22
votes
How true is the idea that weeding your vegetable garden is necessary?
The stealing nutrients narrative is, in the general case, true.
There are certain plant combinations which work well together, a classic example being "the 3 sisters" of corn, beans, and, ...
- 3,396
16
votes
Accepted
What is this tiny strawberry-like fruit found in a Southern Illinois lawn?
That is Mock Strawberry, Duchesnea indica. The fruits are edible, but rather tasteless. This is a common weed in much of the United States. Look for small, strawberry-like plants in your lawn, with ...
- 51.5k
16
votes
Accepted
What is this monster thistle-like weed?
After a bit of research, I believe my suspicion was correct. It seems to me that you have Tall Blue Lettuce (Lactuca biennis).
Wikipedia article:
Lactuca biennis is a North American species of ...
- 3,026
14
votes
Why are weeds growing with my new seeds?
Weed seeds in the soil won't be affected by a contact or systemic (such as glyphosate) weedkiller that acts on green leaves. Regular mowing will get rid of some of the taller weeds. Otherwise, wait ...
- 2,995
13
votes
Accepted
What is this plant in my lawn?
It's creeping buttercup, Ranunculus repens.
It's highly invasive and quite difficult to eradicate, especially in a lawn. I don't know what country you're in, but you need a lawn weedkiller treatment ...
- 129k
13
votes
What is this plant in my lawn?
Bamboo is correct...Ranunculus. I have to add that there is a reason your buttercup is very happy. Too much water. I would start training my lawn by watering deeply and not watering again until the ...
- 39.8k
11
votes
How true is the idea that weeding your vegetable garden is necessary?
It really depends on what you're growing, how you're growing it, what you expect from your garden, how big the weeds are, how close they are to your plant, how many weeds there are, how fertile your ...
- 17.1k
10
votes
Is this part of my bougainvillea or a weed?
It looks like a mint or a very closely related labitae. Even the flower spike looks like mint. Is the stem squarish?
In any case it is certainly not part of your bougainvillea.
- 6,326
10
votes
Accepted
What kind of grass is this, and how can I keep it out of my garden
With those long underground rhizomes (the thick white runners you see) and upright growth this appears to be quackgrass (Elymus repens).
Unfortunately, controlling it isn't much easier with that bit ...
- 5,839
10
votes
Accepted
What do I do once my weeds turn brown?
You have to wait 3 weeks or whatever is on the label to overseed. Exactly what did you use for herbicide? Obviously broadleaf weed killer. The only reason you even have that problem is because your ...
- 39.8k
10
votes
Accepted
Identification - Plant growing next to my bonsai?
The small sprouts, and the grass like cereal plant (which I can't identify 100%, but which does resemble Carex, not something you particularly want), are weeds because they're growing somewhere you ...
- 129k
9
votes
Accepted
What is the safest weed killer to use around a toddler?
Your strawberry and veggie patches are almost done for the year where you live, so it seems to me it would be best to tackle them next spring. For now, I would cut down the weeds as close to the ...
- 9,424
9
votes
Accepted
What is this bee(?)-attracting wildflower?
This is a poppy - a Papaver. Note the four petals and in the center of the flowers the characteristic thick ovaries with the crown-shaped top. Later, the dried capsule will open at the crown and ...
- 15.5k
9
votes
Accepted
What is the grassy-looking plant at the base of my blueberry bush?
That's weeds, it is some kind of grass. Seedlings of blueberries look more like this (first picture).
You can pull the weeds out of there, they compete with nutrients available in the soil.
- 12.8k
8
votes
How to get rid of bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) once and for all?
Some years ago I apparently eradicated bindweed from a small (15 x 7 feet) unenclosed front garden adjacent to the parking lot. I lived on an Estate where a number of small, bored children were always ...
- 81
8
votes
Any suggestions on how to control clover and grass in a flowerbed?
Composting
Pros: germicide.
Cons: it take times, some clover seeds can germinate after composting and it is not suitable for large gardens.
Herbicides (Postemergent)
Pros: As per @J. Musser 's ...
- 1,175
8
votes
Accepted
How to 'clean' topsoil of weeds & pests before giving it to a friend
I would recommend just warning them and not treating the soil at all, unless they request a specific treatment when you ask, or unless they're in another state or you know your soil has particularly ...
- 17.1k
8
votes
Accepted
Is this part of my bougainvillea or a weed?
After some further research, and with the help of @Escoce's and @Bamboo's answers, I believe this is a Sweet Almond Bush.
Family: Verbenaceae
Genus: Aloysia
Species: Virgata
©Dave's Garden / http:/...
- 252
8
votes
How can I tell if this is a weed?
Based on the shape of the leaves, It looks like something in the Brassicaceae Family, more specifically probably the Genus Brassica. Although that is far from certain without knowing your location and ...
- 1,760
8
votes
Accepted
Need help identifying this plant
This is Equisetum arvense, the field horsetail or common horsetail. It is a herbaceous perennial plant, native throughout the arctic and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. ~Wikipedia
...
- 3,026
8
votes
Weed Identification
I planted some Oxalis deppei in the garden at my university last year and it looked just like your plant. It had little dark pink flowers and spread like crazy, from 15 bulbs planted in spring I got ...
- 5,366
8
votes
What weed covering should I use under my mulch?
You cannot use plastic - it will waterlog after rain. Weed fabric allows water and air through, whereas plastic does not. You can buy heavier duty weed fabric, so you might consider that, but most ...
- 129k
8
votes
Accepted
What plant is this? A weed?
It's an ornamental, Acanthus, or Acanthus mollis. Its fancy shaped leaves look so familiar because this plant is the prototype for the stylized "foliage" that you see in classical artwork & ...
- 3,639
8
votes
Accepted
Garden weed or something else
Looks like Lily of the Valley, Convallaria majalis. Bindweed has large flowers, grows as a vine, and smaller leaves than Lily of the Valley.
- 714
8
votes
Why are weeds growing with my new seeds?
I used to live near a retired professional gardener who had worked in English "stately home" gardens where lawns (acres of them) were a key feature.
One of his pieces of advice was "...
- 11.2k
7
votes
Accepted
How can I prevent nettles creeping through my fence?
I don't know what the rules are where you live, but in the UK, we're allowed to cut back and remove anything growing over our boundaries, but it is illegal to treat, damage or pull out any planting ...
- 129k
7
votes
What is this weed and how can I eliminate it?
If the methods described above aren't any you want to do, there is something else to try, but again, it's not a quick, easy solution - it requires determination and persistence. This plant here in the ...
- 129k
7
votes
Preparation for a new lawn to prevent weeds and encourage growth
This question comes up frequently and the answer is always the same. Kill it all and start fresh. I did that and was very happy with the results.
Start by getting a soil test done through either your ...
- 8,437
7
votes
Accepted
Preparation for a new lawn to prevent weeds and encourage growth
Let's start at the beginning.
About two years ago, the lawn in our back garden was full of dandelions. We decided to replace it with brand new turf, the
kind you roll out into place. I tried my best ...
- 51.5k
7
votes
Accepted
What is this fast growing plant and should I rip it out?
I believe that's an amaranth, Amaranthus sp. I call them red root pigweed, and yours looks large and healthy.
It did produce a flower (the large 'caterpillar' at the stem apex), which means soon ...
- 51.5k
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