tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post4957450375386840434..comments2024-02-23T19:00:02.184-08:00Comments on The Practical Plant Geek: Now where did you come from? An ode to weeds...I mean volunteersEvan Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06732413653862912387noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-6391801363512136192015-08-06T08:41:10.024-07:002015-08-06T08:41:10.024-07:00Your dedication to read this lengthy post is much ...Your dedication to read this lengthy post is much appreciated, Chav. :) I imagine there are a few occasional volunteers, like the Alyssum spinosum, that you could incorporate into your garden. I only get one or two new ones each year. They germinate easily in a moist container, but not in the dry soil outside. I have a few places where I plan to put large swaths of that carex. I hope it looks as good as I'm picturing it. Lol.Evan Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732413653862912387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-30784220630754063172015-08-06T08:34:45.245-07:002015-08-06T08:34:45.245-07:00Thanks for the id, Amy! I believe you're right...Thanks for the id, Amy! I believe you're right!Evan Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732413653862912387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-90192835732215749022015-08-04T11:28:53.366-07:002015-08-04T11:28:53.366-07:00I waited to have a free morning so I can dedicate ...I waited to have a free morning so I can dedicate myself to this post. I enjoy reading about your transformation and appreciate your new found attitude. Even though I can't apply it to a smallish city garden, it will work well for you; as you said, you have a lot of garden! <br />I have a few different color Carex in my garden; their prolific nature drives me nuts. They look best in larger groups, and it will be fantastic if you can create a "sea" of them. I've created a 'down stream' under an old pine, on a difficult dry slope. I'd rather thin them out then fight real weeds or have bare ground. chavlinesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10907844942343152129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-50926369510387631602015-08-02T17:49:38.652-07:002015-08-02T17:49:38.652-07:00I believe that silvery plant is a Gnaphalium. I ha...I believe that silvery plant is a Gnaphalium. I have a volunteer like that, too. I was thinking Anaphalis at first, which eventually led me to Gnaphalium when I searched related plants. The wonder of Google!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08154710503894465876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-54096021424903809292015-07-31T13:28:04.214-07:002015-07-31T13:28:04.214-07:00Hehe, that was another thought that occurred to me...Hehe, that was another thought that occurred to me. These volunteers make easy swap material, as long as people don't mind growing something that will spread a bit in their gardens. I'll trade you some Eryngium seeds in exchange for some more Nigella seeds.Evan Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732413653862912387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-34279538770817612572015-07-31T13:26:17.500-07:002015-07-31T13:26:17.500-07:00I'm coming to see the advantages of plant like...I'm coming to see the advantages of plant like these that fill in empty spaces and prevent undesirable weeds from taking hold. I have a lot of space and I need cheap fillers to hold places until I can put in something more permanent.Evan Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732413653862912387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-47740088243615660962015-07-31T13:23:37.985-07:002015-07-31T13:23:37.985-07:00Just to clarify, only 5 of those plants are native...Just to clarify, only 5 of those plants are native. The woolly grey weed might be native, too, so maybe six. I'm a bit surprised you've had such trouble with the Asarum. Mine has been very easy and vigorous.Evan Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732413653862912387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-20700769799470933182015-07-31T13:20:21.797-07:002015-07-31T13:20:21.797-07:00Definitely. Still, there are many more weeds that ...Definitely. Still, there are many more weeds that I will keep pulling, like Canadian thistle, dandelions, and creeping buttercup. I need more of these good weeds to help fight the bad ones.Evan Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732413653862912387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-89096967688401407962015-07-31T13:19:04.507-07:002015-07-31T13:19:04.507-07:00Thanks guys. I agree. These are all pretty tough, ...Thanks guys. I agree. These are all pretty tough, easy to grow plants and they can produce lovely results by popping up on their own.Evan Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06732413653862912387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-37539517175690751282015-07-31T08:41:15.299-07:002015-07-31T08:41:15.299-07:00Hooray for all your wonderful volunteers. You have...Hooray for all your wonderful volunteers. You have some interesting self-sowers. And lots of possibilities for offerings at future plant swaps. I, for one, would love some Eryngium venustum, maybe its prickliness would help deter my pesky raccoons. If you like I can send you some more Nigella seeds, a mix of colors.Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16323262555906240701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-61325865305201942022015-07-30T21:32:46.780-07:002015-07-30T21:32:46.780-07:00You've got some very choice weeds there, Evan....You've got some very choice weeds there, Evan. I've adopted something of the same attitude. In my garden, Erigeron karviniskianus, Geranium incanum and Centranthus ruber (Among others) are active "volunteers." While I at first sought to eliminate them, I've given in and allowed them to serve as fillers, especially in areas like my back slope, where it's hard to establish anything else.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-52464503971240686682015-07-30T18:15:30.112-07:002015-07-30T18:15:30.112-07:00Lots of interesting natives, I haven't seen mo...Lots of interesting natives, I haven't seen most here. I've tried twice to grow Asarum caudatum but they didn't make it, possibly it was too dry. It's great that you could find some stray seedlings that were worth growing. the monkey flower is so colorful.Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04773149110503024929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-72795008883316995342015-07-30T15:09:20.317-07:002015-07-30T15:09:20.317-07:00When you have a lot of space, i think it's alm...When you have a lot of space, i think it's almost necessary to adopt this kind of an attitude if you don't want to spend your whole life on your hands and knees.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843132106213356234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3725795560485860373.post-60618091579801212512015-07-30T14:42:59.679-07:002015-07-30T14:42:59.679-07:00Great post Evan! There's a lot to be said abou...Great post Evan! There's a lot to be said about the resilience of these 'weeds'. And often their accidental presence in a planting area can turn out to be a very wanted addition or change.Mark and Gazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09427245730390252976noreply@blogger.com