Even weeds are a nice topic in winter, Tim 😆
You've got such nice weeds! Hosta! maybe pot 'em up and sell 'em at spring sale.
Butterfly bush comes up all over my place too, Tim, but I spend a day in the Fall, digging and potting it up and giving it to my daughter for her acreage.

Periwinkle:

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/415573630/" title="mar 9b 07 003 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="240" height="180" alt="mar 9b 07 003"></a>

Sumac:

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/1545127384/" title="DSC00485 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="180" height="240" alt="DSC00485"></a>

Clover in ALL my potted plants.

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/3818386927/" title="DSC02737 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="180" height="240" alt="DSC02737"></a>

oh...and English Ivy when it gets under the siding!

Barb

Weeds are underrated and givin a bad rap. Most "weeds" we see are there for a reason. Lots of weeds can indicate thta your soil is lacking in nutients, or can indicate that your soil is fertile.

I have clover everywhere, in my lawn, in my garden beds and in my potted plants. ITs good in the garden because it nitrofies the soil, and attracts tons of beneficial insects. I do believe it is a nutrient accumulator as well. Im encouraging clover as a ground cover/green manure/cover crop. I have 2 or 3 kinds in my yard.

I also have nettle comming up. THis is usually a sign of evenly moist, fertile soil ( i didnt know this at the time, but I planted my apple tree diretly over a patch of the stuff). It is also one of the best plants to use as fertilizer. ITs ueful for tea, medicine, shampoo, and even food. Nettle has massive roots that bring up phosphates from the hard pan/subsoil. WHen they die, they put these nutrients in the top of the soil profile, fertilizing your soil fl of nitrogen and phosphates.

I also have what I know as "ground ivy", which I think is also called "creeping jenny?". THis stuff grows anywhere, full sun, dry spots, deep deep shade, and forms 2 inch thick mats. IT seems to be a decent ground civer, and bees go absolutely nuts for them. IT is also used as a "cure all" by herbalists. THe smell is intoxicating when you cut/crush the plant. IT smells like a minty cucumber.

I have tons of viola too comming up. IF the snow falls before it gets really cold, the wild viola come though the winter in full flower!. I also have tons, and tons of horseradish popping up. So far, this is the only one I have a "problem" with, due to the massive size of the tubors, and the fact it sets thousands of seeds.

THe one thing that is becomming a problem for me is grass. Yup the lawn grass. THis si the only thing im having a real problem with. IT always manages to make a comeback in the beds, IT uses way too much nitrogen, unless it can be interplanted with clover to reduce the need for the lawns tendancy to suck nitrogen from my garden beds.

Hi Barb,

I hope that's not poison sumac!

Jesse,

Cool that horseradish is a weed. I've never tried it. What does the mature plant look like?

Larkspur

Hi Barb,

I hope that's not poison sumac!

Jesse,

Cool that horseradish is a weed. I've never tried it. What does the mature plant look like?

They get about 2 or 3 feet tall, and grow in huge clumps.....

If it ain't a palm or cactus it's a weed in my yard..... 😀

Tim, don't know the difference re poison Sumac.
Won't test to find out. 😆

Aaron, the Larkspur is so pretty, goes so well with house color.

Jesse, horseradish. Now that's ugly. 😆

Barb

Barb, this sumac tree fruits would be used for making food slightly acid. Yeah, the horseradish is too invasive.

would be used for making food slightly acid.

Cooking isn't a speciality of mine...

Cooking isn't a speciality of mine...

But of Mr.H?

He's proof, Igor.
Very skinny. 😆

Hi Aaron,

boy your weeds are REALLY good looking!!

Hi Jesse,

thanks for the photo. I'll guess you'll never be short of horseradish in a recipe!

Hi Barb,

I'm no expert on sumac but the ones around here either have a smooth leaf edge or a serrated leaf edge and it's my understanding the smooth leaf edge is the poisonous one. Why don't you cook some up and let us know if you break out in a rash! 😀

Fortunately, ours is the serrated edge Sumac.
So no cooking needed, but thanks. 😆

I have a friend that was out of TP and used some poison sumac up in the mountains....thats all I have too say about that. 😆