Perhaps May should be Garlic Mustard Awareness Month? With this agressive invasive species just beginning to flower in southern Wisconsin, its clear to see that it is taking over large parts of our landscape. This biennial weed has two unfair advantages over native plants First, it stays green all winter, so in the absence of prescribed fire it can gather resources in late fall and early spring and get a head start on native plants. Its others secret weapon is chemical warfare: garlic mustard releases chemicals into the soil that kill soil fungus. Our native plants rely upon these fungi in a symbiotic relationship in which the fungus help the plants extract nutrients from the soil and the plants provide the fungus with energy in the form of sugars. Without these fungus native plants are weakened and unable to compete with the invading garlic mustard.
We can turn this first advantage into a disadvantage by herbiciding them in late fall and early spring when native plants are dormant, and by applying prescribed fire which kills seedlings and weakens (and sometimes kills) overwintering rosettes. But by mid-May when the garlic mustard begin to flower, the best advice for most people is to PULL! Take a look at the video below and learn more about identifying and controlling this invasive plant.
Wisconsin Family Forests' Garlic Mustard Video
Good Oak News
Monday, May 16, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Madison Conservation Park Tours begin this Wednesday!
Over the past couple years I led semi-regular "Wildflower Walks" throughout the growing season at great natural areas in the greater Madison region. Due to an increasing work load as Grand Pooh-Bah of Good Oak, I've had to put the wildflower walk series on hold for this year.
But if you still want to get out and see some great natural areas, never fear! Madison Parks is kicking off their "Wild Side Tours" Starting this Wednesday at 6:30pm at Turville Park and continuing with tours through spring, summer and into fall. Check out their official announcement below for more information:
Hike Madison’s Wild Side
Conservation Park Tours begin this Wednesday, April 27 at 6:30p.m.
Hike Madison’s Wild Side web: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/parks/conservation/tours.cfm
Madison Parks is hosting free monthly tours of Madison Conservation Parks. The tours are led by a Madison Parks staff member and co-sponsored by the Madison Audubon Society. Each tour will focus on a different park and unique natural feature of that park. Madison Parks has 14 conservation parks comprising over 1600 acres. Each conservation park focuses on the restoration of native plant and animal communities while providing educational areas and opportunities for all.
April 27, 6:30p.m.
Turville Point Park, 1156 Olin-Turville Ct.
Explore this beautiful downtown park and its spring ephemerals
May 4, 6:30p.m.
Heritage Sanctuary, 600 Meadowlark Drive
At peak trillium bloom in mid-May, Heritage Sanctuary is unequaled.
June 9, 6:30p.m.
Kettle Pond, 5808 Old Middleton Road
Explore the restoration progress around this glacial kettle pond.
July 13, 6:30p.m.
Owen Park, 6021 Old Sauk Road
Explore the summer wild flowers and the ponds and their wildlife.
August 6, 8:00a.m.
Cherokee Marsh, Upper Yahara River Tour
Bring your own canoe or kayak and meet at the School Road boat landing
Partnering with the Friends of Cherokee Marsh, the tour will focus on the restoration work on Cherokee Marsh
September 7, 6:30p.m.
Strickers Pond, 7214 Longmeadow Road
Explore another glacial kettle pond and the lessons learned from this restoration project
October 12, 5:30p.m.
Knollwood Conservation Park, 3334 Westview Lane
Enjoy the fall colors, hike on the new “Cannonball Trail” and see the only sand prairie in the Madison Park system.
But if you still want to get out and see some great natural areas, never fear! Madison Parks is kicking off their "Wild Side Tours" Starting this Wednesday at 6:30pm at Turville Park and continuing with tours through spring, summer and into fall. Check out their official announcement below for more information:
Hike Madison’s Wild Side
Conservation Park Tours begin this Wednesday, April 27 at 6:30p.m.
Hike Madison’s Wild Side web: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/parks/conservation/tours.cfm
Madison Parks is hosting free monthly tours of Madison Conservation Parks. The tours are led by a Madison Parks staff member and co-sponsored by the Madison Audubon Society. Each tour will focus on a different park and unique natural feature of that park. Madison Parks has 14 conservation parks comprising over 1600 acres. Each conservation park focuses on the restoration of native plant and animal communities while providing educational areas and opportunities for all.
April 27, 6:30p.m.
Turville Point Park, 1156 Olin-Turville Ct.
Explore this beautiful downtown park and its spring ephemerals
May 4, 6:30p.m.
Heritage Sanctuary, 600 Meadowlark Drive
At peak trillium bloom in mid-May, Heritage Sanctuary is unequaled.
June 9, 6:30p.m.
Kettle Pond, 5808 Old Middleton Road
Explore the restoration progress around this glacial kettle pond.
July 13, 6:30p.m.
Owen Park, 6021 Old Sauk Road
Explore the summer wild flowers and the ponds and their wildlife.
