posted
I took a walk out in the field that's next to our property, & saw several bunches of this growing out there. I'd never seen it in the field before, but I think I like it & would like to bring some of it up to my yard. Does anybody know what it is? It's probably another "weed", but I'm begining to like some weeds! If this is a Steppable, I can finally get my paths planted around the house! (It looks & feels like it might be.)
Here's a closer look. It tastes like something awfully familiar, too. (I'm going to be in big trouble some day, for tasting things to help guess what they are... I don't think people are supposed to do that!)
Can be very invasive, but it's not to bad.. *I leave mine..* lesser of two evils, if you know what I mean..
Patty do a Google search at the top, make sure the buttons' clicked on TGH and I know you'll find another post we, were just talking about it in another post, with Thornius...
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
it's creeping charlie. has a nice purple flower.
it's VERY invasive.
it's easy to pull up though as the root system is very shallow. it's all through my yard. i've let it grow in areas that i wanted to put beds in...it took over and got rid of the grass and then it was nothing to get rid of it.
it's VERY tough to get rid of - it can root from one little piece of stem left behind.
Seeded: 68.84.225.191
posted
The other one that joclyn is a weed too, and they are in the same MINT FAMILY, but it doesn't get a purple top at all... I have both in my yard..
posted
I vote for Creeping Charlie, a weed. It is very invasive so don't let it get a good start, or you'll be sorry.
Plants: 62 | From: Frankfort, KY | Registered: Oct 2003
| Seeded: 152.163.101.7
posted
Same plant, 15 days later. Purple Dead Nettle it is. (I took it to the County Extension office.) I was told that, (1) as Kyloy mentioned, it is invasive but not actually a "weed", in that it's easily controlled, (2) it's a cool weather plant, & (3) it will recede later in the spring when the weather warms up, & will look more like a plant that's not very happy.... only to summer & winter over, & be back next year.
I really like the looks of it, & was hoping that it'd last all summer, but I guess not. I'd like to have something that stays all growing season & has a bit of color (especially purple) & a little texture, like this plant is doing right now... guess I'll keep looking! (Might go with Lavender plants.)
By the way, I mentioned up at the top that it tastes like something familiar, & it finally came to me... Red Beets!
Interesting discussion here, guys. Thanks! (I also have Creeping Charlie, but didn't know what it was. Now I don't have to take a picture & ask about it!)
posted
Not many perennials have a bloom all summer long.. mostly that's why people substitute with annuals... even weeds don't bloom all summer..
If you're looking for color of some sort.. That stays for a long time.. Go with something like a Caladium or Polka Dot plant..the leaves are just soooooo pretty on the Caladiums, and come in soooooo many different varieties...
Even Bright Lights Swiss Chard *and it's edible* they were fun, I grew them, and the stalk is orange, yellow, red, lime green, and the leaves are a purple type...I grew them in a small pot, and they really needed to be thined.. but still I had fun with them..
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Or if you want to stay in that same family as the dead nettle... go with one called Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy', it has white and green leaves, delicate pink flowers and spreads in the same manor...or Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver' same thing only I think those flowers are a purple like..
Or Lamium galeobdolon (Lamiastrum galeobdolon)--'Yellow Archangel', that has yellow flowers...
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
She means to cut the stuff out.... *like chop it down, especially to get rid of the flowers that would eventually make seeds to make more plants*
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
pulling up, cutting, whatever. the creeping charlie just comes right back...
i've even put up barriers between the neighbors yard and my flowerbed as well as between the flowerbed and my grass. the stuff grew UNDER the barriers as well as over top!
cutting it only holds it back for a week or two. same with pulling it up - even if you get the whole thing (which can sometimes be 3 feet long) it doesn't seem to matter. it comes right back.
it works REALLY well if you have a grassy area you want to get rid of tho...just let the charlie go and it'll over take the grass. then it's easy enough to pull up - but it does tend to come right back tho...seems that the tiniest bit of leaf/stem/root is all that is needed for a new plant to start growing.
Seeded: 68.84.225.191
posted
You know the best way I've found to make some of the more tenacious weeds disappear is a series of ways.. I throw on top of it, like heavy cardboard.. Can't get any sunshine thru it, when it's wet, it sucks right down to the ground and keeps stuff very moist.. which the inturn kills the grass from contact with the soil/dirt and moisture and that attracks worms, which work up the soil from the underneath up..... and throw on a bit of compost, to feed the worms and it'll make the dirt so soft and plyable, that they'll come right out...or at the very least, get most of the roots...
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
I have both of those in my front and back yard, my question is what is the difference between the purple dead nettle and catnip? they look alike and ya'all said they were in the mint family but I'm just curoius to how closely they are "related" so to speak
* * * *
Colonel Jack O'Neill "I ask you, what could possibly be in my eye that could explain all this? "
posted
Nope, Heal~all is Prunella valgaris L. it's close, but a different plant... *different leaf structure, and prunella doesn't get that purple on the top, that I remember..*
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
This has turned into a pretty interesting thread... thanks to all for your contributions!
I do have a Polka Dot plant Weezie, but I thought it was a house plant! (Guess I'll have to look it up again.) I'd LOVE to have that out in the yard, & it IS getting a little sick-looking in here & losing some leaves... I'm wondering if it wants to be out there in the full Sun.
Maybe I'll try that... one question though; since this plant has been indoors since I bought it (as a baby) at a nursery about 5 weeks ago, do I need to harden it off before I plant it outdors?
(I'm also wondering... Since the beginning of this thread, as the topic has fluctuated with so much interesting & valuable information, if a new topic shouldn't be started with some of the specifics here. I think I'll do that with this hardening off question.)
posted
EEEKS!!! This is that nasty stuff that is all over my lawn. There was abit last year that came up and I thought I did a good job of getting rid of it...no chance it multiplied by 10 times this year.
I will be hopefully better prepared for it this year so it does not come back next year. Does any know if the product "Preen" would help keep this stuff away for next year?
Plants: 25 | From: Ohio and Toronto, Canada | Registered: May 2005
| Seeded: 70.48.113.98
joclyn
guest
posted
dunno. i've never treated my lawn for weeds...really should tho - i've got dandelions too...i try to get the buds before they open up, don't always get them in time tho. and this other stuff has really taken over in the past couple of years...almost the whole thing has trails of the creeping charlie...
Seeded: 68.84.225.191
posted
Patty if you want a ground cover that stays all year try ajuga, aka bugleweed. It comes in a few colors has spikes with purple flowers in the spring and then is a beautiful colored foliage the rest of the year. And its steppable.
* * * *
Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us? summer camp thread 1, 2, 3,4 Plants: 7588 | From: Phoenicia, NY | Registered: Apr 2006
| Seeded: 66.217.179.83
tcmers
guest
posted
I don't know the name of it but it's all over my yard, and it's my main "work" of weed pulling in the gardens. It is very invasive, and very "walkable". It even grew up through the landscape cloth I put down to keep the weeds out. Just pushed that stuff out of the way! Sort of pretty with it's little purple flowers, but there's just too much of it to be able to appreciate them.
Seeded: 67.142.130.43
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Thanks! (I also have Creeping Charlie, but didn't know what it was. Now I don't have to take a picture & ask about it!) ![[flower]](graemlins/flower.gif)
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Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us? 
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