Showing posts with label Weeds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weeds. Show all posts

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Mission Impossible: But it will be done.

Eradication of 3 of the worst invasives in my yard. Fortunately, none of them were started by me. Each year, I try pulling them out. Even one or two remaining leads to repopulation with these obnoxious weeds. When I pull them up, the rhizomes break, and new plants grow form the nodes. They re-seed like crazy. OK, I'm tired of this endless futile battle. This year, 2011, I'm declaring war. Lemon Balm. The yard was full of them 9 years ago when I bought this house. I made the mistake of leaving a few plants. Unfortunately, they grew and spread new plants all over the yard. This year, I am using Worry Free, an organic weed killer. Has a nice citrus scent. Every time I see a Lemon Balm plant, I spray again. They are dying off. I will continue to seek and destroy them. By summer, there will be no more. Canada thistle. Not as bad, but pulling them out doesn't kill the parent rhizome. One side border now has lawn, trailing around fruit trees. Repeated mowing will do the job. As it turns out, Worry Free quickly kills the new sprouts. I don't know yet if the plant carries the substance into the rhizome, but I have confidence that repeated killing will remove this pest from my yard for the first time in 9 years. Goutweed. This is the worst. Invasive as hell. The chickens love to eat it, but leaving any for them results in re-infestation. Areas that I have cleared are highly reinfested again. Repeated applications of Worry Free don't seem to kill the parent rhizome. Digging results in spreading of rhizomes. I hate to say it, but if no improvement with repeated applications of Worry Free, I may resort to Roundup. Not my favorite thought, but some organic authors don't have problems with roundup, which is biodegradable, and my use will be very limited. That's if I use it. This damn plant has got to go. In addition, I have ambitions to remove English Ivy, Himalayan Blackberry, and Garlic Mustard Weed. This last was a "gift" "nice groundcover" that I accepted and planted in ignorance. The infested area is relatively small, so I should be able to remove it. Again, digging doesnt work, so more Worry Free. The ivy and blackberry will have to be pulled out.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Gardening Challenges: Anigozanthos ink leaf disease, peach leaf curl, frost damage, weeds.


Again the title says it all.
This Anigozanthos (Kanga red-green) looks like it's about to bite the dust. The dreaded "ink disease" would be the culprit. After taking the photo, I gave this plant a 'butch haircut" even though I just sprayed it with neem. It is moved to a dry location under the eages, but I have strong doubts about it's prognosis. The other anigozanthos, a yellow one and a burgandy one, are doing well (the burgandy plant is indoors at the office).
Frost damage: a few roses, a magnolia seiboldei that has only had one flower in 5 years, and the petite negri fig.
Weeds may be getting ahead of me. Some coming up in the leaf compost - not surprising, and probably not much of a problem. Dandelions are bloming. Should I spray the dandelions with vinegar? Maybe next week.Posted by Picasa