with Kim Eierman
Ask EcoBeneficial!
Helpful answers to readers' questions. Go ahead – just ask EcoBeneficial
Question:
We have quite a bit of Jimsonweed in a garden within a public park that our organization maintains. Using RoundUp is out of the question. Are there any ways to remove it organically?
Answer:
Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) is an introduced weed, often classified as a noxious weed or an invasive plant, depending on the state. It is a prolific annual that can produce as many as 30,000 seeds per plant. For more details on the plant,…
Question:
What are the benefits of Jimsonweed? Are there any virtues to this plant? It seems to be a common, aggressive, but interesting “weed.” I’d like to keep some of it and mix with other beneficial plants in the New York area.
Answer:
I think that all plants have some virtue, but are always best sited in their native range. Even Japanese Knotweed has some virtues – in Japan. New York beekeepers often tell me how great the late-season nectar of Japanese Knotweed is for their honey bees….
Question:
Is organic fertilizer harmful to pollinators, especially my fave, bumble bees? My husband bought this stuff and I don’t know if it is harmful to bees, or not. I want to help save our precious pollinators.
Answer:
Thank you for keeping bumble bees in mind in your vegetable garden. Note that tomato plants are self-fertile, but their pollination will be far more successful with the assistance of bumble bees – resulting in more fruit for you to enjoy. Bumble bees are incredibly effective pollinators of tomato plants,…
Question:
I have a couple beds of Ninebarks and Viburnums and they’ve been there about two or three years. So I’m thinking it’s time to create a living mulch around them. Can you recommend a few plants for ground cover that have ecological benefits, and will fill in around these shrubs? I live in south central Illinois.
Answer:
You are a step ahead of many gardeners by contemplating living mulch ground covers instead of an endless expanse of shredded bark or wood chips. …
Question:
What are some native, deer-resistant flowering perennials for wet meadows in the Northeast?
Answer:
As you likely know, no plant is deer bomb-proof. In the absence of adequate forage, deer will browse just about anything. Young fawns and does may nibble on plants that make them sick, as they have not yet figured out the menu.
Here are some typically deer-resistant, native flowering perennials suitable for wet meadows or landscapes with moist to wet soils. Make sure that your deer get this list!…
Question:
I understand that berries of some winterberry cultivars may be too big for birds and may have less nutrition. Should I buy winterberry cultivars? I am in Maryland and have not seen the straight species anywhere. Will deer browse winterberry?
Answer:
I prefer to use straight species plants whenever possible, thinking that Mother Nature really does know best and provides the best resources. We lose some genetic diversity when we rely upon cultivars and favor our own aesthetic tastes. Sometimes our selections (i.e….
Question:
Some areas near me have added native plants to their gardens and I want to demonstrate to the residents how much of an impact they have had on the environment in doing so. Do you know of a resource that could explains which specific animals/birds/insects are supported by specific native plants?
Answer:
You definitely have the right idea in trying to show how important native plants are to wildlife (and to us humans!). I call it “connecting the ecological dots.” …
Question:
It’s September and I’m noticing a lot of bugs on my Butterflyweed. What are they and should I do anything about them?
Answer:
Your Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) has a robust population of two types of insects, commonly found on milkweeds – Oleander Aphids and Large Milkweed Bug nymphs. They are just some of the amazing variety of insects that use milkweed – it’s a micro food web. A terrific little book was written about these many insects: Milkweed,…
Question:
My clients want to leave their landscape natural, to support wildlife, but don’t want it to look like a mess. Help!
Answer:
Thanks for your question. There can be a lot of confusion with clients about native landscapes and what they can or “should” look like. First, as with food labeling, the word “natural” is not really useful. “Natural” is frequently used to describe a landscape that is unmanaged or “let go” such as a turf lawn that has been allowed to grow un-mowed. …