Aaarrrrrgggghhhhh! The Weeds Have Taken Over!

[Dianna]

As most of you know, I banged up my foot back on March 26. Spring time is not exactly a good time to mess up a foot (or a hand), but I can't believe I would like it any better in the winter, either. Since my foot is finally starting to heal, I thought I would start weeding a little today in the front flower bed...

I started around a hollyhock plant (thanks for the ID Phil and Sarah!) so that I could get a better picture to post of my mystery plant. Tomorrow, I will be back evicting the weeds and the grass that made theirselves at home without an invitation. 

The Hollyhock should surely like its nice clean area:



Aunt Bonnie always says that I always take pictures of the plants close up so that the weeds can't be shown. I will prove her wrong now, and show you my poor, poor flowerbed...

Here are some petunias that came back from last year (in a different spot than originally planted):



A gerbera daisy is trying to co-exist with all of that grass:



I think that the grass ran everything out of this area, except for the Iris:



Looks like I have my work cut out for me. Since I am an evening person and not a morning one, I will be working in the heat of the day with temperatures of at least 90. Anyone want to pass me a cold beer? 

[Dianna]

Here is a shot of the whole "flower" bed...

[Patty S]

NO BEER for you, Dianna!
#1, you'll get dirt in it
#2, you'll start pulling up things that aren't weeds
#3, you'll decide that weeding isn't worth your time!

The grasses are the hardest to get rid of, cuz any root that's left behind will just regenerate... unless you pull it out from the lawn area, of course! 

Your "weed bed" looks about like my Iris row.  I've been trying to get out there early every morning & put an hour in on trimming the Iris leaves & pulling weeds & grasses, but it's slow going, & the 70 feet of Iris seems to be getting longer every day!

I dont care if I go broke buying Preen® this year!  It does work, & will save me so much time next spring, I'm gunna love being able to spend my time on putting flowers IN... not ripping weeds OUT!

[Bonnie]

Ok, I'll bite. What is Preen?

Bonnie

[Patty S]

Preen is a "pre-emergent" herbicide granule that prevents seeds from germinating... doesn't effect any plants that are already established. (Including weeds.. you still have to pull those out!)

You need to apply it every 45 days or so. (I can't remember exactly what it says on the package... too lazy to go out to the shed & read it right now)  Of course, you wouldn't want to try planting seeds during that time, but you can always get them started in the house.  Plants that already have roots don't even flinch, & it doesn't hurt bulbs, etc.)

I have a bad weed problem on the hill where my Nigella grows, so I'm harvesting all the seed pods this year, burning that part of the slope, & applying Preen for the rest of the summer. Then I can throw the seeds out there this fall & hopefully, have Nigella there next year without the weeds taking over!