Sunday, April 24, 2016

Weeds or Wildflowers

Weeds or wildflowers....beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 Blooming China Berry Tree

Paperwhites bloomed in the flower garden this year. It's the first time I've seen them here at the lake. The Daylilies are starting to bloom and this Purple Verbena is one of my favorite go to summer flowers.

 This little plant came up in the flower garden for the first time, too. My neighbor thinks it might be a raspberry bush. I've decided to leave it be and watch it for a few weeks. If it is a raspberry bush, I'll keep it and if not, up it comes. 

These are definitely weeds coming up in the patio. I wanted to try a recipe for an environmentally safe weed killer that  Mama Pea of A Home Grown Journal gave me. She had not tried it, at the time, but heard good things about it. So, I made the recipe yesterday and experimented on these weeds. The first picture is a before shot, the top right photo is a few hours after I sprayed and the bottom right photo was from that evening. Obviously, these are not the same weeds, but I wanted to give a good representation of what they looked like. From the looks of the one from Saturday evening, I think the recipe works. I'll keep watching to see whether the weed killer just burned the foliage or if it really is killing the weeds. In the meantime, if you are interested, here is Mama Pea's recipe...... 

Environmentally Safe Weed Killer
1 gallon vinegar (I used white)
2 cups Epsom salts 
1/4 cup original blue Dawn dish detergent

Mix all ingredients in a garden sprayer. Spray the mixture on weeds in the morning, after the dew has dried and by the evening the weeds should be gone. 

**Update: I thought the weeds would have shriveled up, but that is not the case. However, from the looks of it, the weeds are dying. I'm not sure if this kills the roots, but I'll continue to experiment. I hope it works completely because I like the idea of using something safer for the environment than those harsh weed killers on the market, today. I'll let you know.

Have a happy day,

Laurie

P.S. Cliff took Lidia and Sawyer camping last night on Goat Island. I can't wait to hear the stories that come out of that.

24 comments:

  1. Goat island:) Charming.

    I love that time of year when our cameras fall in love w/ nature all over again..pretty shots..
    HATE weeds and squirrelsLOL.

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    1. Oh yes, I love that time of year, too. I saw some pretty wildflowers down the road this morning that I want to go back and shoot.

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  2. Laurie, Thank you so much for this weed killer recipe. I think this is what Tete at Beyond the garden Gate uses. I will tell my girls about it too. Glad you are having some spring there. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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    1. I hope the weed killer works for you. I'll have to check out that blog. Oh yes, spring has definitely sprung. It has really felt like summer this weekend and next week is supposed to be really warm, too.

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  3. Wildflowers!!! Especially those in the top picture!
    I don't use any weed killer, I still pull weeds in the spring and mulch a lot which suppresses new weeds, though not completely. I don't have too many weeds in the first place. My garden is a rather wild, natural one where weeds often don't have enough light to come up. Those who do - well, if I don't pull them they stay until I finally get them. I have learned to live with them. So far I have been lucky.

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    1. I agree, Carola. Wildflowers! I really don't use weed killer, either. But, I have a brick patio that little weeds come up in between the brick and a couple other trouble spots that I would like to stay on top of. So I'm trying this safe one. I have also pulled weeds by hand for years. I think I'm getting the hang of this mulch thing. I know it will help in keeping the weeds down, too. Good to hear from you!

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  4. Funny you should do this post today! Richard took photos of one of our neighbor's yard, it is full of wildflowers! We think either they have moved away or else away for an unexpected reason. Most people would be horrified by the sight but those lavender color flowers are beautiful to us!

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    1. Aren't they the prettiest, daintiest things? I love them, too.

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  5. I'll be eager to hear how well the natural weed killer does work. Seems like the solution would soak right down into the soil and kill the roots, too, but not having had the chance to try it yet, I don't know for sure.

    Even though most people think dandelions are the most awful weeds, I think a lawn full of them is beautiful. You photographed all wildflowers, and no weeds, in my opinion!

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    1. We are definitely on the same page, Mama Pea. I didn't check the area I sprayed, this evening. I had the grandkids over and was busy playing. I'll check tomorrow and let you know. I think dandelions are pretty, too. I can't understand why anyone would call them a weed. The little lavender colored ones will cover fields and pastures here and looks like a sea of lavender. It's beautiful. I don't know what they are called, but wouldn't a bouquet of those be sweet?

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  6. They're all beautiful! And I think it's be really cool to get a new raspberry bush! How fun!

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    1. Thanks, Betsy. I know....I really hope it is a raspberry bush. I've never had one before and it would be so fun!

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  7. I love your Blooming China Berry Tree! Very nice. And the paperwhites are so special! Is it a sort daffodil? Never seen in my own garden :-)

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    1. Thank you, Jedidja. Yes, Paperwhites are a type of daffodil. I'm not sure where you live, but it grows best in a warm climate.

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  8. What beautiful shots of all of flowers and wildflowers! I love daffodils and yours are just lovely! Thank you for that great weed mixture, I'll try it soon.
    Nancy

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    1. Thanks, Nancy! The weed killer seems to be working very well. I took a look at the experiment site today and those little weeds are all but gone. Hope it works as well for you.

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  9. See, there's a scientist in each and every one of us ;)

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    1. Never thought about it like that before, but I guess it's true.

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  10. Your photos are breathtaking Laurie...seriously...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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  11. Lovely flowers! Apparently vinegar on its own will do the trick too... I had a similar plant come up... Also watching to see what it is... Also thought it might be some type of berry.

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    1. Thanks, Jandi! I'm so glad to have this recipe with the vinegar. It's working. I know what you mean, I hope the plant is a berry bush. How cool to have raspberries growing in your flower garden.

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  12. I love dandelions, until they turn to fuzz and spread throughout my lawn. Such pretty photos, and I will be anxious to hear if your weed killer works! Happy Spring - XOXO

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    1. Thanks, Tanya. I think the dandelions are very pretty, too. The weed killer works. I'm going to do a post on the before and after. Whatcha got growing in your neck of the woods?

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