Invasives! also some musings...

[Paul Ont]

Invasives:
Having the opportunity to get back to the garden this past weekend, I noticed the spread of a few of the plants... Some of them have begun growing well beyond their 'limits'. The worst offender to date is Petasites, which CAN get massive if given enough moisture, mine is smaller since I don't have a 'boggy' site for it. The thing is spreading faster than any bamboo and is popping up all over the place. For now it's not a problem, but could be soon. It has been completely hardy for me through -31C.
A picture (not mine): http://kippenjungle.nl/PLAATJESMAP/petasites.jpg
If you want a small one, I might try to dig up some of the offshoots and pot them up. BEWARE THE SPREAD!

My bamboo are finally starting to spread (yeah!). One plant, P. aureosulcata 'alata', in particular is spread from a small plant perhaps 5' tall and clumping, to a widespread colony with sparse culms over an area perhaps 10' across. It is also sizing up, and looks be at least doubling in height. No other plant is having such a large size up this season. I am worried that the 'alata' could become invasive.

Other plants (not mine) that have become troublesome are mint, oregano (which is now a large part of the lawn, and is showing up in the cactus bed), 'Goose-neck loostrife' (never plant this one, it is impossible to get rid of), tansy (planted to stabilize a bank, this stuff is a PAIN), among others.

Musings:

I finally understand why people think that Hosta can be impressive... My 'Sum and Substance' (one plant of perhaps 5) is now in its third season. I am finally getting leaves well over a foot across. It's actually quite impressive. I am excited to see if my 'Empress Wu' will be as impressive in 3 years when the small plants I just put in the ground have a chance to get established. I also decided to get some of the other 'huge' ones to establish and, eventually, fill in the under-story of the woodland garden. Looking forward to that!

I planted some more BLEs, mostly Rhodos, as well. I am most interested in how my 2 new R. maxium x R. calophytum plants develop. Should be impressive in a few years when the leaves reach their full 1+ feet!

I promised some people a M. basjoo. I lost my main stem and the plant is 1 month behind where it was last year. Won't be able to give pups this year, sorry!

[hardyjim]

I am trying the Empress this year too-
that should be a nice one if it lives up to the hype!

O.k. it's not hype,I have seen pics of them 4' tall

[Cameron_z6a_N.S.]

Paul, if your Petasites ever gets too out of hand, feel free to send some over here!

[Paul Ont]

Cameron,

The Petasites is only 3 years old... But yeah, I should be able to get one to you.

Jim,

The thing with those 'big' hostas that surprised me, was the length of time it takes for them to get to size. When I bought my Empress Wu the lady showed me hers which she said was in it's third year and was still only an average size. Needless to say I'll be fertilizing mine to get it larger faster!

[Paul Ont]

Cam- This is what a second year plant looks like:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... LfFA"><img src="http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/33425 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="213"></a>

The leaves are only 1.5-2' across. Not the giants that I posted before... Hopefully someday though!

[canadianplant]

Eh dude

Some plants are a pain! So far in my experience some plants you dont expect to go crazy, do. One is the maxamillian sunflower. THis thing is a NASTY spreader. In one season it went from a small area ( mabey a foot square), to taking over any bare, disturbed, or open pockets of soil. Im still pulling it out 5 years later. There is also a small type of creeping ground cover with little purple flowers. IT smells of mint when touched. This thing stays green every winter, snow or not. Although its invasive i have found it extremely beneficial!. ITs a GREAT ground cover, yet doesnt seem to choke out other plants as much. IT flowers in april - may, giving pollinaters flowers when there are literaly no others.

The thing is, most "invasives" are infact trying to repair soil, and are trying to begin succession. Danelion and horseradish pull up phospherous and other minerals and deposit them at leaf drop. Yarrow has MASSIVE roots that break up hard soil, and also deposit great multch and mineral deposits on the soil. Ive also learned/read that most invasives only appear in disterbed sites such as lawn, new garden beds, bare soil, bright sunny spots in woodland..... If we dont give them these conditions they usualy dont become a problem ( of course plants like rhubarb, snow-on-the-mountain, mint, comfery and others, all seem to not really care, as long as they arent multched out! But all of these have many many uses). Im sure you can cut down the leaves of the Petasites and use it as free multch for your other beds. Use = control in most situations.

Im starting to appreciate hosta. I seen quite a few larger leaved ones for sale, and he blue/green colour is amazing. Throw in some tall ferns, mosses, and ground cover and youll have a wicked woodland garden, with almost no care. Im getting some divisions in a few days from my grandma ( nothin special but free hosta!) The same with Rhodies. Im sure you wont mind if those take over!

Too bad about you Basjoos dude! Im assuming that you had some pups survive at least?

Good to hear about your P Areosulcata! Mine is at the minimum leaf killed, but it definetly responds to water ( the dried leaves still " puff" out). Im assuming this means the roots and mabey culms are good! It didnt shoot till mid june last year, so im not expecting much untill then. Im hoping to get similar results as you soon!

[hardyjim]

I hear ya...mine is a dwarf of a dwarf right now!

[TerdalFarm]

My most invasive plant is bermuda grass. Can't stand the stuff and tend it with Roundup. W is going to a lot of trouble to fertilize the stuff. We just have to agree to seperate areas: she gets 3 hectares and I get 0.1 Ha.
In my area, an invasive I actually welcomed in pepperment. I started it a few years ago for "mojitos" and now it grows like crazy. But, it is easy enough to control with a shovel so I don't mind it.
I'd love some blue hostas on the north side of my house. I get so much sun, heat and dry wind that they will be a challenge for me even there.
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[hardyjim]

Cam- This is what a second year plant looks like:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... LfFA"><img src="http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/33425 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="213"></a>

The leaves are only 1.5-2' across. Not the giants that I posted before... Hopefully someday though!

I have a variegated version of this one-
should be cool once it gets going!