In Japan, knotweed is eaten as a leafy green when it has first sprouted. In Vermont, there are no natural controls for the plant and it grows rapidly and indiscriminately, crowding out native plants.

With roots that can run 10 feet deep and a zombie-like afterlife, knotweed is a difficult invasive to control.

Each week, Charlie Nardozzi joins Vermont Public’s Mary Engisch for a conversation about gardening, and to answer your questions about what you're seeing in the natural world.

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Some garden plants grow quite large and take up lots of space, like cucumbers and pumpkins. But summer squash — like zucchini and yellow crookneck — can be grown vertically if you have limited real estate in your garden.

Go vertical to save space when growing summer squash this season

Their heady fragrance can transport you; plant tall or smaller flowering shrubs for color and scent all season.

Plant some flowering shrubs close to your house so you can enjoy their color and fragrance for years

The trend of "No Mow May" follows the logic that leaving your whole lawn unmowed for the month can help pollinators. The birds, bugs and bees will use the overgrown weeds and flowers as food and shelter. Instead of doing this for a month then mowing it all down, consider dedicating a small portion of your yard to pollinators for the whole season.

Mow or no? Some lawncare tips to benefit pollinators

This Earth Day, embrace some more Earth friendly gardening practices, like reusing plastic pots, forgoing pesticides and planting pollinator friendly lawns.

Honoring Earth Day through everyday gardening habits

With bigger and more frequent rain events brought on by human-caused climate change, you can either raise up your garden or try planting things that thrive in wetter conditions.

With roots that can run 10 feet deep and a zombie-like afterlife, knotweed is a difficult invasive to control.

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