On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 14:06:03 GMT, Vox Humana wrote:
area into a wild flower meadow. It seems that in a year or two you have a
weed infested area that is dominated by one or two species. The man-made
meadows that I have seen in botanical gardens seem to require a periodic
burn - something that most people can't or won't do. Without the burn, the
meadow is just a stop on the way to reforestation. Weed trees, brush,

Correctly timed mowing will do the same. There's a rhythm to prairie
replanting, for instance. Yes, you've got lots of weeds the first few
years, but they get crowded out by perennials later.
http://www-ed.fnal.gov/help/prairie/Prairie_Res/
http://users.cis.net/hamfam/prairie/..._fire_mow.html
http://www.for-wild.org/

Hi,

"Tom Randy" wrote in message
news
That's exactly my point. The OP who now has weeds, berries, brush,
etc, will
most likely have the same thing in a few years if he goes the
wildflower
route. The same thing will happen with a well planned perennial
bed. You
start with a nice mix of plants. If you don't manage the bed, you
end up
with the entire thing choked with one or two aggressive plants.
Then nasty
weeds like thistles will get established, and in my area, maple
and locust
saplings will appear.


Absolutely true. If I don't stay on top of my flower beds forget
about it.
Weeds,maple saplings go WILD.

I agree, The wildflower route is not the way to go.

I will suggested planting groundcover instead, once established, it
never needs mowing.

I use Perennial Peanut to substitute lawn.

Carpet Daisy(Wedelia trilobata) are invasive, but good for the border
of land to compete with those aggrasive weeds.

Mexican heather(Cuphea hyssopifolia) are good for marking the border.

Regards,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

"............ Have you actually done this? I haven't seen anyone
successfully turn an area into a wild flower meadow. It seems that in a
year or two you have a weed infested area that is dominated by one or two
species .........."
I am in the process of turning a plot over to this, many in the UK are now
well over 5 yrs old, and in Holland they have been doing this for around 20
years, and there is No way we would ever burn, this is the point of mowing
when the seed is set and then leaving it on the ground to give it time to
drop and thus re seed the area.
It is also why you add seeds of other wild flowers suitable for your area.
Mind you, if you regard all wild flowers as Weeds then this is defiantly
not the answer for you.
I was under the impression that you would be deciding in a year or two if
you were going to build on the plot so were not looking for a long term
answer and didn't want to spend much money on it.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Hi,

"Tom Randy" wrote in message
news
That's exactly my point. The OP who now has weeds, berries, brush,
etc, will
most likely have the same thing in a few years if he goes the
wildflower
route. The same thing will happen with a well planned perennial
bed. You
start with a nice mix of plants. If you don't manage the bed, you
end up
with the entire thing choked with one or two aggressive plants.
Then nasty
weeds like thistles will get established, and in my area, maple
and locust
saplings will appear.


Absolutely true. If I don't stay on top of my flower beds forget
about it.
Weeds,maple saplings go WILD.

I agree, The wildflower route is not the way to go.

I will suggested planting groundcover instead, once established, it
never needs mowing.

I use Perennial Peanut to substitute lawn.

Carpet Daisy(Wedelia trilobata) are invasive, but good for the border
of land to compete with those aggrasive weeds.

Mexican heather(Cuphea hyssopifolia) are good for marking the border.

Regards,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

"............ Have you actually done this? I haven't seen anyone
successfully turn an area into a wild flower meadow. It seems that in a
year or two you have a weed infested area that is dominated by one or two
species .........."
I am in the process of turning a plot over to this, many in the UK are now
well over 5 yrs old, and in Holland they have been doing this for around 20
years, and there is No way we would ever burn, this is the point of mowing
when the seed is set and then leaving it on the ground to give it time to
drop and thus re seed the area.
It is also why you add seeds of other wild flowers suitable for your area.
Mind you, if you regard all wild flowers as Weeds then this is defiantly
not the answer for you.
I was under the impression that you would be deciding in a year or two if
you were going to build on the plot so were not looking for a long term
answer and didn't want to spend much money on it.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Hi,

"Tom Randy" wrote in message
news
That's exactly my point. The OP who now has weeds, berries, brush,
etc, will
most likely have the same thing in a few years if he goes the
wildflower
route. The same thing will happen with a well planned perennial
bed. You
start with a nice mix of plants. If you don't manage the bed, you
end up
with the entire thing choked with one or two aggressive plants.
Then nasty
weeds like thistles will get established, and in my area, maple
and locust
saplings will appear.


