Today I went to see Japanese knotweed battles in the DeBoville Slough in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Friends of the slough organize four volunteer work parties per year and this was the last one. So I walked up to the deserted sign in tent and signed two waivers. Then I picked up a plastic bag and went out to make some new friends.
The very first person I talked to knew me from her strata complex. I gave her some advice when her front rhododendron was obviously suffering from lace bugs.
Knotweed
I know Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed) all too well. It’s a nasty invasive weed and it’s everywhere. It spreads through rhizomes and it’s best to call or click before you dig.
Of course, there can’t be any digging by a slough and chemical sprays are also out of the question. So volunteers cut out whatever they can. Allegedly, fall is a great time to attack knotweed because removed canes won’t transfer any energy back down to the roots. The canes would do this if they were allowed to turn brown and die.
So we snipped out the canes and two Vietnamese boys packed them into plastic bags. Since they were too young to sign their waivers and their parents were far away they weren’t allowed to handle sharp loppers.
The slough
The pathways along the slough are fairly busy. You will see wildlife. I understand that there are turtles in the water; and the yellow water lilies are way past their best stage. Additionally, logs installed in the water benefit the turtles. The turtles hop on so they can enjoy the sun!
Located right next to the slough are fields of blueberries which attract black bears to the area when the berries are in season. If you look past the blueberry fields you will see the new Burke Mountain development.
I joined the group on one detour. We went off the dyke to a place where native plants were installed some years ago. For example, plants like Red twig dogwoods, hawthorns and roses.
Once I hit the two-hour mark I had to go home. And it was a great way to spend two hours on a sunny Saturday. I visited a new area, helped with knotweed removal and met some new people.
