What’s the best way to eradicate garlic mustard - Ask Extension
What’s the best way to control and eliminate the garlic mustard weed?
Knowledgebase
What’s the best way to eradicate garlic mustard #799804
Asked July 07, 2022, 7:39 AM EDT
What’s the best way to control and eliminate the garlic mustard weed?
Kalamazoo County Michigan
Expert Response
it would be helpful if you could attach a few photos of the entire area to this message -- would that be possible? It really helps our experts provide a better recommendation/response.
Here are some photos
I have a write-up on garlic mustard that I'd like to share. I think it will cover all the bases; I bolded a couple special notes based on your photos. If you have questions, please write back or email me directly at <personal data hidden> and I'm happy to help.
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a biennial, non-native, invasive plant species in the Mustard family. It was introduced from Europe as both a medicinal plant and for erosion control. Garlic mustard out-competes and displaces native species in forest understory plant community.
Plant description
As a biennial the plant lives for two years, producing a basal rosette of leaves in the first year and then an erect, flowering stalk in the second year. Plants in the rosette stage can be 2 to 8 inches in height with few to many leaves. These leaves appear somewhat round, heart to kidney-shaped, with toothed to lobed leaf margins. Leaves of the flowering plant can be different shapes depending upon where it is found along the stem. Lower flowering stalk leaves can appear much like the rosette leaves, but usually have a bit more coarsely toothed leaf margins. Upper leaves are almost triangular with pointed leaf tips and coarsely toothed margins. All the leaves of garlic mustard are typically deep green in color and glossy. Flower stalks can reach approximately 40 inches in height. White, four petaled flowers are found in clusters at the end of stems. Seeds are produced in long, narrow capsules. Reproduction occurs only by seed and not vegetative means. Garlic mustard can be easily distinguished from other plants by its white flowers and deep green, glossy, triangular-shaped upper leaves.
Control
Garlic mustard can be controlled in a number of ways, depending upon the size of the area affected.
For small infestations, plants can be pulled or dug from the soil. It is important to try to pull out as much of the root as possible to avoid resprouting and truly eradicate the population. During the removal process, it is important to the dispose of any upright plants with or without flowers, green seed capsules, or mature black seeds in plastic bags sent to the landfill. These materials should not be composted to prevent the spread of seed to new areas. Depending on the area infested, mowing or weed whacking may be helpful in suppression particularly for upright, second-year plants. Repeated removal efforts will likely be required. **Note, if you are trying to keep desirable plants in this area then this is the safest option. I see there are some ground covers and other things in the photos**
For larger infestations, herbicides may be required. A number of herbicides can be effective for garlic mustard control, including glyphosate (active ingredient in Roundup Weed and Grass Killer, though many generic products are also available) and synthetic auxin type herbicides. Care should be taken when applying herbicides in forest edges or understories as these herbicides will also harm native plant species.
Repeated applications of herbicides will most likely be required. Always read and follow labeled directions.
Resources
Garlic mustard. MI Department of Natural Resources (2018)- https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/-/media/Project/Websites/invasives/Documents/Best-Control-Practices/BCPs_Garlic_Mustard.pdf?rev=10496ec9b09d471facd8ad3eca4691cd&hash=11F37721ADA0990ACAF972CC83E0910E
Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas
Find out if resources or expertise on invasive species management is available in your areas by visiting their site and finding the contact for your county/area.
https://msugis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=6b7f263e19a046d5b48da223bc4db99b
(interactive map)
-or-
https://www.michiganinvasives.org/
Report Invasive Species via Midwest Invasive Species Information Network
https://www.michiganinvasives.org/report/
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a biennial, non-native, invasive plant species in the Mustard family. It was introduced from Europe as both a medicinal plant and for erosion control. Garlic mustard out-competes and displaces native species in forest understory plant community.
