Every year, around this time, all those yellow flags – those scotch broom flowers – come out to wave. Next will come the seeds and, next year, more scotch broom. There are noxious weeds and then there’s scotch broom. Now is an excellent time of year to get serious about reducing the amount of scotch broom on your property.

So, responsible rural property owners want to know: What makes scotch broom so bad?

Scotch broom is a prodigious seed producer. The seeds have hard coats enabling them to survive in the environment for up to 80 years. Once established, scotch broom forms dense brush fields over six feet tall. The brush fields diminish habitat for grazing animals, such as livestock and native animals. Areas of dense brush shade out and kill native grassland plants in invaded areas, and favor invasion by other woody, non-grassland plant species.

Scotch broom prevents reforestation, creates a high fire hazard, renders rangeland worthless and greatly increases the cost of maintenance of roads, ditches, power and telephone lines. Wildlife suffers as the growth becomes too dense for even quail and other ground birds to thrive. Being slightly toxic and unpalatable it is browsed very little by livestock.

If you cut your trees, so that a lot of sunlight reaches the ground, you’ve probably now got scotch broom to cut.

How do you eradicate scotch broom?

There are two schools of thought, those who say pull out the whole plant and those who will tell you, if you’re clever and your timing is right, all you need are a pair of lopping shears.

From the School of Pulling Out the Plant, we get these instructions:

Pull out the entire plant, including roots. When the soil is moist, small plants can be pulled easily by hand. Winter and spring are good seasons to do this.

Larger plants must be removed with a tool such as a Weed Wrench. Be sure to remove the entire plant. Broken stems re-sprout and are much harder to remove for the next person. Plants can be left where pulled.

One of the benefits of being a member of the Griffin Neighborhood Association is members can rent our Weed Wrench.

Not yet a member of the GNA? Dang, what are you waiting for?! Click here to join online.

From the School of Cutting Broom in Bloom, we get these instructions:

First, cut broom in bloom. Use loppers or small saws and cut broom right at ground level.

Broom puts all of its energy into making flowers. If you cut it while in bloom, it will most likely die in the summer’s dry heat.

If you have to make a choice, go after single plants and small infestation to prevent its spread.

If the broom is huge, cut off as many of the branches as you can. If the broom is small and not blooming, you can return and cut it next year when it blooms.

It is most important to not let the broom go to seed! Cut before June 17 (this date is from Vancouver Island’s “BroomBusters” web site, so it’s probably earlier, down here in the South Sound).

CUT DOWN ALL YELLOW FLOWERS so that they can not turn into seeds. Each scotch broom plant can produce 2,000 to 3,500 seed pods – which burst open, shooting seeds into adjacent soil. If you cut them while in bloom – no seeds!

HERBICIDES applied in the spring when new leaves are present are another effective control tool, but always remember to read the labels carefully and exercise extreme care when applying chemicals, especially near waterways.

DO NOT BURN SCOTCH BROOM! When exposed to fire, its seeds burst from their seedpods. Also, the smoke from burning scotch broom is actually toxic and may seriously irritate the respiratory tracts of you, your family, or your neighbors.

TAKE SCOTCH BROOM TO THE DUMP. The best way to get rid of scotch broom, once it is cut, is to take it to Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center.

The Thurston County Noxious Weed Control Agency offers the following information and services to the public: Educational presentations, plant identification especially those that may be noxious weeds, consults on your property, prescriptions for specific noxious weed problems and what the county approves for its own use, free disposal of designated noxious weeds at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery centers, and limited use of a manual removal tool called the wrench. Also available are many informational brochures and pamphlets as well as several videos.

So, responsible homeowner, get out there and cut your scotch broom!

This month the Science Café of Olympia takes on the topic of “Radiation Basic through Spent Nuclear Fuel.”

When: 7:00 pm, Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Where: Batdorf & Bronson Coffee House, 516 Capitol Way S. Olympia, WA, phone (360) 786-6717.

Batdorf & Bronson has three locations in Olympia. Science Café meets at the downtown coffee house on Capitol Way.

On-street parking is available on Legion, Capitol Way, Columbia Street, and Water Street. After 6 p.m., parking is available at Heritage Bank on Columbia Street between 5th and Legion.

Against the backdrop of global climate change, nuclear power has come back into the public consciousness. While there are many aspects to this discussion, the single most challenging issue, both politically and technically, is spent nuclear fuel. Using spent nuclear fuel as a context, we will discuss radiation and radioactive material, and their effects on people and the environment.

Our presenter this month is Mike Brennan. He has been a Radiation Health Physicist for the State of Washington Department of Health for 19 years. He is a retired US Navy Lieutenant Commander, having served in the submarine community for 20 years. He has a degree in Nuclear Engineering and a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Washington.

