Garlic mustard is a Michigan non-native plant that turns up all over the state. It out-competes native plants with its prolific number of seeds, blocking nutrients for surrounding species. While edible for humans, the weed is not eaten by other mammals or insects.
To keep Garlic mustard from smothering so many other plants, Mid-Michigan parks and nature areas are organizing the Garlic Mustard Challenge for tomorrow and Thursday. The “Golden Bag Award” will go to the nature center whose volunteers can remove and bag up the most Garlic mustard during the two day competition. Current State's Peter Whorf joined Harris Nature Center coordinator Kit Rich in Meridian Township in search of the not-so-elusive weed.