birder17, thanks for saying "organic material"!! I just got 2 more points!!
What are you sorry you planted......Part 3
pirl, have you had any problems with your Yarrow? I've been trying for years to remove two clumps of it! No matter what I do, the stuff finds a way to survive. My Dad planted some too, and spent two years trying to get it under control and finally gave up. His reseeds like crazy, though I haven't had any trouble with that, and mine doesn't spread much. Dad and I were joking about how well his yarrow did when sprayed with Round-up, and if he could get his boy dog to give it a "watering" now and again, it did even better!
Your Bleeding Heart looks really nice with the Clematis! Is it in full sun? I've got two of them in shade and they bloom okay (could be better!), but don't get much larger each year. A neighbor has some that he planted 2 years after mine, and his are gigantic! They are on the North side of his house and get almost no sun like mine, he's never fertilized them, and said that the soil there wasn't all that great. Same situation as me, and mine are puny compared to his! I wish it was an invasive plant!
Natalie
The Bleeding Hearts are in 100% sun. The soil had some compost but not a lot so I guess they just learned to adapt.
The yarrow was a major problem in the rose garden so I spent two days removing every bit of it a few years ago. Guess what's back? Now the larkspur has gone nuts and the baby's breath is so huge I can't get through the rose garden paths and the yarrow is totally insane. I'll have to wait for a cloudy and cool day to get in there to work since it's in about 90% sun.
I do love the Baby's Breath but it just overpowers the rose garden. I love yarrow, too, but want specific colors in specific areas.
Long ago I grew QAL and loved it.
nhumtley: :) :) I'm not gonna say it!
Pretty pics of the clematis, yarrow and bleeding heart. You wouldn't think yarrow and bleeding heart would grow right next to each other due to the sun requirements. Sometimes, I think plants are more adaptable than we give them credit. I grow plants that say part sun in bright shade, and they are quite content.
I like yarrow. I started one from seed this year that was a dwarf, white, 12 inches. I planted it out around the edge of my roses and within a few days, we had a deluge of rain, and they washed away. I was skeptic about planting yarrow. Right now, I just have the cleome, and the dill to fight. I did plant Maltese Cross out by the road recently. It may not make it if we don't get rain. I am hoping it will stay put and not get into my other gardens I really think it's a pretty plant. I also like Dame's Rocket. I even bought some seed. But, I can't bring myself to plant it. It's considered an invasive here.
Rocket comes up all over the place here. It's so pretty and so little else is doing that I leave it until it's in the way, then pull it out.
I've had a patch of yarrow in a rocky area we call the Falling Down Wall. It's a wonderful magenta, but I'm half-way trying to make a white garden there, which is what I think was the original plan- there's a huge white baptisia, and I accidentally wiped out ( and since replaced) a patch of white physostegia next to it while going after raspberries, tradescantia and ferns. This year the yarrow leaped, I freaked out and hauled it out, no mean feat because it was half-way down and deeply rooted in between the rocks. Just on the edge of its ledge, under a thick mat of yarrow, was a collection of the palest pink eggs! They must be from a bird, no? What else lays eggs like that? But what bird lays eggs under a plant in a stone wall?
Pam
crocodile?
Pink crocodile, Weerobin?
Tree swallows lay pink eggs. I'd never have known unless I heard about pink eggs from Pfg!
http://www.sialis.org/nests.htm
How sweet! I wonder if they'll still hatch...a couple fell to the next level about a foot down, but none broke. I sprinkled a little soil over them. The odd thing was there were no nesting materials that I could see, just dirt, but once I saw the eggs I tried not to disturb more than I already had. J. says I'm an old meanie....:(
Pam
You can't be a meanie if you're trying to save the eggs. Try wearing gloves if you move more so the mother won't detect a human scent. Good luck!
Would you guys believe this?
http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/babybird.asp
Good to know! Thanks.
I've read cayenne is protein for the birds. Squirrels put their paws to their mouths to feed and it supposedly gives them the same burning feeling as we humans experience.
pirl, I'm glad you mentioned Larkspur, because I was going to and forgot. When I first moved back into my house after renting it to a friend for 8 years, he had it planted all over one of the flower beds. I thought it was stunning! Not having planted anything fancier than a petunia before moving back in, I figured out I could collect the seeds and spread them everywhere! I'm still regretting that! I finally got most of it out of the back yard, and haven't had one bloom out there in at least 3 years, but I'm still pulling up seedlings daily. I still haven't gotten it removed from the front yard, and I've given up this year. I've got some that are about 4 feet tall, and I'll pull them up as soon as they are done blooming.
A neighbor down the street loved them so I gave her about 10 cups worth of seeds, and she did the same thing that I did and spread the seeds everywhere! Now we have a running joke that we better not make each other mad, or we'll sneak over in the middle of the night and spread Larkspur seeds all over the yard! They are really pretty, and I do love the way they look, but it's impossible to contain them in one spot! If the seed pods open and you bump into them, the seeds go flying! I try to cut the seed pods off as soon as the flowers are done, but it never fails that I miss one that's open and bump into it! I should get into the Larkspur seed business!
Pfg, I sure hope the little eggs hatch! Pink crocodiles would be so much cuter than those gray ones!
birder17, come on, say it! You know you want to, and I only need 2 more points to catch up to the hubby! LOL!!
Natalie
Natalie - I blame myself for the larkspur but since it stays in one garden I can deal with it. Originally, when changing it from a shrub garden to a rose garden we used a lot of ORGANIC MATERIAL and then compounded it after Jack made the first three compost bins by adding yet more ORGANIC MATERIAL.
The yarrow is supposed to like poor soil. Will someone please advise the yarrow?
The baby's breath started off so innocently and I never dreamed they'd get as big as the package said. In fact, I was ready to rip them out in the first year but they exploded last year and obscure paths this year. Probably my wanton use of...ORGANIC MATERIAL.
WOOHOO!!!!! 6 more points!!!! Thanks pirl!!! Your garden is beautiful!
I made a new raised bed last year in the middle of my front lawn, which I call the Crop Circle. I planted a wildflower mix in it, and silly me, I planted way too many seeds, and the first time I turned on the sprinklers, most of it flopped over! I had a lot of baby's breath in there and it was really pretty, but I pulled it all out as soon as it was done blooming because I heard it could take over. Actually, I pulled most of the plants out because it was way too packed. This year I only had one baby's breath return, which I removed, and a bunch of red poppies took over that had reseeded, and a few other things that I never figured out the name of. I was trying to make it into a perennial bed, but I'm not sure what has survived because the poppies are so huge! I'm sure there are lots of little plants down at the bottom, gasping for air!
Natalie
Maybe it's your fault for using all the organic material to make the bed! We did it with wildflowers in a former home, which we sold to a non-gardener. I often wonder if she ended up using Round Up or if she became a gardener.
I'll have to wait until spring, soak the ground really well, and move some of the baby's breath to better (vacant) spots. Now I have to find the vacant spots.
2 more points!! After I pulled up all the flowers, I piled them in the neighbors yard on top of his compost piles. In a couple of years I get to reclaim the organic material from him! (do I get 2 points when I say it? I don't think so!).
If you have vacant spots you are much better off than I am! Anything that was vacant has been taken over by something I wish I hadn't planted!
Hubby has just informed me that I'm cheating. He said the points only count when the compost addicted neighbor says organic material! Booo to that! I was getting way ahead too!
Natalie
Pulled out two huge bags of Betony last night so there are some vacancies and I'll look for more tomorrow. I'm very grateful the deer don't like any of the over abundant plants.
every time i see this thread pop... i say to myself... YARROW!! OMG i can't pull it fast enough. every time i'm pulling weeds, i'm pulling yarrow...i only have the white stuff, and it came in a seed mix.. it was not intentional. I'm almost regretting Monarda Wild Bergamot ... it's every where, but i do love it. I dead head like crazy to keep it from spreading... and i try to give some away every year.
I also have may too many Rudbecias.... *sigh* they are mixed in with the Yarrow.
Yarrow can be so persistent. We can remove every piece we spot but somehow seeds remain and I suppose they remain viable for years from all I've had grow back. At least I do have more than white. The magenta is very nice as is the terra cotta. Then there's the yellow, pink, lavender, white...
My monarda is surrounded by a concrete walk and hasn't escaped below the walk so I may be safe with that one. When mildew attacks I cut it back to ground level to avoid the wretched look of it.
It had to have taken 12 to 15 years to rid myself of all Rudbeckia.
I put a big clump of sedum where I pulled out the magenta yarrow. I didn't like the way it looked by itself, but I think I won't mind if some comes back and fills in around the edges. There's some other pretty big stuff nearby, the combo might balance better. Time will tell.
And when I found the eggs I was wearing gloves...I swear by the close fitting stretchy ones with the synthetic palm and fingers. I can do almost everything with them on, which really saves my hands. I go through them pretty quickly though, especially the right hand. Recently I took an orphaned left and turned it inside out to wear on the right. Works just as well.
Pam
Brilliant. I'd never have thought of that. Are they the Nitrile gloves? I bought two dozen and love them.
Great idea on the gloves....I use the 370 Palmflex gloves. Love them!!! I have the same problem with the right hand glove...I will use your idea from now on...it will make my gloves go a lot further.
I WS Rudbeckia 'Cherry Brandy' about five years ago. This year, I have a yellow one in it's place! I did not realize they were difficult to control. Maybe, I should cut the flowers off before they re-seed. I have to do that with the Nigella. Man, talk about a re-seeder.
I love the Larkspur and have been trying to get it to re-seed here for years. If it's not too much of a problem I would like to have some of your larkspur seed for postage. I think it is quite stunning complimenting other larger blooming plants.
I picked up some Agastache 'Alcapolco Trio' this evening off the clearance rack at Lowe's. It needs a little TLC, but it will be fine.
I use the Nitrile gloves also. They are great. My right hand always blows also. I bought two pair this spring and thought I was being a little extravagant! I need to toss the rest of my gloves and just use them.
Did you order them? Or just buy them locally? Were they cheaper by the dozen?
birder, I'd be happy to send you some Larkspur seed, but you can't hold it against me if it goes crazy and takes over your yard! Mine isn't even blooming yet so it will be a while. I've got one in the front yard that's a little over 5 feet tall, so it's going to be pretty when it blooms! I also have a nice row of it coming up in the crack between my two driveways! Those will get yanked out tomorrow. I'll send pictures first to make sure it's what you want. I do like the fact that it's not always the same color. Dark purple is the most common for me, but I've had some beautiful lavender, pink and white blooms too. I'm going to send you a d-mail so that I can remember who wanted it.
I've never had any problem with my Rudbeckia reseeding much at all. I think in the last 9 years I've only had one plant grow in two different spots. I think I've been lucky! The one I have the most of is Black Eyed Susan, which is the one that reseeded twice. It does spread by runners though, so when it gets outside of where I want it I, take a shovel to it and share a clump with the neighbors. I've never thought it was a fast grower either, so I've been happy with it. It's not my favorite, but it looks nice when other stuff is starting to fade away for the year. I bought three Cherokee Sunset in gallon containers last fall, and only one survived the winter. I hope it does good this year but it's struggling a bit. I know it's a tender perennial in my zone, so I mulched it heavily before winter came on, but I was willing to risk it! It's one of my favorites!
Another plant I have a lot of trouble with is Blanket Flower! It reseeds terribly! It's easy to pull up the seedlings so I don't know if I'd consider it invasive, but it does get time consuming pulling up the seedlings, and they are everywhere!
Pfg, Thanks for the fantastic idea about the gloves! I'm going to save a fortune!
Natalie
'Crop circle'....LOL!
I think I may have done it to myself again this morning. It's a self-seeding annual, a tiny flowering Nicotiana. It will go on the side of the garage, with the Monarda. It's confined by a cement walk and it's only about 4' long and 1' wide so it will give me some constant summer color.
That's how I talked myself into it but later I may regret it.
Why? Do Nicotianas overseed for you?
My friend was with me and she's had the plant and it reseeded like mad for her.
My Mom had some amazingly beautiful Nicotiana, and they reseeded very nicely, but always exactly where they were planted. A couple of years ago, none of them came back. My nosy neighbor has a small patch of them too, and hers never overseed either. I've tried growing them and couldn't keep them alive! I bought a six pack of the plants which promptly committed suicide, so maybe I should try them from seed instead. I don't think I had them in enough sun to begin with. I really love the bright colors!
For those of you who have found Obedient plant to be invasive, how is yours spreading? Is it by seeds or runners? I've got one small clump of it and I don't think it's very happy! I've moved it a couple of times, trying to find a spot it liked better, and it's done very well after moving, but it's never spread at all. I've had it about 6 years, and it hasn't gotten any bigger! I bought it knowing that it could spread bad, and I had hoped for some increase, but it just sits there in the same spot looking pretty! I just wish it was twice as big!
