For homeowners, battling invasive plants feels like living in a terrible Groundhog Day — watching as sneaky sprouts take root again and again despite efforts at eradication.
One person sought advice on a particularly troublesome plant on the r/NoLawns subreddit, which is "devoted to alternatives to monoculture lawns, with an emphasis on native plants and conservation."
"Any advice for removing what I believe is Bishop's Goutweed?" the original poster asked. "It is taking over and preventing our Lilies, Tulips, and other plants from being able to grow as big. I tried pulling it out, but it is difficult to get the roots and I'm afraid it will just keep growing back."
The photos they included showed the bishop's goutweed smothering entire flower beds in large clusters, making it nearly impossible for anything else to take root.
Commenters were empathetic; many had battled this species themselves.
"This stuff is awful," one person said. "You really do need to get all of it out - it spreads via rhizomes below ground and flowers above ground."
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Another emphasized its hardiness. "Make sure you get it all out first before planting [native plants] - it will regrow from any tiny rhizome left," they warned. "Ask me how I know… lol it's a horrible invasive. I had to brush herbicide onto the leaves after it came back in my newly planted beds."
One person shared another approach. "I'm smothering mine with a tarp and/or wood chips and then digging it all out and sifting to remove the roots," they said.
Another had a slightly unconventional but even lower-cost method. "I have a groundhog who loves the stuff!" they enthused. "He leaves my veggies alone, so we have achieved a kind of equilibrium. Invite some groundhogs over for a party!"
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Mowing the lawn 🏡 Eradicating stubborn invasives such as this one may be labor-intensive, but it's worth the effort. Invasive plants terrorize beneficial native species, hogging resources and throwing entire ecosystems out of whack.
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Conversely, when a rewilded yard is able to thrive, it's both easier and cheaper to maintain than traditional grass — not to mention more varied and beautiful.
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