After discovering some invasive plant species in a local pond, a woman decided to take matters into her own hands. She grabbed a pair of hedge shears, jumped in her fishing canoe and cleared the invasive plant from the water.
Christine (@cpurdygo) shared her efforts on TikTok, and many commenters applauded her efforts.
“Dealing with another invasive species,” she shared, showing a patch of brush toward the far corner of the pond. Tall vegetation covers a large portion of the pond.
“Reeds,” she marked.
Phragmites australis, also known as common reed, is an aggressively growing invasive plant that can outgrow native plants in terms of water and nutrients. It extends outward horizontally through a dense network of roots and rhizomes, and vertically – up to 15 feet tall.
The weed also releases chemicals through its roots that hinder the growth of surrounding plants.
The creator explained that because the pond was home to many fish, turtles, and frogs, she didn’t want to risk using herbicides to control weeds. She opted for manual removal, cutting the stems below surface water.
Christine dragged two boats of reeds from the pond and panned the camera to a back corner where she discovered the invasive plant species.
“It looks like I didn’t do anything,” the creator points out, suggesting that the invasive species has spread out of control.
Some invasive species are particularly difficult to eradicate. Planting native plants in your backyard may help reduce the amount of land available for invasive plants to take root.
Native plants are also easier to manage than invasive turf, which requires constant lawn work and watering. By using native plants for landscaping, homeowners can save time and money on weekly lawn maintenance and water bills.
Native plants are an important part of a healthy ecosystem, providing food and shelter for local wildlife while attracting pollinators to your yard. Pollinators support plant reproduction—including human food crops—and protect the human food supply.
Replacing invasive lawns with native grasses such as buffalo grass and clover may provide similar benefits.
“You’ve accomplished so much!” one user commented.
“Do it, ma’am,” another added.
“Take it!!!” wrote a third commenter.
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