Now that your spring bulbs are well established and your other perennials are growing quickly with the longer days and warmer temperatures, gardeners should look for the reappearance of those two villains, the Scottish broom and Daphne laureola. You may well have removed the broom years ago but their seeds will lie dormant in the ground for years and germinate on their own schedule. In our own garden we have had to remove broom annually even after painstakingly covering an infected area and apparently removing all visible seedlings!
There are many different kinds of Daphne. Many are grown for their richly scented flowers, deer resistance and evergreen foliage. However, they are not to be confused with the Daphne laureola, an invasive poisonous plant, often allowed a second chance in the garden because of its attractive foliage.
Both of these invasives have to be removed in their entirety. They have long tap- roots and are consequently difficult to pull out. If you need help, the Garden Club's 'extractagator' is available for the purpose. This is a simple but very effective tool. It can be loaned for a few days, for a small donation, from the club's Sheila Webster. Email her at: [email protected]. When removing Daphne be sure to use gloves as the sap of the plant is a nasty skin irritant.
