Scotch broom, that highly invasive plant with the pretty yellow flowers is about to start blooming.
The Comox Valley chapter of Broombusters invites you to join them in clearing broom from our parks, greenways, and other public spaces.
Why cut Scotch broom? Unfortunately if left unchecked broom quickly take over, choking out native plants. Mature plants can produce over 20,000 seeds so the best time to cut the broom is while it is blooming and before the seed pods form. The plants will die in the summer鈥檚 dry heat. It is important to cut the broom right to ground level to keep the stock from re-sprouting. Only tiny broom should be pulled. Pulling larger broom can disturb the soil, which can stimulate the fallen seeds from previous years to germinate.
Community cuts are work parties where volunteers come together to cut broom in a specified area and are a good way to learn proper cutting technique before cutting on your own. Community cuts are also a great way to get to know your neighbours and your local parks, to pitch in and even have fun! Some volunteers like it so much that they even start to cut broom on their own, whenever they have a free hour or so, and take on a park or walkway in their neighbourhood.
The first community cut for the year will be held on Saturday April 29, from 9:30 a.m. 鈥� noon by the Hardy Road parking lot for Seal Bay Park.
Further community cuts will be advertised on the Broombusters website , or contact Bev at cvbroombusters@gmail.org for more information. New volunteers are always welcome so come and join us and help to make the Comox Valley a broom-free area. We have loppers and secateurs 鈥� all you need is your enthusiasm and a pair of work/gardening gloves.
Broombusters is a B.C. registered non-profit society dedicated to raising awareness of Scotch Broom and inspiring action. They work in partnership with Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, and the CVRD and community cuts are held in areas that have been prioritized by the various municipalities. The cut broom is either hauled away or chipped on site.
