It’s Time to Pull the
GARLIC MUSTARD! OUTDOOR LIVING
Dr. Carla Gull blogs at www. insideoutsidemichiana.com and hosts the podcast Loose Parts Nature Play. She is often seen with her four adventurers in the greater Michiana area. Aliens among us? Yes, even in our local plant world there are plants that do not belong disguising themselves as spring foliage.
THE BAD NEWS
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a non-native invasive plant prolific this time of year. It can easily overtake an area, spreading quickly along a forest edge or disturbed area. It can invade forested areas as well, which few nonnatives do. Each stalk can produce 600 or more seeds, so one plant equals significant impact. The dense plots of garlic mustard choke out native plants in that area. Seeds are viable for over 5 years. Additionally, chemicals from the plant alter the soil nearby, making it harder for other plants to grow in that area.
THE GOOD NEWS
Garlic mustard is really easy to pull! And, it is edible, with a slight garlicky taste! While easy to pull at the base of the plant, be sure to get at least the upper half of the root. Pulling before seeds develop is essential or we become part of the spread of this invasive plant. Keep revisiting the area yearly, pulling for at least 5 years or until it no longer reappears.
IDENTIFICATION
Garlic mustard is a biennial. That means it has two stages of growth over two years to produce seeds. The first 6 inMiddlebury Magazine | MAY 2022
Top - Pull at the base of the long, second year stalk to get the roots.
Second - First year growth with more rounded leaves—these are great to eat! Third - The heart shaped, pointy leaves and white flowers indicate second year growth. Bottom - Easily pull garlic mustard to fight this invasive species!
year, it is lower to the ground, with round shaped leaves with scalloped edges. Crushing the leaves will yield a garlicky smell. The second year, the plant gets taller with pointy heart-shaped, serrated leaves and small white flowers. Seed pods usually develop in June—do not pull when seeds are present.
DISPOSING OF GARLIC MUSTARD
Unfortunately, garlic mustard needs to be bagged and put in the garbage or burned. Seeds can still develop after the plant is pulled so composting and other methods of disposal help it spread.
EATING GARLIC MUSTARD
Garlic mustard does have a garlicky taste. The first year leaves are typically the best to eat. The young leaves can be added to salad, made into pesto, sautéed as a green, added to soup, or used as a seasoning.
BE A GARLIC MUSTARD CRUSADER!
While garlic mustard is an invasive plant, we can do something about it. Identify garlic mustard in the two stages and pull it up when you walk past it and throw it away. As a community, we can work toward healthier habitats by being vigilant around garlic mustard every spring.
