Last year I struggled to get some Verbena bonariensis started from seed I
bought, first time growing it. I was finally rewarded with a dozen or so
gorgeous plants that did very well.....lots of blooms well into autumn. I
saved some seed and left the rest of the seedheads up for the winter. This
year I see that none of the plants wintered over (I know they're relatively
tender and we had a horrific winter). However, I see something at once
horrifying and delightful, and I'm not absolutely sure I'm making the right
call. Could I possibly have (literally) ten thousand V. bonariensis seedlings
in my garden? I know the plant is a prolific self-seeder but is it really THAT
prolific? They look like verbena, but I also have lots of other self-seeders
and I can't remember exactly what the seedlings looked like last year. (Again,
they sure look like wee Verbena plants......)

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z6b/7a

In article ,
oway (Tyra Trevellyn) wrote:

Last year I struggled to get some Verbena bonariensis started from seed I
bought, first time growing it. I was finally rewarded with a dozen or so
gorgeous plants that did very well.....lots of blooms well into autumn. I
saved some seed and left the rest of the seedheads up for the winter. This
year I see that none of the plants wintered over (I know they're relatively
tender and we had a horrific winter). However, I see something at once
horrifying and delightful, and I'm not absolutely sure I'm making the right
call. Could I possibly have (literally) ten thousand V. bonariensis seedlings
in my garden? I know the plant is a prolific self-seeder but is it
really THAT
prolific? They look like verbena, but I also have lots of other self-seeders
and I can't remember exactly what the seedlings looked like last year.
(Again,
they sure look like wee Verbena plants......)

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z6b/7a


Yes you could have ten thousand brazillian verbena seedlings! They will
die in damp ground, but they self-seed dramatically in dry sunny spots.
They are invasive weeds in some areas, but in zones 6 through 8, they
really ought to be manageable. I planted some by the road where they're
welcome to spread, &amp when they erupt where I don't want them, I just
grab 'em & pull 'em out of the ground.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

"Tyra Trevellyn" wrote in message
...
Last year I struggled to get some Verbena bonariensis started from seed I
bought, first time growing it. I was finally rewarded with a dozen or so
gorgeous plants that did very well.....lots of blooms well into autumn. I
saved some seed and left the rest of the seedheads up for the winter.
This
year I see that none of the plants wintered over (I know they're
relatively
tender and we had a horrific winter). However, I see something at once
horrifying and delightful, and I'm not absolutely sure I'm making the
right
call. Could I possibly have (literally) ten thousand V. bonariensis
seedlings
in my garden? I know the plant is a prolific self-seeder but is it really
THAT
prolific? They look like verbena, but I also have lots of other
self-seeders
and I can't remember exactly what the seedlings looked like last year.
(Again,
they sure look like wee Verbena plants......)

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z6b/7a

You can send me a few hundred......................madgardener serious as a
heart attack. I only have two verbena bonariensis.....................

Tyra Trevellyn wrote:

Last year I struggled to get some Verbena bonariensis started from seed I
bought, first time growing it. I was finally rewarded with a dozen or so
gorgeous plants that did very well.....lots of blooms well into autumn. I
saved some seed and left the rest of the seedheads up for the winter. This
year I see that none of the plants wintered over (I know they're relatively
tender and we had a horrific winter). However, I see something at once
horrifying and delightful, and I'm not absolutely sure I'm making the right
call. Could I possibly have (literally) ten thousand V. bonariensis seedlings
in my garden? I know the plant is a prolific self-seeder but is it really THAT
prolific? They look like verbena, but I also have lots of other self-seeders
and I can't remember exactly what the seedlings looked like last year. (Again,
they sure look like wee Verbena plants......)

Yes, that is entirely possible. This plant self sows with abandon and the seed is
quite fertile. It is being considered for noxious weed status in this are for that
reason.

pam - gardengal

"madgardener" wrote in message
You can send me a few hundred......................madgardener serious as
a
heart attack. I only have two verbena bonariensis.....................

