One thing I see frequently both at home and at work is garden plants that have escaped from the garden and spreading into other areas where they are not wanted. There are several ways that they can spread to areas outside the garden, just as other plants get into your garden without the ‘consent’ of the gardener. There are also ways to slow down this process for some plants, but for most plants, there is no reason for them to escape into the wider environment.
These plants can escape the garden in many ways. Seeds can be spread by the wind (like dandelion seeds), water, be spread after being eaten and attachment to clothes or animal fur. Some plants can also spread by growing new plants from sections of the original plants-just like my echeverias that I have propagated. These plant sections, whether leaf, stem or root sections can grow new roots and from there whole plants. These plants can be removed or moved by animals or humans-there are many people who really don’t mind dumping garden waste over the fence, no matter where that happens to be and plants can spread from there. Plants can also spread by producing runners or stolons-creeping under a fence can be easy for some of these plants!
While some plants can be harmless when they escape the garden, there are some that have become problem plants that are weeds in bushland and abandoned urban areas. So how can garden escape be prevented?
A lot of the prevention means getting out in the garden and doing some gardening. To prevent the seeds from spreading in the first place, it’s better to stop the seeds being produced in the first place-as soon as you see flowers dying, take them off the plant where possible (also gives the advantage of more flowers).
Plants that can spread by stolons (like some grasses) or runners (like strawberries) need to be stopped before they get spreading out of control. Keep things tidy-lawns mowed and garden beds grass free by removing it as you find it (or any other stoloniferous plants), and for any plants growing new little plants anywhere, remove them if you don’t want them (and put them in the compost or green waste bin).
It also helps to have some knowledge on the plants you grow in your garden. How big do they grow, how do they propagate themselves and when and the conditions in which they thrive and your experiences caring for your garden plants all help you to manage your garden to prevent escapees.
Preventing plants escaping the garden is important in preventing them becoming problems out in the wider environment, whether in urban or rural areas. Plants have many methods of spreading whether through seeds, runners or by plant parts being dumped somewhere inappropriate. To help prevent this happening, ensure you keep your garden tidy and prevent plants from getting out of control and you will go a long way in preventing garden escapes from occurring!