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Wild flower patch or weeds

Morning guys image day in the garden planned and I've found the patch I've had for the past two years looks really messy. I think that weeds are taking over, tufts of grass the odd dandelion and some spready small leaf plant I'm sure is weed and not wild flower, these I can pull out but there are a good number of small shoots I can't identify. 

Would I be best to scrape whole bed back and rescatter a seed mix or stick with it and if so will the flowers compete with the weeds.

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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    There are many on this forum who will tell you wild flowers are weedsimage

    They're probably right but I still like them. The strongest, those called weeds, will always take over and will need removing if you don't like them



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,277
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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Are you trying for one of the annual wild flower patches?

     



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Thanks Nut  I only wish I knew which ones are the ones I like image they mostly look alike when just seedlings image perhaps I'll leave well alone and hope. do you think if I scattered a mix it might help image?

  • Yes I think most are annual but the allium have come up and I was hoping the Borage would too along with other self seeded bits like cosmos and poppies and a couple more I don't know the name of image I was thinking it might look after itself in time image 

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    I think this was not a native wild flower mix, cosmos is not native. Our natives are stronger, they're in their own habitat



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • You've possibly got it right Hollie but the ones I've grown in trays I've put in an old veg bed for cutting image so perhaps I'll try sowing a few more as I don't cut the patch  well only a few Borage flowers (after five o clock somewhere )imageimage

  • Thanks Nut I didn't really think it out  I'll perhaps have to go to the GC and check the seed packets the ones I got before were from m+s and lidl so might not have been the best image I'll keep the cosmos for the beds  do you think leaving the grass tufts is ok ?it's not couch grass just the soft stuff . I quite like the dandelion and buttercup but they will really push the others out . I have a few red nettles but they don't look very strong but quite pretty.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    the red nettles are annuals and the bees love them. Creeping buttercup is a thug and will take over, Meadow Buttercup, Ranunculus acris, is more refined. Grasses are part of our native plants, the Brizas, quaking grasses are lovely but prolific seeders. 

    I think most people growing annual mixes cultivate the ground, just like you would for any annual mix, and remove perennial weeds like dandelions and buttercups



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • More work then Nut image hey ho another task in progressimage  or would you suggest differently is your wild garden more perennial ?

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