Plants You Love to Hate

[amicus]

This is the worst time of year for my front garden. Breathlessly hot and humid, 3 inches of a rain can fall in one hour then the next day the ground is nearly bone dry. The next week looks like it is going to be above 90 all week. One of the few things flourishing? Black-eyed susan vines. I thought they were so great last year growing on a fence. This year I've been pulling up seedling after seedling as they try to take over the entire yard.

[LilyPotter]

Oddly enough, lillies and raspberry plants....raspberries grow like wees, I planted 3 baby plants and they took over half the yard and it was almost impossible to stop them, they still pop up.

My lillies just because I am too lazy to dig up the bulbs, mine have divided so much they are very crowded and those things get TALL in my yard. They dwarf all my decorations. I am not a gardener and should have planned better. Or planTED better.

[Moët]

When I lived in the Midwest it was morning glories...that stuff grew just like kudzu (but prettier!) I enjoyed them, but hated the work of pulling them off the deck when they started to over take it.

Now it's problems with English ivy...it will grow it's tendrils thru the garage doors.

Also the mimosa trees...while I enjoy the big ones in my yard (the scent is wonderful...sweet with a hint of banana to them) they do grow everywhere else where you don't want them! (aka as Silk Trees)

Then all the unidentified viney stuff that has thorns, or the big azz stalk stuff that reminds me of corn but isn't. One thing I know that will take off is bamboo. I've never bothered to plant it because I've driven by too many yards that it's taken over (along with all their banana trees! lol)

[LilyPotter]

My neighbor behind the fence planted a bunch of bamboo...we don't live in an area that can grow banana trees. But I hate the bamboo, it's just outside our back fence and really tacky. As lond as it's niot on our property I try my best to ignore it...that is hard to do. One of my neighbors planted artichokes in his *front ditch*, right at the road. All my other neighbors were complaining because everyone else keeps their yards manicured. Except for one other neighbor whose front yard is just a parking lot continually (not dead cars or things without wheels Just cars that all their friends driver over to come hang)....

Oh, I guess I could say the other plan that gets on my nerves here is GRASS...ours needs to be mowed 3 times a week or it gets well over ankle deep. The other neighbors' grass isn't quite so hardy and we can't figure out WTH the previous owners did to this grass to make it this way, and we've lived here for 6 years. We were told the man was always out in the yard fussing over the grass, he must have given it growth hormones for grass or something It's nice, thick, and green but grows SOOO fast.

[DivaToo]

Diva doesn't do plants and gardening
I can't even keep a cactus alive

[Ber]

Oooh Diva! Me too!!! I killed a cactus too!!!

As far as plants you love to hate, the only thing that springs to mind is poison Ivy. I'm not a plant enthusiast.

[Linny1125]

OOOOOOOOoh poison ivy! I somehow got it in my EYE last week, and am taking mountains of drugs to contain it. That stuff has spores that fly all over the place. Hard to get rid of.

[jmo]

I Love Johnny Jump Ups so I planted a bunch of them in one the gardens and they are now EVERYWHERE! They are taking over!! Sun, Shade, ASPHALT - they LOVE it ALL! Bah! I pull 1 out and 30 more takes it place!



(not a pic of my JJUs)

[SavannahStar]

Oh my gosh, jmo,....they are BEAUTIFUL!

[jmo]

Oh my gosh, jmo,....they are BEAUTIFUL!

They are Savannah and they come in all kinds of beautiful colors. They're like tiny Pansies, but they are also like weeds! They would be perfect in a wild flower garden or a one of those baskets (not hanging). They are also extremely hardy for such a delicate looking flower. I just wish they would stay within their bounds, but they don't. They even grow in a tiny amount of dirt, that was missed when sweeping, in the cement grout of patios! lol

[constantpeace]

I just installed a garden window in my kitchen (don't know why) and I need some fool proof plants. Me being the fool when it comes to indoor plants. Any ideas?

[jmo]

If its a partial sun spot, CP, Philodendron are an easy plant. Just don't over water them and it'll thrive. Ask the person at the garden shop and they'll help you.

Have you thought about making it a small herb garden? You can use the herbs for cooking. Just a thought.

[amicus]

I just installed a garden window in my kitchen (don't know why) and I need some fool proof plants. Me being the fool when it comes to indoor plants. Any ideas?

How much sun does it get? That's probably the main thing because a kitchen usually has adequate humidity and it's easy to get the water from the sink to the plants. Lots of sun and the herb garden is a great idea. Also small flowering plants like a gold fish plant (dark green leaves and bright orange flowers that are shaped vaguely like Pepperidge farm gold fish snacks). This one has been out on my back deck all spring and summer and been no trouble whatsoever-- it's been bone dry and soaked for days and the blooms just keep coming.

<img src='http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-5/1184602/DSCN00620001.JPG'>

[constantpeace]

Thanks. It gets a lot of sun. I like the herb garden idea - I think I'm going to start with that. A neighbor gave me a cactus plant so in that goes. If I can get the herb garden going, I may step out and try african violets (I love them). LOL, I would have to wait until I retired to start playing in dirt again! Thanks again.

Also, does anyone know anything about hydroponic gardening? I saw something on HGTV about it and it sounded like it was an idiot proof way of gardening. Yep, I'm that lazy!