Landscape Invaders

Controlling unruly weeds isn't just about making your landscape look pretty. It's also a great way to help out plants that are native to your ecosystem.

Controlling unruly weeds isn't just about making your landscape look pretty. It's also a great way to help out plants that are native to your ecosystem, and as a result, to help your environment. How's that? Read on to learn about controlling invasive weeds.

INTRUDER ALERT

An invasive weed is an aggressive, unwanted plant growing in an ecosystem where it doesn't belong. Some invasive weeds have been around for a long time — like common buckthorn, which was brought to the United States from Europe over a hundred years ago.

ECOSYSTEM MALFUNCTION

So what if some weeds come from somewhere else? The problem is that invasive weeds push out native plants, and that can royally screw up ecosystems.

Imagine a native plant that's a favorite snack among animals. Then, along comes an invasive weed. It elbows the native plant out of the picture, and all of a sudden the animals have nothing to eat. Then, the animals that eat those animals have nothing to eat. You get the picture. It's not pretty.

HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE INVASIVES?

Every invasive weed requires its own removal strategy, but these three basic steps are a good place to start.

Identify them
First things first — you've got to know which weeds are invasive. Check out this database of invasive weeds to figure out which are prevalent in your area. Some of the most common invasive weeds in the United States are buckthorn, English ivy, and kudzu.
Stop them
Once you've identified invasive weeds, treat them with Roundup® Weed & Grass Killer products. Look over this helpful article to learn which product is right for your job.
Replace them
To keep invasive weeds from coming back, you'll want to plant something native in their place. This helps protect the space from future invasion, and supports your local ecosystem.