Volunteers Sought to Clear Invasive Garlic Mustard from Robbinsdale Parks
Garlic Mustard Plagues At Least Two Robbinsdale Parks
Robbinsdale is asking for volunteers to help the city remove the invasive garlic mustard plant. The fast-spreading, non-native weed has already impacted several city parks.
One of the parks impacted is Sochacki Park, described as an urban oasis filled with an abundance of greenery. Another is Lakeview Terrace Park.
Robbinsdale city forester Stephan Papiz says garlic mustard spreads quickly because one plant produces hundreds of seeds.
“Once these seed pods mature, any animal that walks by, the seeds scatter, they just kind of explode as animals, humans whatever are brushing up against the plants,” explained Papiz.
Garlic mustard is currently growing in abundance at Sochacki Park.
Papiz said the aggressive weed is capable of decimating native vegetation. It invades woodland areas and takes over.
Typically, spring is the best time to remove the invasive plant. Still, with our delayed season and rain, Papiz says now is the perfect time to eliminate it.
“The goal is to pull it out by hand before the seeds mature and they disperse themselves in July and August,” said Papiz. “The goal is to pull up the plants, you exhaust the seed source, but that takes a number of years.”
Robbinsdale is looking for volunteers to pull out the problematic plants.
