Weeds, weeds, and more weeds

Regular weeding is one of the most important chores in the garden.  Pulling weeds when they are still small is key to good weed control.  Always pull weeds before they go to seed. The first step is identifying that what you are pulling out is actually a weed and not just a perennial that you forgot you planted last year. Following are some common weeds in Minnesota landscapes.

Field Bindweed has a vining growth habit with arrowhead shaped leaves.  It spreads via rhizomes and has very deep roots, making it a difficult weed to control.

Creeping Charlie is a low growing perennial weed.  When blooming, it has small purple flowers.  The leaves are round and scalloped, making it easy to identify. If caught early, creeping charlie is easy to pull. Creeping Charlie is commonly a problem in turf grass.  If in grass, a dethatching rake can aid with removal.

Dandelions can be easily removed by digging up the tap root.  However, several inches of root will need to be removed to prevent it from coming up again.  Always make sure to pull dandelions before they go to seed.

 

Lambsquarters have triangular or diamond shaped leaves and often have red tinted stems and leaves.  This plant is considered invasive and a threat to native plants.  It can be easily pulled as a young seedling.  Full grown plants can get up to 6 feet tall.

 

Bishop's Weed is often planted intentionally as a ground cover in the landscape.  However the variegated form, which is somewhat attractive, reverts to a plain form when propagated by seed.  This plant will readily self seed in places where it is not wanted.   It also spreads via rhizomes, so removal can be a bit trickier. All of the plant needs to be removed. It's leaves come in three's with a slightly variegated edge.

Common Burdock produces a large rosette of leaves that are broadly heart shaped and loosely hairy.  Burdock has a long tap root which should be removed to prevent reemergence. 

Happenings in the garden

It has been a busy week in the display garden.  Mulching, weeding, and planting were top priorities for most of the week.  The edible landscape is almost all planted, with beans, amaranth, beets, carrots, peas, lettuce, swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, sunflowers, corn, and more.

The crabapple trees are in full bloom. Come by and enjoy their fragrance.  

Tulips are blooming throughout the garden, and everyday new perennials are appearing.  

Tulips

Tulips are perennials in the Liliacea family.  They grow best in well drained soil, in full or part sun.  Bulbs are best planted in the fall, about 6-8 inches deep.  Tulips are a great way to add some early spring color to the garden, especially since there are so many varieties. Estimates say there are around 3,000 varieties of tulips.

Did you know...?

Tulips are native to Central Asia (not Holland). 

Tulips are the third most popular cultivated flower in the world.

In the early 1600's, the Dutch went crazy for tulips.  This time is known as "Tulip Mania". A variety then called Semper Augustus is thought to be the most expensive flower ever sold, with estimates in the $100,000+ range.

Here are a few of the varieties we have in the display garden. They are still blooming, so come by and see them for yourself!

Sanguinaria canadensis

One of the loveliest surprises in the garden this spring has been the appearance of Sanguinaria canadensis, or bloodroot. A native plant to the eastern United States, including Minnesota, bloodroot appears in early spring and has beautiful white flowers.  The cultivar in the display and trial garden is a double flowering form, making it especially showy in the landscape. 

 The root in bloodroot has a red juice, hence the name.  This juice was traditionally used as a dye and an insect repellant.  Although sometimes touted as a medicinal plant, bloodroot is actually quite toxic.  Currently, research is being conducted on the use of bloodroot in cancer treatment.  It is known to be an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. 

Bloodroot grows best in a rich, moist but well-drained humusy soil.  It prefers shaded areas, as you can see in the display garden.  Bloodroot looks wonderful in a woodland or shade garden.  It's beautiful white flowers will add a spark to the garden in early spring.

Mulch: Why it's awesome and how to use it

Image compliments of Wikimedia commons,

 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mulch_shredded_yard_waste.JPG

This week was mulching time!  We are pretty lucky on the St. Paul campus to have compost from the animal barns on campus to provide us with mulch for the display and trial garden.  Mulch has so many benefits for your garden, it's hard to list them all but I will give it a try.

• Helps retain soil moisture
• Helps stabilize soil temperature
• Provides habitat for beneficial insects
• Asthetics
• Improves soil structure
• Suppresses weeds
• Protects plant roots from extreme heat AND cold
• Adds soil nutrition
• Prevents soil erosion
• Prevents soil campaction

I could keep going, but I think you get the point. Mulch is an important part of the garden. So how can you incorporate it into your garden?  There are lots of different types of mulch so I will just highlight a few organic (bark, leaves, compost, etc.) types of mulch. 
First things first. Every good garden has a compost pile.  Put dead leaves, grass clippings, weeds (as long as they haven't gone to seed yet), and kitchen scraps in your compost pile.  This waste, once composted can make excellent mulch. 
In addition to compost, bark, chopped leaves, straw (not hay!), and wood chips make good mulch.  Simply spread this out around your plants, leaving enough room for them to poke out.  2-4 inches is usually sufficient. 
If you are interested in getting a bit fancier with your mulching, or if your soil is in serious need of help, you can try "lasagna mulching".  Here's a recipe for lasagna mulch from "The Urban Homestead" by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen (great book, fun read):

1. Stomp or mow down weeds.  No need to pull them up.
2. Water the soil if it is dried up.
3. Spread a layer of manure--rabbit, chicken, or horse is best.
4. Lay down sheet mulch as a weed barrier.  Cardboard, newspaper (but not the shiny inserts), cotton sheets all work well.
5. Put down a layer of compost, three or more inches.
6. Add the top dressing. This is the part that should look nice.  Dried leaves, straw, bark, wood ships, or pine needles will work well.  
7. If your soil is really poor, let this rest a full year before planting.  After one year, there should be significant improvements.

Snow and Daffodils

Sometimes in Minnesota, winter doesn't want to end. We hoped to get some gardening done today, but were thwarted (at least a little) by the unexpected May snow.  While of course we are all ready for spring's warmth, I have to admit it is kind of beautiful to see snow on the blooming daffodils.

 

Silly Winter Facts:

• The largest snowflake ever recorded was 15" wide and 8" thick.

• In 1997, 47" of snow fell in one storm in Lake County, MN.

• The record low in Minnesota is -60F, while the record high is +114F.

Forecast for next week:

The sun will come out on Sunday and the forecast calls for 60 and 70 degree temperatures all week.  We can't wait.