I bought one plant about 6 years ago and haven't been without VB coming up
everywhere ever since. I have to pull it out all the time.

From: oway (Tyra Trevellyn)
Date: Wed, May 7, 2003 3:15 PM
Message-id:


snip

Could I possibly have (literally) ten thousand V. bonariensis seedlings
in my garden? I know the plant is a prolific self-seeder but is it really
THAT
prolific?

snip?


OK, folks, thanks.....you've convinced me that this is entirely possible and
more than likely. (The bed in which most of the seedlings are growing is very
dry, sandy-clay soil.) I don't think V. bonariensis is classified as a noxious
weed around here (it won't invade wetlands, for sure) but it just may end up
that way in this garden. Naaaah.

I think what I'll do is lift hunks of the seedling-laden soil and put it in
flats to grow on, with some thinning out. I should have lots of plants to pass
on this summer. I they could travel by mail, but seedlings just wouldn't make
it, I'm afraid. If anyone is going through northern NJ and wants some plants,
get in touch. )

Thanks again.....
best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z6b/7a

Lucky woman................................
"Julia Green" wrote in message
...

"madgardener" wrote in message
You can send me a few hundred......................madgardener serious
as
a
heart attack. I only have two verbena bonariensis.....................

I bought one plant about 6 years ago and haven't been without VB coming up
everywhere ever since. I have to pull it out all the time.

OK, folks, thanks.....you've convinced me that this is entirely possible
and
more than likely. (The bed in which most of the seedlings are growing is
very
dry, sandy-clay soil.) I don't think V. bonariensis is classified as a
noxious
weed around here (it won't invade wetlands, for sure) but it just may end
up
that way in this garden. Naaaah.

I think what I'll do is lift hunks of the seedling-laden soil and put it
in
flats to grow on, with some thinning out. I should have lots of plants to
pass
on this summer. I they could travel by mail, but seedlings just wouldn't
make
it, I'm afraid. If anyone is going through northern NJ and wants some
plants,
get in touch. )

Thanks again.....
best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z6b/7a

well you could just snip off a few dozen heads of flowers when they're thru
and send those to me........I'll try anything once....g madgardener
probably unable to even leave Southeastern Tennessee for any decent time
soon let alone a neat trip to northern New Jersey to meet a new gardening
friend. (so you don't live near the Pine Barrens, eh? And never seen the
Jersey Devil? Or looked over your shoulder and seen a Piney staring at you?
GBSEG (I almost know them all........but seriously, when we delivered a
load of hardwood flooring to Hoboken once and got locked in the mens room on
a Friday night while the crew grudgenly unloaded the truck, despite that we
were only 10 minutes late, getting to Hoboken was kinda neat as we had to go
thru southern Jersey and it was surprising. Hoboken, on the other hand was
scary, and Squire broke my Buck knife blade twice prying the hinge off the
door to get us out because the other door in the men's room opened up to a
solid brick wall.....shades of Twilight Zone! (the doorknob had been put on
backwards so when he went into the men's room with me as "protection" the
door closed and locked behind us and there was no way out. So he figured
he'd remove the hinges to keep from being locked in a warehouse all weekend
with nothing but two candy bars and a bag of grapes in my purse I had on me)
The manager jerked open the door just as he got the last hinge off and
before he could get beligerant at me, I did my song and dance about
claustrophobia, Twilight Zone, etc, yadda yadda, only in a hard Atlanta
accent instead of the usual slight Nashvillian one, and he looked at me, at
Squire, walked over to the door on the other wall and opened it and sure
enough, all this time he never knew it opened to a brick wall.............he
like to killed himself laughing. I just wanted outa there.

