Frequently asked questions
What is a weed? Wrong plant in the wrong place
Broom does not belong here - not native, invasive and crowds out everything else
Poison oak is native
But most people don't want it near their house
Native blackberries
Himalayan blackberry is always a weed. Our native berry, Rubus ursinus, has a weedy habit but it is a wonderful habitat plant in the right place - and the berries are delicious
What kind of landscape consulting do you do?
I advise on landscaping projects whose aim is to enhance our local ecosystem. Our specialty is combinations of mostly native plants with non-natives to make a landscape that meets your needs and fits into the ecology of our area.
Our major concerns are:
- water use
- weed management
- habitat enhancement
- pollinator and insect-friendly practices
Why focus on this?
Non-native invasive plants are a threat to our local ecosystems. They crowd out native plants which support a vast array of native insects and pollinators which are facing an historic crisis.
But it is difficult:
How do you stage this? What do you do first?
Are there ways to make this easier?
Are there ways to reduce the recurrence of these weeds?
What do you do first?
How do you know what comes back isn't worse?
Here removal of a massive thistle stand reveals thousands of broom seedlings (but they will not flower for a couple of years)
What if we find something rare?
If I don't know what it is, I will figure it out
Are there ways to make this easier?
Work with the biology of the plants. For example, mow or weed-whack when flowers are forming to prevent seeds from maturing.
Understand the system
After soil is disturbed it rapidly loses the microbial support system that keeps native plants happy. Allowing native plants to grow, even "weedy" species, helps heal the soil more rapidly.
Understanding this dynamic is critical to a successful landscape project.