Butterfly Land will be an oasis of caterpillar host plant species and nectar-rich plant species that caterpillars and adult butterflies depend on.
The War on Japanese Knotweed
Currently, it hosts the most aggressive and largest strand of Japanese Knotweed. The Knotweed is spreading towards adjacent and nearby properties, including the back of Wild Wonder. It is the biggest threat to Wild Wonder Garden. It is a particularly noxious invasive species because it is allelopathic. It poisons the soil with chemicals that kill other plants without affecting other Japanese Knotweed. A successful invasion usually results in monocultures, because this plant is the only plant that can grow in the new poisoned environment. Additionally, it grows voraciously via its rhizomes (an underground stem that can grow roots or shoots).
The recommended way to get rid of the Japanese Knotweed is by cutting stems close to the ground and applying glyphosate herbicide onto freshly cut stems. The herbicide is then absorbed by the plant and is taken down into the roots, where it does its magic. Herbicide application works best during early and late summer. Spraying definitely worked; knotweed shoots and leaves were sickly and diseased with irregular coloration and shape. However, we decided to take a more organic approach and decided to do what we know works: smother the knotweed extensively, with multiple and heavy layers of cardboard and mulch to completely block sunlight access. The dense thicket was cut back and trampled, and multiple layers of cardboard & mulch was spread across new and dried up shoots. In later months and years, we frequently “patched up” spaces where the knotweed was able to pierce through the cardboard with considerably more materials. This lot is currently undergoing sheet mulching and is expected to see some native transplants from Wild Wonder Garden in 2026.
Sickly Knotweed post herbicide application
The largest strand of Japanese Knotweed in the Potter-Walsh Neighborhood
A special Thank You to SK Tree Service, who donated multiple loads of woodchips but unfortunately got heavy machinery stuck in the muddy soil.
A second vehicle stuck…
The excavator saved the day and pulled both stuck vehicles out with ease.
After the space was clear, we focused on cutting back all the knotweed and smothering it with many layers of cardboard and mulch. Patch work will happen indefinitely!
