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A Farm of My Own:  Identifying wildflowers / native plants  |
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momjolly
Farmgirl in Training
12 Posts
Campbell
Cincinnati
Ohio
12 Posts |
 Posted - May 11 2007 : 7:22:33 PM
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Here is a great website to help with wildflower ID or just for looking at them!
http://www.wildflower.org/
I love plants and study them all the time..what's native, what's not, who's invasive. We are constantly trying to keep the honeysuckle bush & vine at bay so our wildflowers can grow in the spring. If you post a pic I can probably ID it for you although I don't have much experience with southern plants. |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 07:10:54 AM
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Thanks, all, for the websites! I can't wait to do a field inventory of the farm - it's such a great way to really get to KNOW where you live... You gals are wonderful!
Alee - I have bindweed here - it's a nightmare...a TOTAL NIGHTMARE...I'm starting to shake just thinking about it... I'm sending you my very best "bindweed-be-gone" vibes!
XOXO, Libbie
In honor of Mother's Day, "If it's not one thing, it's your mother... |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2007 : 8:13:06 PM
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UGH! I am being invaded by Common Mallow! It is trying to take over my garden, or more specifically, I am trying to reclaim a garden space from it...
Just identified it. Now I need to figure out how to get it out! Hand weeding and hoeing have helped a lot, but it's root system is amazing well established (some of the tap roots are as big around as my forefinger). Each time I go out to my garden I see more of the little leaves popping up.
Alee |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2007 : 8:48:37 PM
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Common Mallow is icky - you're right. I think your best bet might just be to pull it out, but BOY, is it a chore! On the upside - did you ever eat the little "button" fruits when you were little? We always called them "cheezits" and I'll bet I've eaten over a million of them over the course of my life... Alee - I'm so glad that you're back and feeling better, Alee - and that Nora is, too. That is such a hard thing...
You know, I have this book that really is my ultimate weed reference book - it's called "Weeds of the West." It's great.
XOXO, Libbie
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2007 : 08:44:04 AM
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Libbie- I haven't ever eaten the little fruits, I wasn't sure if they were edible or not :) What do they taste like?
Thanks for the well wishes :) we are glad we are feeling better too. Nora still has a bit of a stuffy nose and she now has decided that the bulb nose thingy is the most evil thing on the planet :) She is doing tons better though!
Alee |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2007 : 10:03:57 AM
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Now that is interesting. In John Steinbeck's Cannery Row, he mentions common mallow and a gopher eating the "little cheeses" dangling down, but I've never seen this plant that I'm aware of. So, Alee, you have a cheese garden! Glad you are feeling better. Hope you can get out and do some enjoying today.
We make a difference. |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2007 : 8:10:43 PM
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Alee - I'm just not sure how to explain what they taste like - sort of a "green and planty" taste? That's pretty vague, isn't it. Try them - you just might like 'em! AND - those nose bulby things are awful - my little ones just start tossing their heads back and forth as fast as they could whenever they see one - just so I can't use it!
XOXO, Libbie
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 25 2007 : 12:02:06 PM
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I just went out to the garden today. More mallow coming up. Grr.
Honestly Libbie- I would be happiest if I could get all the mallow OUT and never let the little cheeses develop! I wouldn't mind them so much since the flower is rather pretty, except for the fact that they are so darn invasive. They are trying to kill my garden and reclaim it as their own. They shall now win! So say I as they are merrily growing like (dare I say it?) weeds in my garden! ;)
Alee |
Edited by - Alee on May 25 2007 12:02:21 PM |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2007 : 10:15:35 PM
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I know - that mallow is rough. I have the feeling that it's going to take all of your farmgirl "stick-to-it-iveness" to get it to go away. I have the same issue with bindweed - no matter WHAT I do to that stuff, it comes back. I've even tried talking to it and trying to strike up some sort of deal as to where it would be welcome to grow and where it would not... So far, no deals have been made.
XOXO, Libbie
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2007 : 09:48:45 AM
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Capital Punishment for all weeds! They can invade my neighbors lawn who doesn't care what grows, but my garden is not fair game! ;)
Alee |
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lamarguerite farm
True Blue Farmgirl
649 Posts
missy
Battle Ground
Wa
USA
649 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2007 : 10:15:41 AM
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We've lived in our place for a couple of years. We are surrounded by woods and it has been fun trying to figure out the foliage. I know we have nettle everywhere(thanks Eileen) and gorgeous trillium eveywhere in the spring. I've noticed a lot more wild iris this year. I have the little yellow flowers(can't remember what there called) Along the edge of our tree lines there is a carpet of low growing little lavender flowers. There are lots of daisies and queen annes lace. I had a mystery plant all over my property that looked like small maple trees, but flowered and then had little berries that looked kind of like raspberries. I discovered that they are thimble berries and are great for jam. No berries yet this year, but lots of flowers. We have lots of really cool mossy branches that are fun to make into wreaths. I've used lots of fallen limbs to make an arbor and also made a teepee to grow pole beans on for my son. Unfortunately the slugs are having a hay day on the beans. I have wild holly, tons of ferns. It's just endless out here. I haven't made a point to try and figure it all out, but I guess I should be more observant and appreciative of all that's around me. Thanks for inspiring me girls!!
Blessings,
Missy
If you have a dream, even if you don't feel qualified to accomplish it, just try your hardest.-Maggie Jensen
http://18happyhens.blogspot.com
www.LaMargueriteFarm.com |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2007 : 10:21:50 AM
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Oh dear. DH used the spray on some Dalmation Toadflax, and his spray killed 1 ft. circles all around each plant, and the weed just looks sort of stunned. Like a nuclear explosion with a cockroach laughing at you in the middle with only a bent antennea. I hope those spots recover the native growth next year. I went and pulled out the survivors. Yesterday DH was helping me pull, no more spray. Seems to be the fastest and least damaging to the other plants. We are certainly getting to know those 15 acres of wild land.
We make a difference. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2007 : 10:52:12 AM
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Michelle- I am so sorry to hear that your DH used the spray- and even more disheartening to hear that the Toadflax wasn't even seriously wounded! It sounds like you are going to have an ongoing battle with the Toadflax for several years, but for every plant you pull- that is one less seed creator, right? I am so glad that you 15 acres have such good custodians!
Alee |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 30 2007 : 10:40:37 PM
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Do any of you have arboretums in your areas? In Salt Lake City, the largest city in our state, and about 3 hours from me, they have this LOVERLY one called Red Butte Botanical Garden that has some great native plants/wildflowers/gardens. It's an amazing resource for seeing what Utah's native plants look like in "real life," and if you have one close to ya', I'd highly recommend going!
Here's a link to Red Butte, just so you can check it out: http://www.redbuttegarden.org/
XOXO, Libbie
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 09:24:39 AM
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The University of Idaho has a great one here in town. It is very manicured though so you only see little clumps of native plants, but they have a great sign near everything explaining what it is. I guess it is a trade off, and it is very beautiful to stroll through.
Alee |
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A Farm of My Own: Identifying wildflowers / native plants |
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Identifying wildflowers / native plants
