October
2006
Attack Of The Morning Glories
Question:
Dear Yard Diva,
I have a problem with morning glory taking over my yard. For years we have tried to get rid of it but have had no luck and every year there is more and more. It has taken over my entire back yard! What can I do?
Theresa Gardner
Langley, BC
Answer:
Hello Theresa,
Morning Glory is a very invasive plant, so my first piece of advice is do not compost it! Put the pieces you have pulled out into your household garbage and send it away.
Our back yard composters use a ‘passive’ method of composting which means that our piles never get hot enough to kill invasive weed seeds or root systems. So by composting Morning glory or any invasive plant you will simply be transplanting the problem into other parts of your yard via compost.
Starving the plant of sunlight may be the only good organic way to get rid of the invasion. Clear out an area to work with by stripping it of any vegetation. Don’t keep any of the plants unless you thoroughly remove all the dirt from the root system and rinse it clean. Place a layer of cardboard on the area taping off any seams. Cover the cardboard with thick black plastic and begin to rebuild your garden on top of that. The thicker the soil on top of the plastic the better.
Now, you may think that this is an expensive task! Not so. Cardboard in large pieces are easy to find in a dumpster. Go to places that sell motorcycles or any large pieces of equipment and they will be happy to let you take the cardboard home with you. Also, in keeping with the Recycle Reuse system you can get the best plastic for free!
Ever see those large white bags in farm fields? This white material is black on the inside and very strong. The plastic is non-recyclable and farmers pay to have the used plastic removed from their property.
So, visit your local cattle or dairy farmer and ask if you can pick through their pile of used plastic for your garden. Unless you run into a grumpy farmer your request for the plastic will be a welcome one with the words “Take all you want!” And they may even add “Tell your fiends too!”
Just remember to be respectful and keep the stereo to a dull roar while working in the farmers yard. I haven’t met a farmer yet who enjoys the sound of AC/DC while working in the barn. Not to say there isn’t any, but it’s best to clear that with him/her first. You get the picture, I’m sure.
For those of us who do not have morning glory on our property, let this be a warning. Any plants bought at yard sales, community plant sales, given by a friend or any origin where the plants are not grown in sterilized soil BEWARE!
If you need to have a plant that is only found outside your local nursery then make sure you remove the plant from it’s container, wash off the root system well and discard the soil and pot that the plant came in.
Great Question Theresa!
The Yard Diva
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