Bad Or False Garden Advice

[canesisters]

"FInd a baby bird in the yard and touch it, it will die." Rabbits too....
"Touch a toad, you'll get warts."
"Swallow a watermelon seed, it will grow inside you." Apples and grapes too...
My Mom seemed to believe "Mash up boiled turnips and no one can tell that they aren't potatoes."

No one gardened when I was a kid -or... none of my family gardened. And I didn't have a wonderful neighbor that ran a summer garden club for kids.

 

[thistlebloom]

My Mom seemed to believe "Mash up boiled turnips and no one can tell that they aren't potatoes."

Haha! Oh, that hit me right in the funny bone Cane!

 

[thistlebloom]

Nice peonies @Ridgerunner !

Now go get them out of all that grass!

 

[seedcorn]

Nice peonies @Ridgerunner !

Now go get them out of all that grass!

Why?

 

[thistlebloom]

Why?

Really?

Because. When a plant that puts on a spectacular bloom only does it once you want it to be unhindered by distractions like grass growing through it. Then it will shine in all it's glory.

Plus grass competes, and it's difficult to get rid of without damaging the plant. Plus I'm picky about things like that.
I'm sure there's a name for it...

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

OCD? maybe OCG! obsessive compulsive gardener!

i've had luck with some cheap peony's i bought about 15 years ago. they've been blooming for at least 10 years in my parent's yard & my dad loves them. (still griping about the wisteria & poor choice in getting an ornamental grass though)

 

[thistlebloom]

OCD? maybe OCG! obsessive compulsive gardener!

Yeah...I was actually thinking of something less nice.

Sorry Ridge. It's the business I'm in. I get paid to be OCD. You're peonies are just fine the way they are.

 

[Nyboy]

This is a real good one my dad told me birds of prey glide when hunting to make their prey think they are airplanes. That is some smart animals.

 

[Ridgerunner]

@thistlebloom you recanted too quickly. I was going to offer the use of the spare bedroom so you can leave the frozen north and come take care of the problem. Give you a chance to play in dirt that's not frozen and plants that are actually growing while you wait for yours. I could even offer fresh asparagus. But if it's not really a problem, oh well.

It's not as bad as it looks. I certainly need to do some mowing but I'm not in the city. Out here I tend to cut paths so I can walk where I need to go without worrying about ticks or chiggers and getting my shoes wet if we had a heavy dew. I do keep some areas around the house cut to discourage snakes and other vermin from visiting. And I cut some areas so flowers can be seen, like these peony and my iris that are getting ready to bloom. it's just time to mow out there, probably today or tomorrow.

The immediate area where those peony are coming through the ground isn't that heavy with grass, I cleaned it out earlier before they sprouted. But grass growing in the peony, iris, blueberries, and everything else is a constant problem. That grass keeps growing back in there. I need to get back in there, I've just been working on other things, mainly getting my warm weather garden ready to plant. And like you said, it's easy to damage stuff when cleaning that grass out. I dig the roots, not just break it off at the surface, otherwise it does no good at all. If you still want to get your hands dirty, the spare bedroom is open, my wife would love to show you all her many looms, and I'll pick the asparagus this afternoon. We'll be having fish for supper.

 

[digitS']

It's why I don't like perennials!

I'm not much for hardscaping, either. It's more soothing to the psyche to feel a part of the natural world. But, if the natural world conspires against you by trying to choke out your colorful plant friends, why not cover the landscape with concrete and splash it with paint?!

No. It isn't that I find bare ground 6 months outta the year especially inspiring, although the Earth's contours can be pleasant to contemplate. No. At least, I can feel ahead of invasive plants that grow where I don't want them! Then, my annual plant starts or roots from the basement can sweep in and populate the landscape in complete control and dominance!

Ha! Steve

my peonies are coming up nicely but i accidentally dumped pieces of broken concrete on some Asian lilies ...