Saturday, October 23, 2010

Seeds and Weeds!


It has been quite the year here for the Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) trees, they are laden with seeds unlike anything I has seen before. I grew up with Eastern Redbuds so this is a longtime. The trees over the garden and along our drives are dark brown with seeds. Wish I could sell them by the pound I could make some money.
I'm worried that one of these trees will drop seeds all over our garden, pulled up nearly 100 seedlings in the shade garden this spring. This tree is about 1/3 the size of the tree to the left both are over the edge of the garden. Anyone else experiencing a huge seed year for Eastern Redbud?


Now for the bad stuff Field Bindweed a morning glory invasive invaded our garden about 3 years ago, it came here in a load of top soil. I no longer buy top soil instead we get organic compost which heats up as it matures and the weeds die off, at least I hope.
 Today I dug up two 16 ft rows in the garden and hand picked this 4 gallon bucket of bind weed roots.

I found an interesting page on controlling Field Bindweed, you can till it up every two weeks for up to two years and 95% of it will die off, but your can't plant either.
 This photo was taken at eye level on one of Meg's Pea trellises.

Here are two tidbits on  Field Bindweed I got from the page linked above:

 Field bindweed can be spread by seed, root fragments, farm implements, infested soil adhering to the roots of nursery stock, root growth from infested areas, and by animals. Field bindweed has a deep root system that competes with crop plants for water and nutrients. Vines climb on plants and shade crops, cause lodging of small grains, and make harvesting difficult by clogging machinery. Dense field bindweed infestations may reduce crop yields by 50 to 60 percent. Land infested with field bindweed is reduced in value.

Field bindweed can develop extensive above and below ground growth soon after germination. A single plant six months after germination produced 197 vertical roots, each at least 4 feet long for a total of 788 feet, while growing in a large container. Plants had 34 horizontal underground roots coming from the tap root, which averaged 4 feet in length and gave the plant 136 additional feet of growth. These 34 roots produced 141 new shoots which established as individual plants. 

So for the record our weed problems in the garden here are pretty intense. We have field bindweed, Japanese bamboo grass, acorns(oaks), redbuds, mimosa, pokeweed and partridge pea just to name a few. 

Just so you know if the stalks of Swamp Sunflower touch the ground, they will take root! The Obedient plants are about a foot tall, those Swamp Sunflower stalks are 12 foot long.

 Here are some seeds to get excited about my first camellia seeds, I found two pods about the diameter of a dime on my Camellia sasanqua 'Tsumaorigasa'. Each pod had two seeds as shown above. Looked up how to plant and them and planted them the easy way by poked them in the ground and I placed a small stake to mark them. I read each seed will produce an hybrid camellia bush, it could be years before we see any blooms.
Our 12 year old toadlily is going strong. I liked this photo taken this morning and wanted to share it. Note: they do not show like this all day in the garden you have to get the light right.
We are down to 3 cyclamen flowers right now. I think at one point we had close to 15 blooming at one time. I found some cyclamen corms at Southern States the other day one of the corms had a small bloom poking out of the bag! 
    Cyclamen if you turn it up to look at it from the bottom up! 
    I also planted in the garden today. Planted garlic, red onions, white onions, rape, mustard and lettuce.
     

18 comments:

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Our redbuds are laden with seedpods in my part of SC too. I don't have any on my lot (that I have found) --- for Arbor Day the Cooperative Extension Office in Abbeville is selling trees, so I will get a few.
I went to a special garden on Tuesday and two of the photos I came home with were of the Toadlily and a clump of Cyclamen. Great minds, eh?

ps- Charlie said if you think that spot is good for Camellias that you should come and dig the holes....kind of hard.

Helen said...

I had one of those trees volunteer here in a flower bed. I kept pulling it off until it was gone. I love that Lily. Honeysuckles are a problem here also along with those Privet Hedges. Helen

D said...

Randy, I've never seen so many seeds as your Cercis. Our Madrone and Oak in the PNW is your Cercis: seeds and seedlings everywhere.

As for the vegetable garden, our spinach was up about 1/2 inch and now it's gone; thank goodness they don't like my onions and garlic.

Hope you and Meg have a wonderful weekend. PS: also, love the toadlily right now.

Florez Nursery said...

Hi Randy, I planted three of the Eastern Budwood this spring in a clients garden. Here it gets called the Forest Pansy Tree and is becoming very popular.
cheers Ian

Carol said...

Wow! That is hefty amount of bindweed. Not sure if our bindweed is the same as your but it sure had a great summer here. What a pain. Lovely Toad lily and Cyclamen photos Randy!! Beautiful. I hope to plant some garlic too. Have a great Sunday. Carol

NotSoAngryRedHead said...

I feel you on the horrific weeds. Mimosas, oaks, bamboo, and loads more that I haven't bothered to identify. But it's funny how some people welcome certain plants because of their invasive tendencies and others are leery of anything that might get out of control. It's kinda interesting to read reviews on purple coneflower.

Cyndy said...

Love your toad lily and cyclamen shots! No seed pods on the redbud, but I think it is happy just to survive this far north in Connecticut zone 5a...

Ginger said...

You must've gotten quite a workout pulling all those weeds!!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Look at all those seed pods! I have red bud trees come up in my garden across the street that I pull when I see them. I also have bindweed, but I don't think it's field bindweed. The leaves on the ones here are smaller. Since my yard is smallish, I'm able to keep pulling it whenever I see it, and I seem to be able to keep it under control.

Thanks for id-ing my skippers and your nice comment.

Town Mouse said...

Oh, I so feel with you! Bindweed is truly a pest. Hope you'll get on top of it eventually...

Jan said...

Bindweed is just a small problem in my garden right now, but after reading your info, I think I am depressed.
I, too, have just planted some sasanqua seeds in the hopes of someday seeing a flower.

Jan
Always Growing

Anonymous said...

My Redbuds are doing the same. Plenty of weeding come spring!
That cyclamen looks beautiful. I have never had any luck with them.

Southern Lady said...

So that's what those things are on my Camellia! I found several the other day and did not know what they were. Now, I am going to try to plant them!! Do you have any suggestions for getting rid of bermuda grass? Carla

sweetbay said...

My Redbud produced a bumper crop of seeds this year too. I grew a Camellia sasanqua from seed oh, maybe 5 years ago -- still waiting for flowers! It's OK -- if it had been planted in a more optimal place it probably would have bloomed already.

Les said...

What is it about Toad Lily that makes it notoriously difficult to photograph?

Caroline Gill said...

I'm wondering, Randy, if your redbuds are like the carob seeds I saw in Greece last month? Thank you for visiting my W&W blog.

Q said...

My Redbud is also full of seeds this year. I bet I too will be pulling trees come next spring.
Your Camellia seeds are very exciting!
My Toad Lilies have been a delight this year too. I have so enjoyed catching up with you this evening. The White Camellias are amazing...
Thanks for the Sulphur id...
The month is getting away
have a safe and
Happy Halloween.
Sherry

Commonweeder said...

What gorgeous photographs. The only camellias in our area, as far as I know, are in the Smith College Lyman Plant House. I definitely enjoy them there.