Lake Huron Coastal Centre Coastal Restoration Technician Holly Westbrook says now is an excellent time to check your garden for invasive species.
Westbrook says this is the time of year when the invasive species pop up in a garden and she says the first step in dealing with them is identifying the invasive species you're dealing with.
Westbrook says anyone who has questions about a native species in their garden can call the Lake Huron Coastal Centre for help in identifying the plant.
“There's a few invasive plants that could irritate your skin if you pulled them. That's why it's a good idea to double check with that identification, make sure you know what plant you're working with, report that plant and then once you know what the plant is then you can go ahead and deal with the invasive plants on your property," Westbrook said.
Westbrook also says we'll never get ahead of the problem if we continue gardening with those invasive plants.
“A lot of the invasive plants that we see introduced and spreading throughout the shoreline you can buy at your local nursery and garden centre, things like Periwinkle, Lily of the Valley or English Ivy," Westbrook noted.
Those plants are being sold at garden centres and planted along the shoreline but they are very aggressive plants and they will spread wherever then can.
Also, Westbrook adds there are several resources online, including the Lake Huron Coastal Centre, to help people with planting native plants that won't threaten the shoreline.