Squire's response to me when I asked if we were going to check out New York
City was "you see those lights over the greasy water?" Me:"Yep", Squi
"That;s New York City, you've seen it now, we're going back to Tennessee,
end of discussion, yer like a woman on a ship right now and I just want to
see the hills of Tennessee, and I thought I'd NEVER say that to you, woman"
(we lived in Nashville at the time and it's hills and river bottom land, we
moved to the mountainous regions of Eastern Tennessee years later...........

madgardener off to catch up on sleep and possibly add to the last ramble
later on

"madgardener" wrote:


OK, folks, thanks.....you've convinced me that this is entirely possible
and
more than likely. (The bed in which most of the seedlings are growing
is
very
dry, sandy-clay soil.) I don't think V. bonariensis is classified as
a
noxious
weed around here (it won't invade wetlands, for sure) but it just may
end
up
that way in this garden. Naaaah.

I think what I'll do is lift hunks of the seedling-laden soil and put
it
in
flats to grow on, with some thinning out. I should have lots of plants
to
pass
on this summer. I they could travel by mail, but seedlings just wouldn't
make
it, I'm afraid. If anyone is going through northern NJ and wants some
plants,
get in touch. )

Thanks again.....
best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z6b/7a

well you could just snip off a few dozen heads of flowers when they're thru
and send those to me........I'll try anything once....g madgardener
probably unable to even leave Southeastern Tennessee for any decent time
soon let alone a neat trip to northern New Jersey to meet a new gardening
friend. (so you don't live near the Pine Barrens, eh? And never seen the
Jersey Devil? Or looked over your shoulder and seen a Piney staring at you?
GBSEG (I almost know them all........but seriously, when we delivered
a
load of hardwood flooring to Hoboken once and got locked in the mens room
on
a Friday night while the crew grudgenly unloaded the truck, despite that
we
were only 10 minutes late, getting to Hoboken was kinda neat as we had to
go
thru southern Jersey and it was surprising. Hoboken, on the other hand
was
scary, and Squire broke my Buck knife blade twice prying the hinge off the
door to get us out because the other door in the men's room opened up to
a
solid brick wall.....shades of Twilight Zone! (the doorknob had been put
on
backwards so when he went into the men's room with me as "protection" the
door closed and locked behind us and there was no way out. So he figured
he'd remove the hinges to keep from being locked in a warehouse all weekend
with nothing but two candy bars and a bag of grapes in my purse I had on
me)
The manager jerked open the door just as he got the last hinge off and
before he could get beligerant at me, I did my song and dance about
claustrophobia, Twilight Zone, etc, yadda yadda, only in a hard Atlanta
accent instead of the usual slight Nashvillian one, and he looked at me,
at
Squire, walked over to the door on the other wall and opened it and sure
enough, all this time he never knew it opened to a brick wall.............he
like to killed himself laughing. I just wanted outa there.

Squire's response to me when I asked if we were going to check out New York
City was "you see those lights over the greasy water?" Me:"Yep", Squi
"That;s New York City, you've seen it now, we're going back to Tennessee,
end of discussion, yer like a woman on a ship right now and I just want
to
see the hills of Tennessee, and I thought I'd NEVER say that to you, woman"
(we lived in Nashville at the time and it's hills and river bottom land,
we
moved to the mountainous regions of Eastern Tennessee years later...........

madgardener off to catch up on sleep and possibly add to the last ramble
later on


Laughin' here....
Anyway, the Pine Barrens are indeed scary (ask some of Tony Soprano's friends)
but Hoboken ? Quaint little reborn river village, scary only as the real
estate values rise beyond all belief.

Not too late to plant V. bonariensis seeds. Send me your addie again and I'll
put some of last year's in an envelope.

Best,
Tyra
nNJ usa z6b/7a
four miles from NYC

It may be because I'm a messy gardener s. I let things seed themselves
everywhere and have a light hand with the mulch.

"madgardener" wrote in message
.. .
Lucky woman................................
"Julia Green" wrote in message
...

"madgardener" wrote in message
You can send me a few hundred......................madgardener serious
as
a
heart attack. I only have two verbena bonariensis.....................

I bought one plant about 6 years ago and haven't been without VB coming
up
everywhere ever since. I have to pull it out all the time.