Coming in June: “The Science of Brewing Beer” by Adam Orrick, Brewmaster, Grove Street Brewhouse.

We welcome comments and suggestions on topics, speakers, and how we can improve our meetings. Also, please feel free to pass this notice on to like-minded friends.

Science Café of Olympia provides an informal atmosphere where people both with and without scientific background can meet to gain a better understanding of interesting topics in science and technology. After a brief presentation by an expert in the field, the meeting will be opened to discussions. Science Cafés are found nationwide and are loosely affiliated with the U.K.-based Cafe Scientifique, an international organization promoting public engagement with science. The Sciencecafes.org website is produced by the Science Unit of WGBH in Boston in association with Sigma Xi. Support for Science Café of Olympia is provided in part by the Puget Sound Chapter of The American Chemical Society.

For more information, visit these web pages:
http://www.sciencecafes.org/event_pages/olympia.html
http://www.cafescientifique.org/

We thank Batdorf & Bronson and its staff for welcoming us to their delightful gathering spot.

Washington Sea Grant is offering “Shellfish in Your Front Yard,” a day-long workshop that will teach participants to identify, cultivate and safely harvest shellfish on their beaches.

This free workshop is scheduled for Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.at Griffin Fire Department Headquarters, 3707 Steamboat Loop N.W., Olympia.

Participants will learn about the biology of bivalve shellfish, which shellfish grow best on their beach type, and various methods for enhancing tidelands with clams, oysters and mussels. The workshop will also focus on ways to protect water quality so that harvested shellfish will be safe to eat.

Workshop instructors include local shellfish farmers and Washington Sea Grant staff. The workshop will feature classroom and on-the-beach activities. Participants should bring sack lunches, wear mud boots or beach shoes and dress for the weather.

Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, contact Teri King or Janis McNeal, Washington Sea Grant, at wsgcanal@u.washington.edu or 360-432-3054.

Funding for the Bivalves for Clean Water program is provided in part through EPA Grant Number C9-00044905 to the Washington Department of Ecology from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of Ecology allocates and administers funding for this project. Based at the University of Washington, Washington Sea Grant provides statewide marine research, outreach, and education services. The National Sea Grant College Program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S.Department of Commerce. http://www.wsg.washington.edu/

A free, two-part workshop begins this Thursday evening and concludes on Sunday afternoon. The workshops are geared to folks living along the shore, to help them better understand shoreline processes and what they can do on their homesites to help protect both their property and Puget Sound. The workshops will be led by experts in coastal geology, shoreline vegetation, and Puget Sound ecology.

An evening “Shoreline Living” workshop on Thursday, April 22 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. will cover topics such as: tree maintenance for slope stability and views; site assessment & planning tools; understanding your shore’s natural processes; best plants for your shoreline and how to maintain them; and guidance for tackling projects on your own & when to call in experts.

Thursday evening’s workshop is held in the Thurston County Courthouse complex, Building 1, Room 152.

For more hands-on learning, participants can attend an optional field day on Sunday, April 25 from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. at a local private shoreline residence. The residence is located on the east side of Eld Inlet, near The Evergreen State College.

• 12:30-1:30 p.m. site assessment and coastal geology characterization. This is an opportunity to learn more about coastal geologic processes and the best practices to ensure a stable bank or bluff.
• 1:30 to 4 p.m. planting workshop. Participants will learn how to plant live stakes and other native plants to protect their shorelines.

Both events are free and include many resources for participants, but advanced registration is required by contacting WSU Extension’s Native Plant Salvage Project at nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com or 360-867-2166.

Help us to promote this event! Click here to download a copy of the flyer, to give to a neighbor or friend.

The workshops are sponsored by the Russell Family Foundation, Puget Sound Partnership, Thurston County Stream Team, Sound Native Plants, and Clear Choices for Clean Water campaign.

Griffin area residents join with others throughout north Thurston County this Saturday, April 3, to collect food and cash donations for the Thurston County Food Bank. Please stop by the Island Market, between the hours of 11 AM and 5 PM and make a donation. This is a holiday weekend and a perfect time to remember the many children, families and individuals who are struggling in these difficult times.

Island Market
Saturday, April 3
11 AM to 5 PM

Food Donation Ideas:

• High protein food such as canned chili, peanut butter, beans, or canned meat.
• Pasta and Macaroni and Cheese.
• Canned fruit and vegetables.
• Soup.
• Baby Food and Formula.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables that store well in a refrigerator.

Cash and checks are greatly appreciated, too.

The Food Bank will receive a certain percentage of matching funds from the Feinstein Foundation for any monetary donations made this weekend. SEE YOU AT THE ISLAND MARKET THIS SATURDAY!