#276007
Apr 22nd, 2009 at 05:24 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,236
HandyMa'am
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OP
HandyMa'am
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,236 |
I have a large patch of un-grass in my grass. It grows little purple flowers. Strangely, the area that has this growth (which is quite large) is where I'm seeing all of the holes in my lawn (see landscape trials and triumphs for that thread). I know there are grubs and that they are killing the grass. Here are pictures of it... ![[Linked Image]](http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/gardngal/garden024.jpg) It is really hard to see the flowers in this picture... ![[Linked Image]](http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/gardngal/garden023.jpg) Also, I have a plant that is coming up around my tree in the front yard. The plants on the side of the tree that gets shade have more flowers....pretty purple, but I can't tell if they are weeds or not. To tell you the truth, I don't know that I will keep them even if they are not a weed. Sunny side of the tree... ![[Linked Image]](http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/gardngal/garden025.jpg) Shaded side of the tree.. ![[Linked Image]](http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r172/gardngal/garden026.jpg)
Last edited by hisgal2; Apr 22nd, 2009 at 05:26 PM.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,477
Deep Purple
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Deep Purple
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,477 |
yes, pretty purple flowers. and you know how much i like purple...
what you have is 'creeping charlie' and it's invasive and it's almost impossible to get rid of. was brought here by the early settlers for some medicinal purpose...
it is pretty easy to pull up (shallow roots) yet, any little bit that is left will continue to grow and any little piece that breaks (stem, leaf) will root - so mowing without a bag on the machine will spread it far and wide (i have a mulching mower with no bag, so that's how mine has spread so quickly). it's almost impossible to irradicate!
also, it will grow in complete darkness and will grow through cracks in morter - at one point i'd allowed it to grow along the side of the garage and it grew right through a crack and into the garage!
in beds it's fairly easy to keep under control...in the grass, not so much as it's harder to pull up because it takes longer to show in the grass and the roots end up being more established/stronger by the time you see it and pull it up. it will, eventually, take over and the grass will end up dieing. i've got a section that is almost completely overrun with this stuff.
i do not know if a broadleaf treatment will do anything to it and if one will, i don't know if you need to do a pre-emergent or post-emergent type.
the other stuff, with the little speckles on the leaves, i don't know what it is...looks like it might just be some viney thing that was purposely planted and is okay to keep.
Zone 6b
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Joined: May 2006
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The Man
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The Man
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,540 |
the speckled plants look like pulmonaria (lungwort; pulmon- refers to lungs) Apparently the spotted speckled foliage reminded early doctors of a sick lung and they thought it could cure sick lungs :) The tiny blooms will open on the stalk, and open at different shade, eventually turning dark purple and falling off. I have one that sprouted miraculously on the shady side of the tree in my backyard, and it was the first thing to flower for me this year :) The first picture does look like creeping charlie. Pain to get rid of. It's starting to creep into my garden bed...eek!
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/kenny.gif) Helping the world one seed at a time When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. Mary Ann LaPensee
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,236
HandyMa'am
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OP
HandyMa'am
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,236 |
Ok let's talk creeping charlie.....the creep. I'm really hoping to be able to save up $$ and lay down sod in this entire area next year. When I removed the entire area of grass, do you think that will get rid of the creeping charlie?? Not only will everything be gotten rid of, but the sod has like 3 inch thick soil on it's underside. Thoughts? Also, Joclyn, as beneficial as I'm reading these miner bees to be, I'd rather NOT have holes all through my yard. I'm reading that they like bare areas, so I'm thinking they would go away once the sod was laid??? I realize that is off topic, but it kind of went with my getting rid of the creep and adding sod thought.
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,540
The Man
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The Man
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,540 |
creeping charlie roots aren't that deep. it's just that if you leave a piece of stem with a node on it, it'll reroot. Taking the top three inches of soil should get rid of any problems. I'm not a big fan of chemicals, but if you want, when you're done removing the existing creeping charlie, you'll be able to add pesticides to get rid of any grubs/bees etc.
Helping the world one seed at a time When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. Mary Ann LaPensee
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,477
Deep Purple
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Deep Purple
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,477 |
if you're going to clear the area for sod, i'd definitely take up a few inches of the soil along with whatever grass and weeds are taken out and that should resolve the creeping charlie issue.
they do have fairly flimsy and shallow root systems - especially newer growth. older growth while still shallow will have a more extensive amount of roots going, so that can be harder to get rid of. if you go down another inch or two (or three even) then you'll definitely get all the little bits of roots that will be left after the initial pulling-up of everything.
after you sod, you will need to keep monitoring the areas that are on the borders of where you lay the new sod...and any bits of the cc will need to be pulled as soon as they're noticed. it can be kept at bay, and eventually eradicated, if you keep up on pulling it as you see it - and if you make sure to get all of it's roots and all the little bits/pieces up.
the bees shouldn't be an issue with stinging...i just posted on your other thread again. ground bees aren't aggressive at all and they'll clear out on their own...i doubt what you have are miner bees because the spot they are in is very sunny (they like shady areas). i don't know if ground bees use the same nesting area from year to year. i don't think so, though. i had them a few years ago. just the one year; haven't seen any holes since. and i don't think i actually ever saw any of the bees either - definitely never got stung and i always walk barefoot in the summer, too.
rather than pesticides, if you want to get rid of them, just keep the area well-moistened for a week or so. she'll move to another spot to lay her eggs and the males will, of course, follow her.
Zone 6b
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,236
HandyMa'am
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OP
HandyMa'am
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,236 |
I didn't see any bees at all around today. It was windy and chilly tho so maybe they didn't like the weather. But even earlier in the week when it was soo nice outside, I didn't see more than 3 or 4 bees. Wouldn't I see many more bees around these holes if the holes came from bees? It's all just soo weird to me.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,477
Deep Purple
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Deep Purple
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,477 |
you'd see a lot of activity during the mating phase. otherwise, i doubt they'd be noticable at all - the females will be busy underneath tending to the burrow (and the eggs once they're laid) and the males will be off somewhere waiting until it's time to come and do the mating ritual (i don't think they assist with caring for the eggs.
i *think* they do the mating bit around dusk; not sure about that, though.
i never saw too many bees either - just tons of holes.
Zone 6b
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 26,932
Giggles
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Giggles
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 26,932 |
I looked at this a few days late.....but I do think that spotted leaf plant is pretty!
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/shirley4.gif) ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) "I Love Virginia!"
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 43
Member
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Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 43 |
Hi, If that's creeping charlie, I want some! I love ground cover. I had a creeping charlie houseplant (at least I was tol it was CC) It didn't look anything like that. It was just a green vining plant. Had round scalloped shaped leaves that were nice & shiny.
Currently in my yard on the south side, the gras is full of little white daisies & I won't let my hubby mow there. Thye're so pretty. One even volunteered in the flowerbed. I have a few forget me nots coming up too. All pretty ground cover.
I love yours!
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