3rd Annual Weed Out at Mary Knoll Park May 5th

A message from Patty Gerner, affectionately known as the "Garlic Mustard Lady".
Brookfield is having its third annual garlic mustard "WEED OUT" on Saturday, May 5th at Mary Knoll Park from 9:00a.m. - noon, rain or shine.

Our efforts are making a big difference! Patty Gerner and her family have been working at Mary Knoll Park since 1997 and have partnered with the City of Brookfield, Boy Scout Troop 23 and our new partner, the Brookfield Central Key Club o this event. Please join with friends and neighbors for a nice morning removing garlic mustard in the park and to make this year's Weed-Out a success!

With your continued help, we can maintain control of garlic mustard and perhaps even expand to improving new areas in the park. The work isn't hard and there are no mosquitoes yet. At the same time, you'll enjoy an amazing variety of spring wildflowers and other native plants in a natural setting.

Gary Majeskie, Parks and Forestry Superintendent, will be available to help volunteers identify weeds.

For more information on garlic mustard, refer to the city of Brookfield website.

Bags will be provided and volunteers are encouraged to bring water and to wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, sturdy shoes and garden gloves.

Mary Knoll Park is located at 615 S. Sunnyslope Road. Follow the entrance road to the tennis courts. Please call 262-796-6675 to volunteer. Registration is not mandatory, but if gives us an idea of how many volunteers to expect. Patty Gerner

Garlic mustard is an unattractive plant with tiny white, 4 petal flowers. They can grow quite tall, 2 - 4 feet, and are often seen in huge clumps or drifts. If left unchecked, they will choke out all other plants.

Firmly grab the plant where the stem meets the root and pull slowly out. Try to get as much root as possible. Dispose of in trash! Do not compost because the seeds will survive. I never had garlic mustard in my yard until I added some top soil to my flower beds and new mulch beneath my trees.
Garlic mustard leaf: Note the serrated edge and wide gap where the leaf meets the stem. Don't confuse Garlic Mustard (weed-above) with Wood Violets (wild flower-below).

Wood Violets: Note the even, rounded, scalloped edge and narrower space where the leaf meets the stem. Violets do not grow off of a central stem as garlic mustard does, nor do they grow very tall. A large violet would be 7 inches tall.

















If in doubt, break off a leaf, tear it apart and smell it. If it smells like garlic or chives, it is garlic mustard! If it smells like fresh greens or leaf lettuce, it is a violet.

Weed control links: garlic mustard and garlic mustard's pretty cousin, Dame's Rocket. (It can take over native areas too.) Garlic mustard should be thrown in the trash--do not compost!

LINKS:Practically Speaking, Betterbrookfield, Brookfieldnow, Brookfield7,