06-12-15 Field Note

06-12-15 Field Note

June 12, 2015

Jeff Clarke's field note shows leafy spurge, virgin's bower clematis, swallows, and swallowtail butterflies.

Spurge study, virgin’s bower, swallows, rhubarb, swallowtail

Leafy spurge is a rhizomatous invader. This is a cause for concern when planted spurge study plots border native study plots. In an effort to keep the invader from influencing adjacent plots, the crew dug 20” trenches around all 32 spurge plots and buried a metal barrier. Spurge on the outside of the barrier will receive herbicide.

Chris Keyes from the University of Montana grew hundreds of virgin’s bower clematis from seed collected on the ranch; we planted them along the orchard fence last spring. This year the vines grew outward along the ground and weeds grew up and around them. Notice the buried clematis in the red circle.

This week the crew removed the weeds that once choked the clematis and laid weed fabric to prevent them from coming back. We also tied the vines up on the fence with string. Some of the plants already touch the top of the six foot tall fence!