Native Restoration Force

Native Restoration Force Restoring Middle Tennessee’s Urban Forests

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08/13/2026

Today I was in a forest that is a textbook example of what happens when invasive garden center plants (vinca minor in this case) escape cultivation.

08/12/2026

This week I’m out working on a creek bed restoration project and there are lots of invasive Mimosa trees that we want to get rid of to make way for new native understory trees. Mimosa, like Tree-of-heaven, can respond to cutting by aggressively sending out suckers from its roots, so it’s best to kill it first.

Hack and sq**rt method:
Make 1 downward cut (roughly 45 degree angle) per inch of diameter using a hatchet, then immediately spray the cut with a concentrated herbicide (I prefer a 1:1 mix of Triclopyr 3 and water, but you could also use concentrated glyphosate).

08/06/2026

You’ve asked, I’ve answered! Here are 3 ways to kill poison ivy (and one way I’d skip).

Option 1: Just dig it out! (I know, I know, that’s not the answer you wanted but it does work and I just like to take a shower in dawn dish soap after).

Option 2: Solarization. (Cover the whole area in clear plastic and stake it down. Leave it for a few weeks and let the sun bake it).

Option 3: Use herbicide selectively! There is no product that will kill poison ivy without harming any other plants, but you can be targeted in your application to kill only the unwanted plant while protecting surrounding flora.

I’d skip the natural alternatives like salt and vinegar as they are ineffective at killing the plants roots and ultimately do more harm to soil health and microorganisms!

And if you don’t feel comfortable using herbicides yourself, then contact a licensed professional! Native restoration force is a licensed, bonded, and insured herbicide applicator serving Middle TN and we specialize in being selective!

08/05/2026

A lot of folks asked me to share the difference between box elder and poison ivy! While box elder grows to be a tall tree the young saplings can look quite similar to a poison ivy vine. You can quickly tell the difference by using this trick!

08/04/2026

Today I’m talking about winter creeper’s shrubby cousin - burning bush (Euonymus alatus). This is an invasive shrub that is popular as a landscape plant due to its fiery red fall foliage. Like other invasive plants it often escapes cultivation and ends up in wild spaces where it crowds out beneficial native flora. Don’t plant this stuff.

08/03/2026

“Leaves of three, let it be” is a common phrase used to identify poison ivy, but there are lots of plants with three leaves!

In this video I share some tips for how to more accurately identify the infamous plant and also how to tell it apart from one commonly confused plant - Virginia Creeper.

07/29/2026

Kill your English Ivy vines before they kill your trees!

07/27/2026

What makes a plant invasive? There’s no simple definition, but here a 5 things that may cause a plant to be labeled as invasive in your area:

1. It is non-native (not all non-native plants are invasive, but all invasive plants are non-native)
2. Lack of local predator or competition (there’s nothing to keep it in check)
3. Aggressive spreading (usually due to some genetic advantage)
4. Causes material harm (economic or ecological damage)
5. A committee of people say so (differs by state in the US)

07/27/2026

Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) is an invasive tree in Middle TN. Despite it’s name it is not a true Mulberry tree and in fact doesn’t produce a berry at all! It’s aggressively spreads in forested areas and outcompetes native plants. If you’re looking to remove it, then it’s important to understand that it can aggressively sucker from its roots when cut. I recommend using a “hack and sq**rt” method to kill the plant before cutting it. For smaller plants you could also consider a basal bark application.

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Nashville, TN
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