Absolutely true. If I don't stay on top of my flower beds forget
about it.
Weeds,maple saplings go WILD.

I agree, The wildflower route is not the way to go.

I will suggested planting groundcover instead, once established, it
never needs mowing.

I use Perennial Peanut to substitute lawn.

Carpet Daisy(Wedelia trilobata) are invasive, but good for the border
of land to compete with those aggrasive weeds.

Mexican heather(Cuphea hyssopifolia) are good for marking the border.

Regards,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

"............ Have you actually done this? I haven't seen anyone
successfully turn an area into a wild flower meadow. It seems that in a
year or two you have a weed infested area that is dominated by one or two
species .........."
I am in the process of turning a plot over to this, many in the UK are now
well over 5 yrs old, and in Holland they have been doing this for around 20
years, and there is No way we would ever burn, this is the point of mowing
when the seed is set and then leaving it on the ground to give it time to
drop and thus re seed the area.
It is also why you add seeds of other wild flowers suitable for your area.
Mind you, if you regard all wild flowers as Weeds then this is defiantly
not the answer for you.
I was under the impression that you would be deciding in a year or two if
you were going to build on the plot so were not looking for a long term
answer and didn't want to spend much money on it.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Hi,

"Tom Randy" wrote in message
news
That's exactly my point. The OP who now has weeds, berries, brush,
etc, will
most likely have the same thing in a few years if he goes the
wildflower
route. The same thing will happen with a well planned perennial
bed. You
start with a nice mix of plants. If you don't manage the bed, you
end up
with the entire thing choked with one or two aggressive plants.
Then nasty
weeds like thistles will get established, and in my area, maple
and locust
saplings will appear.


Absolutely true. If I don't stay on top of my flower beds forget
about it.
Weeds,maple saplings go WILD.

I agree, The wildflower route is not the way to go.

I will suggested planting groundcover instead, once established, it
never needs mowing.

I use Perennial Peanut to substitute lawn.

Carpet Daisy(Wedelia trilobata) are invasive, but good for the border
of land to compete with those aggrasive weeds.

Mexican heather(Cuphea hyssopifolia) are good for marking the border.

Regards,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

"............ Have you actually done this? I haven't seen anyone
successfully turn an area into a wild flower meadow. It seems that in a
year or two you have a weed infested area that is dominated by one or two
species .........."
I am in the process of turning a plot over to this, many in the UK are now
well over 5 yrs old, and in Holland they have been doing this for around 20
years, and there is No way we would ever burn, this is the point of mowing
when the seed is set and then leaving it on the ground to give it time to
drop and thus re seed the area.
It is also why you add seeds of other wild flowers suitable for your area.
Mind you, if you regard all wild flowers as Weeds then this is defiantly
not the answer for you.
I was under the impression that you would be deciding in a year or two if
you were going to build on the plot so were not looking for a long term
answer and didn't want to spend much money on it.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Hi,

"Tom Randy" wrote in message
news
That's exactly my point. The OP who now has weeds, berries, brush,
etc, will
most likely have the same thing in a few years if he goes the
wildflower
route. The same thing will happen with a well planned perennial
bed. You
start with a nice mix of plants. If you don't manage the bed, you
end up
with the entire thing choked with one or two aggressive plants.
Then nasty
weeds like thistles will get established, and in my area, maple
and locust
saplings will appear.


Absolutely true. If I don't stay on top of my flower beds forget
about it.
Weeds,maple saplings go WILD.

I agree, The wildflower route is not the way to go.

I will suggested planting groundcover instead, once established, it
never needs mowing.

I use Perennial Peanut to substitute lawn.

Carpet Daisy(Wedelia trilobata) are invasive, but good for the border
of land to compete with those aggrasive weeds.

Mexican heather(Cuphea hyssopifolia) are good for marking the border.

