CHICAGO — After reviewing viewer emails, this week's episode of “Weekend Gardening” will feature two new topics: garlic mustard and backyard squirrels.
Garlic Mustard
I've had a few emails this season asking about garlic mustard.
The Forest Reserve Program has implemented a thorough eradication program against these invaders.
Garlic mustard is another invasive plant to watch out for. Garlic mustard is a biennial flowering plant with a life cycle that lasts two seasons. In the first year, it grows in a rosette of round leaves close to the ground. Although garlic mustard is in the mustard family, the leaves and plant tissue smell like garlic, which is where the name garlic mustard comes from.
You'll really notice it the second year as the plants grow to 3 feet tall and produce tiny white flowers.
The University of Illinois Extension Service says the rapidly spreading plant threatens wildflowers, tree seedlings, insects, wildlife and future forests.
High concentrations can reduce nutrients and release chemicals that slow the growth of other plants.
It's best to remove the invader as soon as you spot it, especially before the second-year plants start to set seed this month. You'll need to pull it out by the taproot, which usually requires a garden knife or weeding tool. At least half the root must be removed to stop it coming back.
Do not compost the plant material you pull out. If you spread the compost in your garden, the seeds will remain viable and regrow. Believe it or not, throw these in the trash or in your kitchen.
In the second year, the entire plant is edible, especially the stem, which tastes like garlicky mustard, according to the website mashed.com.
And, according to Four Season Foraging, garlic mustard can be used like a scallion by cutting it up and sautéing it, eating it raw, or cooking it in butter.
According to Nature Up North, a website from St. Lawrence University in Canada, garlic mustard is one of the most nutritious vegetables ever studied, but only in its second year of growth.
Important note: In the first year, plants growing close to the ground will have high levels of cyanide and are highly toxic to most vertebrates.
Weekend Gardening: Flags, Fireflies, and Tomato Flower Problems
The problem of tree-eating squirrels
Sarah sent me an email saying she needed help because squirrels were eating her cedar fence.
To be honest, I had no idea that squirrels ate trees such as cedars, and this isn't really a gardening question, but out of curiosity I did some research and thought I'd share my findings with you.
There are a few reasons why squirrels gnaw on cedar fences. First, it helps keep their teeth sharp and healthy. Cedar contains nutrients like calcium and phosphorus that squirrels need for good health.
Experts say they may also chew on trees to mark their territory or to stave off boredom.
When dealing with squirrel infestation, consider using squirrel repellents, installing physical barriers, or pruning overhanging branches to discourage squirrels from entering.
