The Great Garlic Mustard Weed Challenge

Garlic Mustard Weed: 0 — Greentree West: 22

We came. We pulled. We posed.

A momentous event! A historic first! A weed-whacking wonder of a morning!

Need a refresher? (No, not the citrus kind.) The Garlic Mustard Challenge was a city-sponsored showdown where brave volunteers faced off against a notorious invasive plant across select Plymouth parks—armed only with gloves, grit, and the promise of donuts.

Picture it: the sky was moody, the air brisk, the ground a little soggy. But the vibe? Absolutely pulling together. Stylish caps were atop heads. Fashionable “spring-but-make-it-winter” jackets made an appearance. And despite the chill, there was a clear consensus: better cool and damp than hot and swampy. (Let’s be real—no one wants a sweaty donut.)

We were prepping, chatting with our fabulous Plymouth city hosts, expecting maybe 10 noble weed-warriors. But lo and behold—18 showed up right away, with the number climbing to 22 as more folks sprouted in. (Shout-out to the Constantinis for the much-needed donut motivation.)

Now let me cut to the chase—though not the weeds, because we already did that. In less than two hours, our crack squad of eco-heroes cleared the island. Every last sprig of garlic mustard? Gone. Uprooted. Banished. (Take that, invasive species.)

Huge thanks to everyone who came out! You crushed it. Or rather, you yanked it. We’re still waiting to hear if we claimed victory in the citywide challenge—but let’s be honest: we definitely won the day for Greentree West and our beloved neighborhood island.

Until next year… stay rooted, my friends. 🌱