[gardeners] Weeds, ain't they sumpin!
Liz Albrook (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 17 Jul 1998 10:51:14 +0000
Wow, do I have weeds! One of the perennial favorites here is field
bindweed -- a ubiquitous vine with elongated, heart-shaped leaves and
ever so pale pink, small, morning glory shaped flowers. Now,
according to one of the Field Guides to Weeds in Your Garden there
exist another dozen or so bindweeds, one of which is called Coastal
Bindweed. Coastal bindweed is just like field bindweed except 1)
it's not as bad because the vines aren't as long, 2) it's a good
deal prettier because the blossoms are medium pink and white
bicolors, and 3) it occurs in more humid, coastal climates from WA
through OR down into CA.
I don't know whether I should be delighted or ashamed to report that
coastal bindweed is thriving in the border by the house. I am
astonished to find it there and even more astonished to find that it
is hardier than common field bindweed. Weeds -- such adaptable
plants.
One thing I noticed last year and have confirmed this year is that
field bindweed is a powdery mildew host. It isn't affected in the
slightest by PM but PM simply loves it. Any plant that the bindweed
comes in contact with that is susceptible to PM gets a bad case of
it. I suspect that the bindweed sneezes on the desirable plant and
that's the method of transmission. A bourbon rose in the garden is
now being eaten by PM transmitted to it by a bindweed sneeze. The
bindweed is growing strongly, or was until I pulled it, but the rose
has certainly slowed down a good bit.
Where was I? Oh, yes, coastal bindweed. Now this prettier, shorter
bindweed is resistant to powdery mildew. Completely unaffected by
it. I hope that the coastal bindweed makes milquetoast of the field
bindweed soon. Then it can have a shot at the china lettuce that is
currently sprouting in a checkerboard pattern of roughly 3 inch
squares around the pool in amongst the river rock. One thing of
beauty -- some sort of wild sunflower type plant -- is blooming at
the head of the pool. Very pretty. So some good does come from not
weeding. And I noticed that there's quite a bit of vetch growing in
what used to be the veggie garden and is now the most dangerous place
on earth. Guess it'll be well nitrogenated for next year unless the
red root pigweed sucks it all this fall.
Thank goodness it's so hot -- otherwise I'd feel compelled to weed.
One other thing -- Marcelle, bless her, sent me a most remarkable
ground cover. It, too, has morning glory shaped flowers only these
are hot pink with yellow centers. Trust me that it's much prettier
than I just made it sound. It's now a monster plant -- about a yard
or so across -- and simply lovely. When it didn't get watered it
browned out and then sprouted back covered with green after it got a
small drink. Amazing stuff -- it's crowded out *both* bindweeds.
Liz