Regards,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

"............ Have you actually done this? I haven't seen anyone
successfully turn an area into a wild flower meadow. It seems that in a
year or two you have a weed infested area that is dominated by one or two
species .........."
I am in the process of turning a plot over to this, many in the UK are now
well over 5 yrs old, and in Holland they have been doing this for around 20
years, and there is No way we would ever burn, this is the point of mowing
when the seed is set and then leaving it on the ground to give it time to
drop and thus re seed the area.
It is also why you add seeds of other wild flowers suitable for your area.
Mind you, if you regard all wild flowers as Weeds then this is defiantly
not the answer for you.
I was under the impression that you would be deciding in a year or two if
you were going to build on the plot so were not looking for a long term
answer and didn't want to spend much money on it.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Hi,

"Tom Randy" wrote in message
news
That's exactly my point. The OP who now has weeds, berries, brush,
etc, will
most likely have the same thing in a few years if he goes the
wildflower
route. The same thing will happen with a well planned perennial
bed. You
start with a nice mix of plants. If you don't manage the bed, you
end up
with the entire thing choked with one or two aggressive plants.
Then nasty
weeds like thistles will get established, and in my area, maple
and locust
saplings will appear.


Absolutely true. If I don't stay on top of my flower beds forget
about it.
Weeds,maple saplings go WILD.

I agree, The wildflower route is not the way to go.

I will suggested planting groundcover instead, once established, it
never needs mowing.

I use Perennial Peanut to substitute lawn.

Carpet Daisy(Wedelia trilobata) are invasive, but good for the border
of land to compete with those aggrasive weeds.

Mexican heather(Cuphea hyssopifolia) are good for marking the border.

Regards,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

"............ Have you actually done this? I haven't seen anyone
successfully turn an area into a wild flower meadow. It seems that in a
year or two you have a weed infested area that is dominated by one or two
species .........."
I am in the process of turning a plot over to this, many in the UK are now
well over 5 yrs old, and in Holland they have been doing this for around 20
years, and there is No way we would ever burn, this is the point of mowing
when the seed is set and then leaving it on the ground to give it time to
drop and thus re seed the area.
It is also why you add seeds of other wild flowers suitable for your area.
Mind you, if you regard all wild flowers as Weeds then this is defiantly
not the answer for you.
I was under the impression that you would be deciding in a year or two if
you were going to build on the plot so were not looking for a long term
answer and didn't want to spend much money on it.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Hi,

"Tom Randy" wrote in message
news
That's exactly my point. The OP who now has weeds, berries, brush,
etc, will
most likely have the same thing in a few years if he goes the
wildflower
route. The same thing will happen with a well planned perennial
bed. You
start with a nice mix of plants. If you don't manage the bed, you
end up
with the entire thing choked with one or two aggressive plants.
Then nasty
weeds like thistles will get established, and in my area, maple
and locust
saplings will appear.


Absolutely true. If I don't stay on top of my flower beds forget
about it.
Weeds,maple saplings go WILD.

I agree, The wildflower route is not the way to go.

I will suggested planting groundcover instead, once established, it
never needs mowing.

I use Perennial Peanut to substitute lawn.

Carpet Daisy(Wedelia trilobata) are invasive, but good for the border
of land to compete with those aggrasive weeds.

Mexican heather(Cuphea hyssopifolia) are good for marking the border.

Regards,
Wong

--
Latitude: 06.10N Longitude: 102.17E Altitude: 5m

"............ Have you actually done this? I haven't seen anyone
successfully turn an area into a wild flower meadow. It seems that in a
year or two you have a weed infested area that is dominated by one or two
species .........."
I am in the process of turning a plot over to this, many in the UK are now
well over 5 yrs old, and in Holland they have been doing this for around 20
years, and there is No way we would ever burn, this is the point of mowing
when the seed is set and then leaving it on the ground to give it time to
drop and thus re seed the area.
It is also why you add seeds of other wild flowers suitable for your area.
Mind you, if you regard all wild flowers as Weeds then this is defiantly
not the answer for you.
I was under the impression that you would be deciding in a year or two if
you were going to build on the plot so were not looking for a long term
answer and didn't want to spend much money on it.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk