Invasives Don't Care About Your Property Lines — But You Should!

When I first moved to Hinesburg, I had a pretty idyllic vision: wide-open countryside, chirping birds, and a landscape bursting with native Vermont wildflowers. What I didn’t expect? A full-blown invasion. And no, I’m not talking about zombies or aliens. I’m talking about invasive plants.

I quickly realized that my 3.6 acres — in what I thought was “pristine country” — was overrun. Garlic mustard? Check. Creeping Charlie? Oh yes. Purple loosestrife, dame’s rocket, honeysuckle, poison parsnip, rose rugosa, barberry, knapweed, and Asian jumping worms? Sadly, yes to all of the above. It was like a botanical reality check. I used to think my land didn’t matter because in the grand scheme of things, it’s a drop in the bucket.

But the thing is, Invasives don’t respect property lines. They don’t see a neat little fence and decide to stay on their side. They spread fast, and they don’t wait for anyone’s permission. And here in Vermont, where most land is privately owned, it really is up to us — individual landowners — to be the stewards of our soil.

The state simply doesn’t have enough public land for large-scale efforts to make a dent. That means it’s on you and me to preserve what’s native, protect our ecosystems, and give local wildlife the habitat it needs to thrive. It might not be the sexy garden you envision but the work is so important that you definitely deserve a gold star if you care enough to roll up your sleeves and get to work eradicating them.

Here’s what I did — and what you can do too, even if you’re just starting out:

1. Identify what’s growing.
   I spent my first year just observing and identifying what was on the land. (Pro tip: there's an app for that — several, actually.)

2. Make a plan.
   My plan included removing invasives (as much as humanly possible) and encouraging natives like sumac, ghost pipe, reishi, Joe Pye weed, boneset, goldenrod, and grapes to spread.

3. Add more good stuff.
   I still want to add milkweed, native bee balm (the purple kind!), black-eyed Susans, and woodland phlox. Bit by bit, it makes a difference.

4. Don’t discount the naturalized friends.
   Not everything in your yard needs to be strictly native to be pollinator-friendly. Plants like Queen Anne’s lace, fleabane, and chicory are technically non-native but have naturalized and help support local bees and butterflies.

5. Don’t fall for marketing ploys and tricks. Stick with the real deal natives, not the cultivars or “nativars” available at green washed gardening stores and big box stores. Dealing with the small farms, like Riverberry Farm in Fairfield is a very safe bet. Gardener Supply? Not so much.

The Bigger Picture

At my in-laws' place above the Lake Iroquois fishing access, poison parsnip is already creeping into the wetlands. I’ve seen Japanese knotweed invading the shoreline on the Hinesburg side — and believe me, knotweed is no joke. It causes erosion, disrupts bird and fish habitats, and once it takes hold, it’s incredibly hard to remove.

As someone who finds daily joy in watching hummingbirds, blue herons, loons, and even the occasional hawk in the skies above my garden, the idea of those ecosystems getting choked out is heartbreaking.

It’s Not Hopeless — It’s Just Time

This isn’t about guilt. It’s about knowledge. Once you know what’s going on under your feet and in your hedgerows, you can start to take little actions that ripple out into big impacts. Rewilding your land, even a little at a time, is one of the most meaningful things you can do.

So if you’re wondering whether your yard matters — it absolutely does. You don’t need to be a botanist or a conservationist. You just need curiosity, a shovel, and maybe a pair of gloves.

Let’s keep Vermont wild — the right kind of wild.