Garlic Mustard Flower Invasive in the Home Garden
In this post I share about the Garlic Mustard Flower I have all over my Spring Garden. It was fun to do a little research and asking around about this plant. What is A Weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable or wrong place. Plants unwanted in human-controlled settings, such as farm fields, gardens, lawns, and parks did you know many of the plants we call weeds didn’t start out as a weed? This will really make you think twice before planting that new variety a friend gave you. Seriously, I have learned over the years do to research plants before adding them to my landscape or flower beds. Today’smystery weed is the Garlic Mustard Plant. More About The Garlic Mustard Flower According to a few edible plant sites the lowers can be chopped and tossed into salads. The roots can be collected in early spring and again in late fall, when no flower stalks are present. Garlic mustard roots taste very spicy somewhat like horseradish. In the fall the seed can be collected and eaten. Personally after pulling these plants out of my landscape this Spring I have no desire to eat them. Chemicals in garlic mustard are toxic to the larvae of the native butterflies. The roots exude a chemical that inhibits other plants from growing, and it can grow in full sun or full shade, making it a threat to a wide variety of our native plants and habitats. according to the soil and water conservation district site. Each plant can produce over 5,000 seeds. Identifying the plant is easy. Garlic mustard also has a distinct “s” shaped curve at the base of the stem GET IT OUT It is best to get down on your hands and knees and pull this plant out before it flowers. I actually burn mine in the bonfire pit in the spring so the seeds don’t get spread. Herbicides can be used for large infestations, but should be used very cautiously to avoid damage to desirable native vegetation. Spray applications that kill the native vegetation in areas where garlic mustard has gone to seed in prior years will only result in less competition for the garlic mustard that germinates the following year Let’s Connect I hope you find this post useful or at least you know now what the mustard weed is. Please be sure to leave a comment on this post. I look forward to hearing what you have to say about this plant. Happy weeding,
