A single, average willowherb plant, can produce up to 100,000 seeds. Get rid or you'll regret it! It has no place in an average, domestic garden. I'd get rid of the spurge too.
Is this a duplicate thread? I'm sure I posted about these yesterday! Maybe I'm losing my marbles completely. Don't answer that...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have a large area of waste ground next to my garden that is basically a huge willow herb plantation. I have a constant battle in my garden, and am trying to have every inch of my borders planted with something, so that as little bare soil as possible is exposed. I don't know who owns the waste ground, and i've been tempted in the past to spray the whole area during the night in a ninja raid.
I usually aim to pull up the lesser willowherbs, like the one pictured, before they seed, but in a garden the size of mine the there's always some that get away and the pollinators do like them!
Great willowherb stays mostly in the boggy triangle and Rosebay is allowed along the pond edge and the far end of the dam, with a few stems in the wildflower meadow. Self seeders do appear elsewhere, but I usually manage to stop them before they get too big. It isn't a major issue, this is supposed to be a garden for wildlife and there are other plants that are more problematic.
@didyw Not posted any yet, but hoping to get there this year. I'm very lazy about getting to grips with tech, though there are plenty of photos on the PC. I've been working hard on the garden but it''s really only just waking up. The thread about deadheading daffs came up as the first of mine were opening and there are still lots left to go. Everyone one else will be on roses by then!
I know willowherb spreads like crazy, but it's great for elephant hawkmoth caterpillars - a really good foodplant for them. If you can leave a bit and bear to be weeding a lot it's worth doing. I devote a small corner of my garden to willowherb and found about 7 caterpillars in it at once last year
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Get rid or you'll regret it! It has no place in an average, domestic garden.
I'd get rid of the spurge too.
Is this a duplicate thread? I'm sure I posted about these yesterday! Maybe I'm losing my marbles completely.
Don't answer that...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I don't know who owns the waste ground, and i've been tempted in the past to spray the whole area during the night in a ninja raid.
I would be doing just that. Or borrowing a flame thrower!