Amelanchier Princess Diana

GardenKim: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - May

However, within this all lurks a bit of evil. Masses and masses of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), a noxious weed, introduced from Europe and threatening native plants throughout the Midwest. And I do mean masses. In clusters together, between the other plants, Best controlled by pulling, which when at flowering height is easy. However, lurking below millions and millions of tiny seedlings. I've read a single plant can produce 50,000 seeds, seeds that remain viable in the soil for 6 years. Garlic Mustard plants are alleopathic producing chemicals in the soil that inhibit the growth of other plants. And so I pull.....and pull and pull. At times frustrated by the sheer numbers. Knowing I will have to remain vigilant all summer as additional plants reach flowering maturity. But also knowing that if I prevent the creation of new seeds, I'll eventually get ahead of this scourge - at least in my small patch. And that with each plant I pull, I'm handing just a bit of the edge back to Mother Nature, and the plants she put in this space.

Micropropagation of Amelanchier x Grandiflora "Princess Diana" in a semi-automated culture system

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