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Self heal

Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149
in Problem solving

I planted two self heal in a border and they have grown pretty big in a short time and only just started flowering, they are very nice indeed and certainly haven't had time to set seed.

I went out to mow the grass this morning after a lot of wet weather and there is lots of it all over the other side of the garden, nowhere near the one I planted.

I actually like it but could it be related to the two I planted as I have never had this in the grass before although it is a native wild plant to this area.

Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    I think all this wet weather has given plants that are mostly invisible the chance to develop. The mix in both my lawn and the uncut meadow is very different this year. Self heal is just one that's taller than I've seen it before.

    Could there have been little bits of self heal in the lawn, a few leaves maybe, in previous years?



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    It's quite a prolific grower up here - the climate suits it. I quite like it, although I don't have any in this garden.

    I've noticed it's rife in lots of lawns round here just now - perhaps our dry spring meant people weren't cutting their grass as early as normal, and the recent rain and warmth has given it a big boost. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    Yes I think it is naturally there and hasn't spread.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    i like those little purple flowers in the grassimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    I'd like to have enough room to have an area of grass to devote to clover and prunella and lots of other bits and bobs for the bees

    One day....image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318

    I have suddenly seen self heal in my 'mowing area', makes a change from daisies, groundsel, and sorrel. I am in a life long battle with the couch grass, I put bird seed on the sorrel and let the pigeons scratch it about, try and mow before daisies set seed but I quite like the purple flowers popping up all over the place.

    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    They are cute and I do like them but the grass is so badly weedy I'm going to have to sort it out.

    Also found a monster ants nest right next to the summerhouse which I'm going to attack today, we often sleep in there when it's hot and don't want to wake up covered in ants.

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318

    Horrors!  Trouble is you can move them on as many times as you like but they just don't give up! They do help a bit by breaking up the clay but then they go and farm aphids on my veg  image

    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • Lou12Lou12 Posts: 1,149

    Urghhh, I don't mind ants I just don't want them swarming all over my bed :-( There are small gaps in the summer house floor.

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