Free a Tree

One Small Thing is a continuing series of actionable steps you can take to help restore ecological balance in your own backyard.

Winter is a time when many gardeners take a step back from outdoor chores and hole up inside poring over garden catalogs. Yet when it comes to invasive plant eradication, winter can be an ideal time for work. You won’t have to worry about ticks, mosquitoes or other biting insects, nor will you have to deal with oppressive humidity or temperatures. And if you’re like me, you may often feel overwhelmed by all that needs to be done in spring, so getting a jump start on some of those tasks can be very satisfying.

Here in Connecticut, you can count on there being at least a few winter days in the 40s or even 50s − ideal temperatures to work in. Of course, for safety reasons, a lack of snow cover is also preferable.

Now is a good time to cut back larger woody invasive shrubs or vines like burning bush, Asiatic bittersweet or multiflora rose. (Digging or pulling out smaller invasive seedlings by hand when the ground is not frozen is a good idea.) With foliage being largely absent in winter, you can more easily see what’s growing where; you may even discover valuable trees being choked by vines that were obscured by vegetation the previous season.

Some invasives, like English ivy and winter creeper, remain green all year long, so vines like these are easy to spot. Using a pruning saw, loppers are another hand tool, you can cut these vines at their base. Be sure to remove any remaining berries or fruit from invasive plants to reduce the number of new seedlings in the spring. Then you can feel comfortable throwing your cuttings in a brush pile to provide cover for wildlife.

Certain invasives like autumn olive, buckthorn, Japanese barberry, bittersweet and Japanese honeysuckle can be treated with an herbicide like oil-based triclopyr in temperatures down to about 20 degrees using a cut-stump or basal bark treatment immediately after cutting. (A water-based herbicide like glyphosate will not be effective in temperatures below 45 degrees.)

Of course, foliar sprays will not be effective either since there is no foliage now, but you can apply a small amount of herbicide with a small, disposable paintbrush or dauber bottle to the just-cut stump, or paint the herbicide completely around the lowest portion of the branches to prevent resprouting in spring. The added bonus of doing this now is that there will be no harm to foraging insects.

If you have limited time – like a single warmish day with a forecast of prolonged bitter cold to follow − it’s a good idea to prioritize protecting your native trees. After all, it has likely taken them years to reach their current size. If your property is woodsy, take some time to inspect your trees and cut back and treat any sneaky vines wrapping around their trunks. It’s best not to yank vines off your trees as it could damage their bark. As long as the vines are cut, it’s safe to let them gradually decompose in place. In addition to vines, large, branching invasive shrubs can stunt the growth of small trees by competing with them for sunlight. I have been shocked at how quickly an invasive vine like wisteria can kill an evergreen.

So bundle up and head outdoors to assess – and then tackle – invasive plants on your property.