I've got a forested area behind my house that's become overrun with invasive plants like garlic mustard, creeping bellflower, and big root geranium. Right now, there's a drought making everything dry out. I'm wondering how effective it would be to scatter seeds of native plants or wildflowers in the fall. Will that help combat the invasives?
2 Answers
It could be worth a try, but don't get your hopes too high for great germination rates. A lot of native plants tend to just coexist with invasives instead of actually outcompeting them. Plus, some invasives aren’t aggressive competitors; they just thrive in places they shouldn't. Seeds are pretty budget-friendly, so I often practice chaos planting. Sometimes nothing pops up, but other times I get some nice surprises!
You might want to consider disturbing the soil first. This helps the seeds establish better, giving them a chance to survive without being immediately outcompeted by the invasives. It’s a crucial step!