Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If it's growing somewhere you don't want it, it's essentially a weed anyhow.

I think my most prolific self seeders are the alpine strawberries. Started with 3 plants and now they've shown up in vegetable beds, in gravel under potted plants, under trees - between wild birds, the chickens and the dogs all eating them, the seeds get distributed all over the place. At least they're easy to pull out of places I don't want them, and will usually root if I just shove those same starts in a patch of soil somewhere.

It's sounds like a nice ground cover. I tried growing them in a pot, and I didn't care for them. It didn't occur to me to use them as a ground cover.

 

[21hens-incharge]

If it's growing somewhere you don't want it, it's essentially a weed anyhow.

I think my most prolific self seeders are the alpine strawberries. Started with 3 plants and now they've shown up in vegetable beds, in gravel under potted plants, under trees - between wild birds, the chickens and the dogs all eating them, the seeds get distributed all over the place. At least they're easy to pull out of places I don't want them, and will usually root if I just shove those same starts in a patch of soil somewhere.

Very true. I might have more order to my beds if I exercise some pulling on the calendulas.
I should also save seeds from the bachelor buttons of preferred colors.

I would love my bugle weed to take hold better too. It is a very low growing dark leaf variety.

Another plant that for me is noninvasive is plumbago. I wonder if I watered it more if it would go nuts....
https://www.highcountrygardens.com/perennial-plants/unique-plants/ceratostigma-plumbaginoides

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Very true. I might have more order to my beds if I exercise some pulling on the calendulas.
I should also save seeds from the bachelor buttons of preferred colors.

I would love my bugle weed to take hold better too. It is a very low growing dark leaf variety.

Another plant that for me is noninvasive is plumbago. I wonder if I watered it more if it would go nuts....
https://www.highcountrygardens.com/perennial-plants/unique-plants/ceratostigma-plumbaginoides

That name always gets me, plumbago, , I feel the need to rub a liniment on it. Pretty flowers.

 

[21hens-incharge]

That name always gets me, plumbago, , I feel the need to rub a liniment on it. Pretty flowers.

Lol the Latin name is worse!!!
Plumbaginoids. So much worse than plumbago.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Pretty flowers.

Yes, very pretty!

I also like the look of bugleweed but it definitely can spread around here. There's a patch of it in my second lawn that I've left alone as the area is too wet for grass, so it's bugleweed and some semi aquatic plants.

 

[twendt]

View attachment 2016631

Hi! What do you have as a base around your beds? I have mulch around mine and it's where the chickens free range, it has gotten higher and higher because of the decomposing mulch. I need something else that won't hurt their feet, yet won't come soil so quickly. This spring, I'm going to have to shovel all of the mulch and decomposed mulch into the composter. It's getting so that I'm going up hill as I enter the garden!! Add snow and it's almost impossible to get to the chicken's coop!

 

[twendt]

Dreaming of spring...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hi! What do you have as a base around your beds? I have mulch around mine and it's where the chickens free range, it has gotten higher and higher because of the decomposing mulch. I need something else that won't hurt their feet, yet won't come soil so quickly. This spring, I'm going to have to shovel all of the mulch and decomposed mulch into the composter. It's getting so that I'm going up hill as I enter the garden!! Add snow and it's almost impossible to get to the chicken's coop!

We use mulch, or fall leaves. In the beds where the mulch gets too tall my husband digs it out and dumps it in the goat yard or chicken run. The birds enjoy digging through it.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Dreaming of spring...View attachment 2022381View attachment 2022384View attachment 2022385View attachment 2022389View attachment 2022391

I love your little fountain.

 

[twendt]

Thanks! I made it!!