I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail: gayleard /at/ eircom.nnity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
et
School of Mathematics, Tri

Long thin area by the side of house .... how shady is it? How dry is the soil?

What weeds are in the area already? Which ones do you find particularly offensive?

Sweet peas will be no match for weeds. Potatoes will look a mess over winter. Even the best ground cover plant will let something through - assuming your access is from the narrow end, you'll want something which you can walk over to get rid of the inevitable ash sapling.

"Timothy Murphy" wrote ...

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.


Too early for either of those yet. Not much will grow to cover any area
right now, you could plant a ground cover later. I've seen strawberries used
as such under rose bushes but there are plenty of more usual plants to do
the job. Some require sun others can cope with shade. Look up the RHS site
and do a search there.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Mon, 13 Jan 2014 19:24:49 +0100, Timothy Murphy
wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

Pam in Bristol

On 14/01/2014 08:43, Pam Moore wrote:
On Mon, 13 Jan 2014 19:24:49 +0100, Timothy Murphy
wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

Pam in Bristol

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

In article ,
David Hill wrote:
On 14/01/2014 08:43, Pam Moore wrote:
On Mon, 13 Jan 2014 19:24:49 +0100, Timothy Murphy
wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

Especially if it were southern Italy!

Sweet peas will not work, and nasturtiums wouldn't work well.
Periwinkle would, as would sarcococca or any of its relatives
(e.g. danae). Potatoes might, but only in season.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

David Hill wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

Unfortunately I don't know of a "more appropriate group".
Do you?

Actually, the weather here (in eastern Tuscany)
is not that different from the UK or Ireland.
Surprisingly, annual rainfall is greater here
though it rains less often but heavier.
As far as I can see the plants that grow here are much the same as in Dublin
(though I am no expert).

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail: gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

In article ,
Timothy Murphy wrote:
David Hill wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

Unfortunately I don't know of a "more appropriate group".
Do you?

Actually, the weather here (in eastern Tuscany)
is not that different from the UK or Ireland.
Surprisingly, annual rainfall is greater here
though it rains less often but heavier.
As far as I can see the plants that grow here are much the same as in Dublin
(though I am no expert).

Yes and no. You probably get slightly colder winters, but the key
difference is that winters will be a LOT lighter and less humid,
and summers will be a LOT warmer and sunnier.

Sarcocca/Danae/Ruscus and periwinkle (Vinca) will form a solid
barrier in time, and will do better with you than in the UK or
Ireland. There may be other such plants, too.

The former will take longer to establish, but you could easily
plant both and let the former gradually take over. You will have
to cut Vinca back to the boundary a few times a year, but that
will take only 30 minutes for a patch like that.



Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 14/01/2014 09:20, David Hill wrote:
On 14/01/2014 08:43, Pam Moore wrote:
On Mon, 13 Jan 2014 19:24:49 +0100, Timothy Murphy
wrote:

I have a small waste area, 1.5 x 7 metres, by the side of my house,
and want to plant something to stop the weeds growing there.
I was thinking of potatoes or sweet peas.
Any other (or better) suggestions?

Spuds would out compete most things. If they were not edible they would
be classed as a pernicious weed. Very hard to get the last volunteer.

I'd like to plant as soon as possible.

Periwinkle would be evergreen, nasrurtiums annual.
Shrubs, I'd plant sarcococca.

Pam in Bristol

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

You sure about that? His footer claims he's at Trinity College Dublin.

Depends a bit what you want but calendula pot marigolds will look after
themselves in almost any kind of rough ground. As will the vigorous red
valerian which is almost a weed but pretty and good for butterflies.
Heather and lavender can take care of themselves in a drier spot.
Wallflowers, poppies and antirrhinum can also survive and self seed in
rough ground without much difficulty. I have some big straggly
antirrhinums "annuals" that have now survived a couple of winters!

Hydrangea petiolaris will grow up a north facing house wall nicely.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 14/01/2014 10:32, Martin Brown wrote:

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

You sure about that? His footer claims he's at Trinity College Dublin.

The email address used for the first post is @ alice.it

He says in his follow up post

Actually, the weather here (in eastern Tuscany)
is not that different from the UK or Ireland.
Surprisingly, annual rainfall is greater here
though it rains less often but heavier.
As far as I can see the plants that grow here are much the same as in Dublin
(though I am no expert).

Going by the Dublin link it could well be that there will be periods
when there will be no one to water the plants.
But as always we are given minimal information in the first instance.
David

On 14/01/2014 13:05, David Hill wrote:
On 14/01/2014 10:32, Martin Brown wrote:

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

You sure about that? His footer claims he's at Trinity College Dublin.

The email address used for the first post is @ alice.it

I took that to be a cute munged address that happens to end .it

He says in his follow up post

Actually, the weather here (in eastern Tuscany)
is not that different from the UK or Ireland.
Surprisingly, annual rainfall is greater here
though it rains less often but heavier.
As far as I can see the plants that grow here are much the same as in
Dublin
(though I am no expert).

Going by the Dublin link it could well be that there will be periods
when there will be no one to water the plants.
But as always we are given minimal information in the first instance.
David

In which case drought tolerant Mediterranean plants that have waxy or
hairy leaves and tolerance of whichever direction the plot faces.

Astonishing how people can ask for advice without giving any of the
essential information like location, aspect or climate isn't it?

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

He's in Dublin actually, he just has an italian email address.

In article ,
Martin Brown wrote:
On 14/01/2014 13:05, David Hill wrote:
On 14/01/2014 10:32, Martin Brown wrote:

As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would
be the answer

You sure about that? His footer claims he's at Trinity College Dublin.

The email address used for the first post is @ alice.it

I took that to be a cute munged address that happens to end .it

He says in his follow up post

Actually, the weather here (in eastern Tuscany)
is not that different from the UK or Ireland.
Surprisingly, annual rainfall is greater here
though it rains less often but heavier.
As far as I can see the plants that grow here are much the same as in
Dublin
(though I am no expert).

Going by the Dublin link it could well be that there will be periods
when there will be no one to water the plants.
But as always we are given minimal information in the first instance.

In which case drought tolerant Mediterranean plants that have waxy or
hairy leaves and tolerance of whichever direction the plot faces.

Er, no. Many of those seriously dislike being wet in winter, and
would thrive in Tuscany only in very well-drained soil or at least
partial rain shadow. Others are more catholic.

Astonishing how people can ask for advice without giving any of the
essential information like location, aspect or climate isn't it?

No. Not everyone is expert enough to know its necessity.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I really wouldn't like to try to force myself into the middle of a patch of Ruscus to get at some stray unwanted plants that had found its way in (or do some maintenance work on the house)

On 2014-01-14 14:03:39 +0000, echinosum said:

David Hill;997419 Wrote:
As the OP is in Italy I'd think asking in a more appropriate group would

be the answer
He's in Dublin actually, he just has an italian email address.

No, he's posted saying he's in east Tuscany. I think some posts must be
missing from some screens.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon