I have spent the last 5 days planting a few new plants, dividing older plants, trimming, weeding, fertilizing, and mulching all the flower and shrub beds. Now I'm a little irritated as I have pulled hundreds of Box Elder seedlings out lately and today I noticed that there's just as many elm seeds that have just blown in and are waiting to sprout!
Have you ever seen how many seeds turn into seedlings from a Hackberry tree? I have you beat by several thousand. Good luck, I will be pulling up seedlings for months, then it starts all over again in February of next year. I might be willing to trade some Hackberry seedlings for Box Elder..
Well done on your box elder expedition. Sorry to hear about the elm seedlings. Gadzooks!--Your garden seems to be a receptacle for non-garden growing things....now its your plants' and veg's turn, eh? Good luck...you'll get 'em.
Oh wow. I know where you are coming from because I have oodles and oodles of elm seedlings myself They are EVERYWHERE! I try to pull the ones I can, destroy the ones I can with the toe of my shoe and just pluck every little seedling I see. Thankfully they are young enough that they pull out pretty easy.
Hi Jane. Good'o. The saying goes back years and does make a lot of sense slightly frivolous though it may sound. Was pleased to see you mention your aiming for the "Cottage Garden" style of close planting in sjoerds post concerning this. Have always done the same myself. Nice to "see" you. Best wishes. Syd.
Hi. Whilst talking of plants seeding may I add a little more. Have already mentioned I rarely use a fork (flower gardening not veggie). Likewise hoes are not used and I always keep a sharp eye open for seedlings which appear - have had some very good plants (colour & foliage breaks i.e Hellebores) both from those already growing and "strangers" which I allow to grow on until the type known. I have found that over time you can get to recognise different plants from these seedlings leaves which often differ from the mature ones. As we all know ref prolific seeding early deadheading is needed before seed sets and scatters and this I try to do with the "naughtier" plants - oftentimes this is forgotten and the price is paid - plus!. One favourite plant of mine is Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare??) both the green & bronze forms - beautifully fine cut feathery foliage with heads of yellow flowers - aniseed scent - straight strong upright stems - can get to 4-5 feet making a good looking conifer like foliage contrast plant. Its problem is that if it is allowed to set/disperse seed you get a storm of seedlings everywhere including coming up through other plants. These seedlings are tap-rooted (go way down) and easily recognised but if ever that "One years seeding seven years weeding" applies its with this one - forever more pulling them out. Even so I still love it and have a couple of good clumps on the plot. Care to mention your "naughtier" perennial plants. .
Syd, I'll trade my native clematis for your fennel any day. It's a pretty vine, also called Leathercup, but I put one in the front bed and it and its cousins, in-laws, and assorted relatives have taken over. I can't get rid of it!
Hi Jane. How we poor gardeners do at times have to pay for it - even so we love it all and would not - could not do without our beloved plants - naughty or not. Have had some really "go for it" seeders including one with explosive seed capsules. The large seeds having ripened in the capsules (about 4 in each) on a hot day especially you could hear these burst with a loud pop and the seeds flew perhaps as far as 15-20 feet. Had one plant of this near the garage and following the pop heard the seeds hitting and bouncing off its tiled roof - seemed like every one that found the soil germinated. Syd.
