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How Caring for Invasive Plants Can Benefit Your Garden:
Invasive plants often get a bad reputation because of how they compete with our local ecosystems but with the right approach of care, we can control these plants and utilise their benefits.
Mint (Mentha):
How to control mint:
- Plant in containers - growing mint in a pot or container can help control the root growth of the plant, preventing it from spreading too far
- Pruning - regular pruning to control its height and remove flowers to decrease the spread of seeds
- Remove new seedlings - remove new seedlings from the pot from the root to stop the plant from growing too much
- Consistent watering - mint plants like moist soil but do not overwater them as this will cause waterlogging
Benefits of mint:
- Culinary - widely used in cooking and drinks to enhance flavour in food such as salads and teas
- Medicinal - used to relieve indigestion, nausea and headaches
- Nutritional - source of vitamins A and C, iron and calcium
- Decorative - used for luscious green ground coverage adding to the beauty of gardens
Aloe Vera (pictured above):
How to control aloe vera:
- Potting - aloe vera can also be easily controlled by planting in pots or containers
- Pruning - regular pruning can decrease the volume of the plant
- Avoid overwatering - aloe vera prefers drier soil and infrequent watering, overwatering can lead to root rot
- Sunlight control - place in bright, indirect sunlight
- Temperature - aloe vera thrives in warm temperatures and should be protected from cold temperatures and frost during the winter
Benefits of aloe vera:
- Medicinal - aloe vera is known for soothing properties and the gel is used frequently for treating burns, and inflammations and in cosmetics such as face masks and moisturisers
- Decorative - used in many houses as a way to fill in the space of living rooms and kitchens
- Nutritional - source of vitamins A, C and E and magnesium, calcium and zinc
- Air purification - helps improve indoor air quality by filtering out certain toxins
English Ivy (Hedera helix):
How to control English ivy:
- Manual removal - pull up roots of English ivy, it may take a few tries as ivy can be relentless
- Plant in pots - pots or containers can help control the root system from spreading
- Pruning - controls the direction of where you want the ivy to grow, try to cut off flowers to prevent the spread of seeds
Benefits of English ivy:
- Ornamental - aesthetically pleasing when used to decorate fences and walls
- Erosion control - it has a dense root system which helps prevent soil erosion on slopes and embankments
- Medicinal - it is less common now but it is traditionally used to help with coughing
- Bee attractor - English ivy flowers in late summer so it helps sustain local ecosystems by attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I believe we can help incorporate these plants into our local ecosystems which are invasive, with the right care, they can help strengthen the biodiversity of our area and have lots of benefits for us.
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