season to set our native habitat restoration projects up for success. Control the ones dropping seed and you will slow the spread, but eliminating all will give the best results. It allows you to work in the comfort of cooler temps, without bugs and leaves on the thick shrubs. Do it correctly and target species will not come out of dormancy. Sunlight is restored to adjacent native species as soon as spring arrives. This method has very little off target damage when done in the dormant season. As always wear PPE, read the label, and choose an alternative method if working near water ways. For very large invasives, cut them with a saw and spray the stump. Works great on smooth barked trees too. Spray 360 degrees around the stem. Run a gps tracker like and use dye to know where you’ve treated.

Share this with a friend who needs to control some woody invasives!