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Cut Broom in Bloom
www.broombusters.org

Scotch Broom is an invasive, aggressive, noxious invader that seems hell-bent on taking over the Pacific Northwest. From 3 seeds brought to Southern Vancouver Island in 1850, it’s spreading - to the tune of 3000 seeds per plant!

Broom takes over roads, fields, farm land, clear cut forest areas. It crowds out native grasses, flowers and trees. Animals cannot eat it. Forests cannot regrow. This “scourge of pastureland” makes farmland useless. It is a woody weed, cannot be tilled by a tractor, and mowing makes it laugh. With high oil content, it is a serious fire hazard. It’s a tripping hazards for hikers, bikers, and livestock. It has bright yellow flowers in spring (causing allergies), and then its scraggly, half dead presence blocks and overwhelms our beautiful fields, flowers and forests.

BROOMBUSTERS: Our goal is to slow the spread of Scotch Broom on Vancouver Island, currently working with Qualicum Beach, Parksville, and Ministry of Transportation from Nanaimo to Bowser. We welcome you!
• We can loan you tools - loppers and saws. Please clear your own land and help in your neighborhood.
• Community Cuts are arranged frequently from April - June. Join us!
• We have chosen some roads as “Cut Anytime Roads,” which means that anyone can cut anytime along those roads. Please do! We need help! Pile cut broom in large, neat piles beside road - not on shoulder. Do you want to join with neighbors to clear your road? That can be arranged. Call us. Some Cut Anytime Roads are: Grafton, Errington Rd to the Hall, Alberni Hwy., Pratt, Station, Northwest Bay, Village Way, Memorial. Check website or call.
• Because broom seeds travel great distances quickly, your neighbor’s broom is your nightmare as well! In many areas, Scotch Broom is classified as a Noxious Weed, and against the law to allow on your property. Good folks used to threw trash out of their cars. Now they know better. Like trash, soon, no one will tolerate Scotch broom on or near their property.

HOW TO GET RID OF BROOM
• Broom’s soft wood is easy to cut with loppers or small pruning saws.
• Cut the bloomin’ broom at ground level or below in April to early June. At that time, all the plant’s energy is in the flowers. it will die in the summer’s dry heat. At least cut off all flowering branches.
• Stop cutting once seed pods form. Seed pods will ripen even after cutting. Don’t move it! Pile in infested area.
• If cut in the wet season, broom can resprout. Pull by hand or with a woody weed puller.

HOW TO GET RID OF THE CUT BROOM
On private land, take the cut broom to the dump, or burn in season. Small amounts will decompose. (Don’t put on road.) In Qualicum & Parksville, we can arrange for broom stacked neatly beside the road to be picked up. The Ministry of Transportation will chip broom on the designated Cut Anytime Roads. Do you want to work on another road? “Who ya gonna call?” Call Broombusters! Then go for it!
Beware, broombusting is addicting. It’s fun, you see huge, immediate results, and enjoy the fruits of your labors for years. A great community builder. Think Globally, Act Locally. This is not a Tom Sawyer trick. It really is fun.
Can you cut broom 2 hours a Year?

More details and information on www.broombusters.org
Call Joanne Sales or local Ringleader 250-752-4816, joanne@glasswing.com