Invasive Plant Management

We manually remove invasive weeds based upon seasonal expectations, rather than just adding you to a schedule. There is no eradicating invasive plants. The goal is to manage invasive plant species to allow our native species an opportunity to prosper. 

Why manual removal?

Glyphosate
Glyphosate is non-selective, weed-killing chemical (found in Roundup®) and many other weed killers. It will kill most plants that don't have taproots and extensive perennial root systems. For other plants, it usually causes surface damage. Products containing glyphosate may cause eye or skin irritation, and high does are considered probable human carcinogens. Glyphosate binds tightly to soil and can persist in soil for up to 6 months, and can inhibit the growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi.

Triclopyr
Triclopyr is used to kill plants with extensive root systems. The ester in Triclopyr isn't water-soluble and can be transported to the sediments. In areas experiencing erosion, this is a risk for fish and aquatic invertebrates. The residues can persist in fruit, so there's a potential for long-term exposure to animal species that eat wild fruit. Triclopyr soil residues can cause damage via root uptake to non-targeted vegetation. It also can inhibit the growth of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Studies have produced conflicting results on the toxicity of triclopyr in humans. Garlon 3A® can cause severe eye damage to both humans and wildlife.

 

Frequent Invasive Removals:

English Ivy (winter removal) (click to schedule maintenance visit)

Vinca Minor (winter removal)

Bamboo (spring & summer)

Japanese Honeysuckle (ALL YEAR OH MY GOODNESS!!!!)

Shrub Honeysuckle (All year)

Oriental Bittersweet (spring & summer)

Lespedeza (Uggg whenever we see it!)

Bermuda Grass (Spring)

Porcelain Berry Vine (spring & summer)

Stilt Grass (spring & autumn before seed set)

Tree of Heaven (September. Triclopyr needed in some cases)

Mimosa (spring)

Autumn Olive (spring & summer)

and MANY MORE!

 

Clean-up Vs Maintenance Visit:

*A maintenance visit takes 3 hours with a 2 person team, while a clean-up typically requires 1 - 5 days and 3 or more people

*Clean-ups are expensive, averaging $3k per day.

*Maintenance is inexpensive $369 per visit

Click here to schedule a maintenance visit

 

What We Don't Do:

*We haven't been able to acquire magic wands to make every weed in your yard disappear

*If you can't weed it in 2 hours solo, we can't weed it in 3 hours

*We don't weed in dog poop

 

References: 

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

 

Please don't blame us for your weeds. We didn't put them there.