biological control of garlic mustard

17 years ago

Does anyone know the status of contemporary research on biological control of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)?

This plant is an diabolical horror, and will essentially run my life for the next ~5 years as I try to eradicate it from my property. I see little hope for our forest lands and its native plant life unless large scale biological control is implemented. Ditto on Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), which might even be worse than garlic mustard, if possible.

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Comments (9)

aka_peggy
17 years ago
Turbo, it breaks my heart. I'm not aware of any biological control for garlic mutard to date.

I'm not familiar with Japanese stiltgrass.
aka_peggy
17 years ago
Turbo, I read that; "Plans for research on biological control are currently underway at Cornell University, but funding is still being sought at this time." Very sad.

I found the information in the link below from Michigan State on biological control.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garlic mustard
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Continuously mowing or weed-wacking Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) will eventually exhaust the plant. You can also smother using cardboard and organic layers, especially if you'd like to make a new garden bed at the same time. Burning is a successful control, although I don't know how many people are able to do burns like that on their property. Also, although I am an organic gardener in every other respect, there are rare cases where pesticides are warranted (IMO and of course used according to instructions). I use herbicides judiciously to control some of the worst non-native invasives such as Garlic mustard, Buckthorn, Oriental Bittersweet, etc. Round-up can be used on Garlic mustard. Here's a good article by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. Here is a link that might be useful: Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
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I actually liked the flowers a few years back...before I realized they were taking over the world. I dont know of a better way than pulling it out. I've pulling since the ground thawed. I dont know if it re-grows from broken taproot left behind. I guess I'll find out soon. Last summer I tried to break off all flowers I saw so at least there were no new seeds formed but I think I already have plenty. I've made this my next 10 year project. My tai chi instructor eats the new leaves but I'm not impressed with the taste. I'll try to find out what the theraputic value is.
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"I like to believe that each person can decide for themselves whether or not a plant in a given situation is threatened to a point that it would be more beneficial to move it than to leave it where it stands, whether it is in a park or on a roadside or any public property. " A roadside is not punblic property. I think it would be of interest that in many cases when only a single individual of a plant species exists that plant is left as undisturbed as possible and is propegated instead of moved, because even then moving the plant is not more beneficial (indeed, probably worse) to leavin it. Those singular individual plants in question are not, however ignored. By looking at that example, NO plant is 'threatened to a point that it would be more beneficial to move it than to leave it where it stands' unless imminent destruction in the near future is likely due to human activites. Therefore in almost any surcumstances leaving the plants is definatly the better option, but some site care such as checking and removing all weeds in the vicinity of the plants is vastly better than moving them. Also, if you cant do that site maitence (for example, not on your land)your probably not supposed to be moving plants from there anyway. Unless you have premission of course, preferably permission to maintain the site. A roadside planting is most likely secure, and with the wildflowers and garlic mustard, perirodic weeding in the imidiate vicinity of the plant population may be all that is required for the long-term presistance of that population. It is interesting to note that in certain curcumstances (for example, native wild plants transplanted to a neatly kept garden) the population of transplanted plants are unlikely to survive in the long-term because they may not reproduce. While the individual transplanted plants may survive, the establishment and long-term presistance of a self-supporting population in in doubt, altough it can and does happen, it might just as easily not because of many subtle variables affecting the growing site means establishment of said transplanted plants might be in unlikely. Without long-term presistance of a self-supporting population, it, in my mind atleast, not a resce in the sence that these plants have been removed from a population that probably needs all the individuals it it can get, and presistance in the wild is far more important, ecologicly speaking, than presistance in cultivation. Note: the terms Establishment and self-supporting population does not just mean that the species sometimes reseeds itself, altough that is a important factor in the process. In the case of this garlic mustard weeding within the viicinity of the plants on a regular basis would probably ensure theri survival in the short term, altough their long-term survival may be in doubt because, lets face it, you wont be there forever to weed. WHat might work is if you suceed in reducing garlic mustards population density in the area.
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nywoodsman
17 years ago
I have noticed a desease preventing GM from flowreing on my property.Some years its more prevalent than others.I don,t know if its fungal or viral.It causes the plant to crumple up at the growing tip.I though of taking the affected plants,crushing them up and spraying them around on unaffected plants,but i was able the clear GM from five acres by hand.So its possible to do if you focus your efforts.Weed wacking makes things worse.
davidl_ny5
17 years ago
Cripes! Is the Cornell project being held up for lack of funding! Let's take up a collection, quick! I've been waiting for them to get the beetles that will eat this stuff for us.
jclark42
17 years ago
Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd pop my head in for a second and say hi.. My wife and I are fighting the GM as well here in CT. Unfortunately, I guess we're not alone.. After 1/2 a day of pulling and bagging the stuff this past weekend I felt like I needed a support group.

I thought we made pretty good progress last year- we pulled most of the bittersweet and multiflora, and started on the GM. We're beginning to see a lot more native woodland plants in our wooded areas. This year there's been an explosion of Jack in the Pulpits, trout lily, and Trillium as compared to last year. This year the GM has come back with a vengeance, in different areas. In some of the areas it's infested it's the only thing growing on ground level.

Speaking of biological controls- do deer eat GM? One difference between this year and last is the complete absence of deer. The past few years we've had a herd of 5-10 that always walk through the yard, devouring almost everything in their path. This year, the deer have mysteriously disappeared, but the GM has gone wild. I'm not suggesting deer are a good control, don't get me wrong :) I'm just wondering if they eat GM.

Also, in response to nywoodsman's post, I've seen somethign similar on our GM. Maybe 1 or 2% of the plants I pull look sickly, the leaves are blackened and withered, and the flowers failed to bloom properly. Maybe this is similar to what you are seeing. I should snap a few photos so we can compare notes.

Good luck everyone, keep up the fight.

-Josh-

(preparing to tackle the knotweed this weekend before it destroys our driveway)
ahughes798
17 years ago
Blue fescue will control GM, it cannot grow through it. The blue fescue is then easily burned off after it is done "working."

The Conservation District are releasing a bug that eats only GM in Glacial Park.
aka_peggy
17 years ago
Josh, you and your wife have my sympathy. Every year in April my friend and I go into the woods hunting for morel mushrooms. Every year the GM and the multiflora rose gets worse and worse. In time we won't be able to find the morels...or the orchid's, trilliums, etc. It's so dishearthening that I don't enjoy going anymore.

I visited a friend last week that lives in a beautiful older neighborhood with large manicured lots. Growing right by the entryway was a stand of GM. I asked her if she knew what it was and she said no but she found it growing in her back yard and re-planted it there. Even after I told her what it was she still wanted to keep it. Thankfully her husband reached over and yanked it. She's not the only person I've met who "loves the way it looks" and has planted it on purpose. Unfortunately deer will not eat GM.

April, a bug that eats GM? That's exciting news!!
davidl_ny5
17 years ago
nywoodsman said:
"I have noticed a desease preventing GM from flowreing on my property.Some years its more prevalent than others.I don,t know if its fungal or viral.It causes the plant to crumple up at the growing tip."

If you have this again this year, and it seems to impede the growth of the plant, you should let the people working on it know. My wife inquired of Virginia Nuzzo (think you can find her on Google) about an odd leaf pattern we were seeing, but that did not seem to affect growth. But Ms. Nuzzo made a very nice reply, offered to look at it if we sent a sample, and said she'd really be interested in checking out anything that was really having an effect on the plants. If you see it again and get a sample, you should report it.
davidl_ny5
17 years ago
Oops! Victoria Nuzzo is the correct name

Here is a link that might be useful: Victoria Nuzzo's Page

biological control of garlic mustard

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