Spraying resprouts; big weekend

This is peak season for spraying resprouts, and Kathie and I have been keeping busy. We worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Amanda has also been working all these days too.

Unfortunately, we still have lots left to spray. If they get ahead of us, the resprouts will be too big to spray without causing damage to nearby "good" plants, and we will have to use different techniques. This week will probably be the last for spraying resprouts.

Our main focus is brambles, but buckthorn, honeysuckle, grape, and sumac are also ready and we are spraying them also. (When we see poison ivy, we spray that also.)

All of the species we are spraying were top-killed during our extensive spring burns. One of the main reasons we burn is so that we can spray resprouts. As the photos show, the resprouts are small and thus can be sprayed without causing much peripheral damage. However, because they are small, they are often hard to find, but the challenge is worth it. As Amanda says, this is addictive work because it is quiet and easy. We have equipped our Solo backpack sprayers with special shoulder harnesses so that you can carry a sprayer all day long without effort.

Each of us deals with a single unit, starting at one corner and walking slowly back and forth, spraying anything bad. At the same time, you get to see the good plants. Sometimes it is a challenge to spray the bad without hitting the good. A little triage is sometimes necessary. A drop or two of herbicide on a good plant will probably not cause any damage. A casual survey the next day shows that this idea is probably correct. The sprayed target plants will show extensive visual damage, whereas adjacent good plants continue to look fine.

Grape vines are one of the more difficult plants to eradicate when they are larger, as they sprawl all over the area. Thus, spraying resprouts makes a lot of sense. The nice large leaves make them easy to see, and easy to spray.








Buckthorn resprouts are more troublesome, as they are small and often hidden among good things. Because we have been working on buckthorn eradication for so long, we have eliminated the large plants, so most of the resprouts are arising from really thin, short stems. These are often difficult to spot among all the other herbage. In the long run, it is easier to look for the resprouts themselves, such as shown in the photo here.


Finding sumac resprouts requires careful attention, as at present the divided leaves are still small and are close to the ground (photo below). This may not be the best time to spray sumac, and we will definitely have to return in mid summer to deal with those missed, but any sprayed now will not be a problem later.



One of the joys of this work is finding a hidden plant gem. Yesterday Kathie found several plants of a twayblade orchid (probably Liparis liliifolia). This orchid had been reported from Pleasant Valley Conservancy some years ago by Paul Michler, but disappeared. The small population, hidden among a patch of smooth brome, would have been difficult to find if Kathie had not had her eyes focused on the ground. These plants are mostly still in bud, with only a single flower yet open.