Natalie
I have yarrow "Coronation Gold" and have not noticed spreading. It used to be on a hillside where life was tough for plants... So tough, I gave up on the hillside. Last fall, I moved the yarrow to much better soil and location. Am I in for trouble? Is it a matter of deadheading? It is the only yarrow I have.
I have 17 acres of mixed woods, fields, a pond and some wet, swampy area. Never had purple loosetrife here abouts anywhere that I know of other than Mordon's Pink or Dropmore Purple in my flower bed. Also, my neighbor (1800 feet away) is a fantastic gardener and she has some in her flower bed. I am sure hers would be the "sterile" ones like I have. I noticed some loosestrife plants blooming the other day in a low wet area in my front field! Yikes! First dry day, I will go hit them with roundup 2-4-D combo. Raining here today, but should be nice the next couple days. I hope birds brought them in and they did not come from my plants. I try hard to keep mine deadheaded, just in case.
I was buying different Epimediums over the years. And now I am regretting that. I have problems in my feet that I can't use a shovel... So I can't dig them out, and they are growing into all my shade plants. I love them, but I am afraid I will be painting them with roundup. It is the only way I know to get them out of there other than digging. And, I have some sort of ginger that has to go to. Looks more like the native ginger. The European type gingers have been better behaved. Argh!
This message was edited Jun 24, 2011 9:04 AM
'Coronation Gold' will not be a problem for you. It was one of the very first plants that a dearly departed former neighbor (the real PIRL) gave me in 1968 and holds a place of honor here.
I don't know what the difference is between the 'Coronation Gold' and the more common, lower, colorful (and white) yarrows is but you don't have a worry with yours.
You're doing a very good deed by removing the purple loosestrife. The birds eat the seeds and the resulting plants clog waterways since they thrive in the damp areas.
Is it possible you could enlist the help of a friend or neighbor to get out the epimedium and the ginger? It's rotten when we see our gardens being taken over by plants that spread too fast.
The neighbor with the huge flower beds is a professional perennial bed designer. She is to busy this time of year. My beds are so full, and with some really cool plants - I'm not sure I would want "Joe Farmer" neighbors sticking a shovel in them ..... seriously - my neighbors and friends have helped me do so many things through the years I try not to ask anymore. If there is a way I can figure out how to do it myself, I will. I have a way of taking cardboard, threading it between the unwanted and wanted plants just to be sure I don't get it on anything good. I have various sizes of cardboard I use for this. Then, I either use a tiny little cosmetic sprayer or a foam paint brush. I let it dry completely before removing the cardboard. If I think it is something really hard to kill, like poison ivy, I'll apply 2-4-D that I have had for years (so it may not have much strength anymore) after the roundup and let that dry.
I used to date a farmer 20 years ago, and they routinely sprayed fields with Roundup and 2-4-D combined. He learned it at the classes he took to get his chemical licensing. I am not sure you can even buy 2-4 D now. I've had my 2 gal. jug a long time. The combination seems to work really well. I've never been brave enough to mix them in the same sprayer though like he did!
I do understand your reluctance to ask others.
Nursery pots, turned upside down to protect the good plants, would work along with the cardboard. You're wise to let it dry before you move the cardboard.
The 2-4D may be less powerful or, with even minor evaporation, might be more potent. I've never used it.
I am glad the yarrow I have won't become a thug! I had trouble growing monarda on that hillside bed - and after moving it to the new bed in the front yard, which has good soil, and much better conditions - it is TAKING OFF !!! I am reconsidering how many of them I had moved into the bed.... but, I wanted things thick in there to keep the weeds out -- hmmm.... maybe I created my own nightmare. I'll be keeping an eye on them!
I used to have huge beds, & a small commercial daylily garden. I have given away what seems like tons of plants and I probably have less than 5% of the beds I used to. But, they are all plants I like, all easy to care for. I hired people who knew what they were doing to do the bed preparation and move the plants, mulch them etc. So far I have been able to keep them weeded and deadheaded.
But, I do have to keep an eye out for the things that were just making it that used to be on that hillside --- but now in good soil and care in the new bed could be thugs.
I'd hoped for harmony out there, not dictatorship!