August 6, 8:00a.m.
Cherokee Marsh, Upper Yahara River Tour
Bring your own canoe or kayak and meet at the School Road boat landing
Partnering with the Friends of Cherokee Marsh, the tour will focus on the restoration work on Cherokee Marsh
September 7, 6:30p.m.
Strickers Pond, 7214 Longmeadow Road
Explore another glacial kettle pond and the lessons learned from this restoration project
October 12, 5:30p.m.
Knollwood Conservation Park, 3334 Westview Lane
Enjoy the fall colors, hike on the new “Cannonball Trail” and see the only sand prairie in the Madison Park system.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Just wrote an angry letter to the Arbor Day Foundation:
Dear Arbor Day Foundation,
I recently received a mailer from your organization promising 10 free Colorado blue spruce along with membership. I live in Wisconsin, not Colorado, and blue spruce are not native here as they are in the Rocky Mountains.
Your organization claims to promote conservation and wildlife preservation, yet continues to push non-native trees for landscaping and "conservation" projects. Your distribution of non-native trees ignores the critical need local wildlife have for native plants to provide the resources they need for survival. For example native trees not only provide cover, they also provide fruit, seeds, and host to the local insect species which are the foundation of the diet of songbirds and other wildlife.
For example, you have a picture of an eastern bluebird on your mailer. Eastern bluebirds favored habitat is oak savanna and open oak woodland. How will Colorado blue spruce trees help reestablish this habitat type for the bluebirds? In fact, the bird is landing at its nest hole, in what appears to be a bur oak, bringing to its young a caterpillar that was undoubtedly plucked off of an oak or other native tree. Certainly ANY tree can provide SOME resources for wildlife, but native trees provide a considerably wider range of resources for our local wildlife.
Please do not contact me again until you can offer me hardy Wisconsin oaks, or other appropriate trees native to my region.
Sincerely,
Frank Hassler
Owner/Ecologist
Good Oak Ecological Services
I recently received a mailer from your organization promising 10 free Colorado blue spruce along with membership. I live in Wisconsin, not Colorado, and blue spruce are not native here as they are in the Rocky Mountains.
Your organization claims to promote conservation and wildlife preservation, yet continues to push non-native trees for landscaping and "conservation" projects. Your distribution of non-native trees ignores the critical need local wildlife have for native plants to provide the resources they need for survival. For example native trees not only provide cover, they also provide fruit, seeds, and host to the local insect species which are the foundation of the diet of songbirds and other wildlife.
For example, you have a picture of an eastern bluebird on your mailer. Eastern bluebirds favored habitat is oak savanna and open oak woodland. How will Colorado blue spruce trees help reestablish this habitat type for the bluebirds? In fact, the bird is landing at its nest hole, in what appears to be a bur oak, bringing to its young a caterpillar that was undoubtedly plucked off of an oak or other native tree. Certainly ANY tree can provide SOME resources for wildlife, but native trees provide a considerably wider range of resources for our local wildlife.
Please do not contact me again until you can offer me hardy Wisconsin oaks, or other appropriate trees native to my region.
Sincerely,
Frank Hassler
Owner/Ecologist
Good Oak Ecological Services
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Garden Expo Hand-Outs
For those of you who were not able to get a hand-out at my talk today, or want to share the information with a friend, the links below will take you to PDF files that you can download.
Native Plants for Any Garden Plant List
Native Plants for Any Garden Slide Hand-Out (10.1 MB)
Gardening for Life by Doug Tallamy
Native Plant Sources for Southern Wisconsin
Native Landscaping Resources: Books and Websites
We are continuing to have technical difficulties with the Native Plants for Any Garden presentation, but as soon as they are rectified we will post them up here so that you can see images of the plants along with the listing.
Enjoy,
Native Plants for Any Garden Plant List
Native Plants for Any Garden Slide Hand-Out (10.1 MB)
Gardening for Life by Doug Tallamy
Native Plant Sources for Southern Wisconsin
Native Landscaping Resources: Books and Websites
We are continuing to have technical difficulties with the Native Plants for Any Garden presentation, but as soon as they are rectified we will post them up here so that you can see images of the plants along with the listing.
Enjoy,
Friday, February 4, 2011
Come See us at the Garden Expo
We will once again have a booth at the Wisconsin Garden Expo coming up February 11th, 12th and 13th. We'll be at booth number 231 so stop by to say "Hi" to Frank, Allison and Andrew.
Frank and Allison will be giving four talks during the Expo, including:
Think Spring!
Frank and Allison will be giving four talks during the Expo, including:
- Weeds and Invasive Plants in Our Landscape at 9am on Saturday
- Benefits of Landscaping with Native Plants at 2pm on Saturday
- Native Plants for any Garden at Noon on Sunday
- Benefits of Landscaping with Native Plants at 2pm on Saturday
Think Spring!
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