Arboretum staff are currently applying woodchip mulch to areas newly planted over the last few years, as well as established plantings that are prone to drying out in the summer. Mulch also improves soil structure and fertility, promoting good root growth, further strengthening plants against drought and other stress. Weed control is another important way to conserve soil moisture, as heavy weed growth can compete with landscape plants for water. The winter mulch will also help suppress spring weed growth. It is an invasive, non-native plant, which threatens many natural environments as well as cultivated landscapes.
English ivy spreads easily and creates a dense layer of foliage.
Coniferous and deciduous seedlings cannot establish, and the natural succession of forests is halted. When left to grow up tress, it can stunt growth, and the added weight increases the likelihood of storm damage. In gardens and landscaped areas, ivy can smother out desired groundcovers and shrubs, as well as climbing up trees. English ivy is an evergreen vine with glossy green leaves. Juvenile leaves have three to five lobes.