Bucks for Bellflowers: Calgary man offers cash for bagging invasive plant
A Calgary man is offering a cash reward to neighbours who dig up a bag full of Creeping Bellflower.
Simon Wilson, who lives in West Hillhurst, is paying $5 per garbage bag of the invasive plant, which is overrunning lawns and gardens in the community.
"I started seeing it in my lawn and in our front planter boxes," he said.
"You pick it before it flowers, like you're trying to do the best you can, and then, two months later, the next year, you're like, 'It's on the other side of the lawn now.'
"I found myself becoming more frustrated. Walking around the community, it's everywhere. I thought instead of being powerless to its spread, let's do something as a community."
Wilson has set aside $1,000 to pay West Hillhurst residents for their work, and says he's had two people cash in so far.
"If you show me a picture of a regular household garbage bag, I'll put five bucks in your mailbox."
Wilson says the first two people to take him up on the offer told him to donate the money to the food bank instead of paying them.
Creeping Bellflower has sprouted throughout Calgary, but has yet to flower and seed.Creeping Bellflower, a noxious weed, is seen in a Calgary yard.
Once that happens, each stem of the plant can produce up to 15,000 seeds.
Even getting rid of it before it seeds is difficult, because of the way it spreads.
The Alberta Invasive Species Council website lists Creeping Bellflower as a noxious weed, and says on a fact sheet that digging out as much of the roots system as possible can be successful, but will require "several years’ effort."
"Hand-pulling or cutting and bagging flower spikes pre-bloom can be an option for preventing seed production. However, the plant will re-sprout from its creeping root system."
Adding to the problem is the fact that Creepping Bellflower is a pretty plant when it blooms, and many people do not recognize it as a weed until it’s too late.
Creeping Bellflower is pretty but noxious.The City of Calgary warns that Creeping Bellflower seeds are sometimes even found in wildflower mixes, and says gardeners should check the labels to ensure that those containing the Campanula species do not contain C. rapunculoides.
The city also says you should never place Creeping Bellflower parts in your green compost bin.
Instead, they should be bagged and disposed of in the black garbage bin, so they do not contaminate the city’s composting program.
Wilson says he knows his bounty won’t solve the city-wide spread of Creeping Bellflower, but hopes it will engage his inner-city community to expunge the invading plants.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.