Plant description
As a biennial the plant lives for two years, producing a basal rosette of leaves in the first year and then an erect, flowering stalk in the second year. Plants in the rosette stage can be 2 to 8 inches in height with few to many leaves. These leaves appear somewhat round, heart to kidney-shaped, with toothed to lobed leaf margins. Leaves of the flowering plant can be different shapes depending upon where it is found along the stem. Lower flowering stalk leaves can appear much like the rosette leaves, but usually have a bit more coarsely toothed leaf margins. Upper leaves are almost triangular with pointed leaf tips and coarsely toothed margins. All the leaves of garlic mustard are typically deep green in color and glossy. Flower stalks can reach approximately 40 inches in height. White, four petaled flowers are found in clusters at the end of stems. Seeds are produced in long, narrow capsules. Reproduction occurs only by seed and not vegetative means. Garlic mustard can be easily distinguished from other plants by its white flowers and deep green, glossy, triangular-shaped upper leaves.
Control
Garlic mustard can be controlled in a number of ways, depending upon the size of the area affected.
For small infestations, plants can be pulled or dug from the soil. It is important to try to pull out as much of the root as possible to avoid resprouting and truly eradicate the population. During the removal process, it is important to the dispose of any upright plants with or without flowers, green seed capsules, or mature black seeds in plastic bags sent to the landfill. These materials should not be composted to prevent the spread of seed to new areas. Depending on the area infested, mowing or weed whacking may be helpful in suppression particularly for upright, second-year plants. Repeated removal efforts will likely be required. **Note, if you are trying to keep desirable plants in this area then this is the safest option. I see there are some ground covers and other things in the photos**
For larger infestations, herbicides may be required. A number of herbicides can be effective for garlic mustard control, including glyphosate (active ingredient in Roundup Weed and Grass Killer, though many generic products are also available) and synthetic auxin type herbicides. Care should be taken when applying herbicides in forest edges or understories as these herbicides will also harm native plant species.
- Bare ground and spot treatments
- Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide and will kill or severely injure most grass and broadleaf species with which it contacts the foliage, injured bark, and/or exposed roots. This type of product is appropriate for bareground areas and spot treatments. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup Weed and Grass Killer, though many generic products are also available.
- Lawns and other all grass environments
- Synthetic auxin herbicides are selective, killing/injuring broadleaf species but not grasses as listed application rates. Some of these products are prone to off-target movement through drift, volatilization, and water movement, so the label should be consulted for appropriate applications conditions and methods.
- 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba- Often these are found in combination with eachother in various products for home lawns (e.g. Scott’s Turf Builder Weed and Feed, Preen Weed Control, Scott’s Liquid Turf Builder, etc. )
- Triclopyr (e.g. Ortho Weed B Gon Chichweed, Clover, and Oxalis Killer)
- A preemergence product to prevent emergence from seeds in the spring and/or fall may also be helpful in a lawn situation. These products are granular and marketed for crabgrass prevention. They include active ingredients such as dithiopyr, pendimethalin, and prodiamine (e.g. BioAdvanced Crabgrass killer for lawns, Scott’s Turf Builder, Vigoro Crabgrass Preventer & Lawn Fertilizer, etc.) **This could be useful in your area (even though it is not a lawn) if you are not intending to plant anything desirable from seed**
- A few products that combine both the synthetic auxin control and the preemergence control include Preen One Lawncare and Preen Weed Control plus Crabgrass Preventer.
- Synthetic auxin herbicides are selective, killing/injuring broadleaf species but not grasses as listed application rates. Some of these products are prone to off-target movement through drift, volatilization, and water movement, so the label should be consulted for appropriate applications conditions and methods.
Repeated applications of herbicides will most likely be required. Always read and follow labeled directions.
Resources
Garlic mustard. MI Department of Natural Resources (2018)- https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/-/media/Project/Websites/invasives/Documents/Best-Control-Practices/BCPs_Garlic_Mustard.pdf?rev=10496ec9b09d471facd8ad3eca4691cd&hash=11F37721ADA0990ACAF972CC83E0910E
Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas
Find out if resources or expertise on invasive species management is available in your areas by visiting their site and finding the contact for your county/area.
https://msugis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=6b7f263e19a046d5b48da223bc4db99b
(interactive map)
-or-
https://www.michiganinvasives.org/
Report Invasive Species via Midwest Invasive Species Information Network
https://www.michiganinvasives.org/report/
