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Galium aparine (sticky Willy) and forget-me-not

IgrowfromseedIgrowfromseed Posts: 284
in Garden design
Been trying to get my forget-me-nots to develop into nice clumps as in first pic. I've got an invasion of sticky willy's amongst the forget-me-not seedlings. Any other option apart from hand weeding? Mulching still lets the Galium grow through but does provide and nice surround for the forget-me-nots.






Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Just pull out what you can for now (it's not deep-rooted) and then dig out any that's left when you take out the forget-me-nots. That's usually late May or early June here but this year they're a bit late, like just about everything else. The speedwell should probably come out too. It looks like it's already flowering so the seeds won't be far behind.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • IgrowfromseedIgrowfromseed Posts: 284
    Hi is that stringy Lacy plant a speedwell? Thought they were early forget-me-not seedlings
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    The one trailing along the ground with the heart shaped leaves is speedwell, the one with the spikey leaves that sticks to you is the sticky willy.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    The one with the leaves that are vaguely ivy-shaped, eg in the bottom part of your first pic, are the speedwells. Forget-me-not seedlings have oval leaves with a prominent central vein, not unlike the leaves on the grown-up ones. If it stops raining later I'll see if I can find one to photograph.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    What a magnificent name for what I've always called cleavers.
    It's sticky-willy from now on :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I've always known it as sticky willy.

    @I@Igrowfromseed , this is a forget-me-not seedling. They're fairly easy to spot once you know what you're looking for.


    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • IgrowfromseedIgrowfromseed Posts: 284
    JennyJ said:
    I've always known it as sticky willy.

    @I@Igrowfromseed , this is a forget-me-not seedling. They're fairly easy to spot once you know what you're looking for.


    Thanks for that. Will keep a watch during my hand weeding. Much simpler now to remove the oak leaf speedwell & sticky willy as one.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    it's always Sticky Willy in Scotland too.
    Devon.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    The forget me nots have a mauvy tinge to them,  it’s just Speedwell, should you need to look it up. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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