Stop pesky grasses in beds?

[flowerbug]

here are a few examples of areas which need very little weeding, but they
do get a few here or there.

 

[Nyboy]

I have to have flowers in 1st photo what are they ????

 

[catjac1975]

I am weeding a bed that was perfect last fall and is just beginning to show signs of weeds. One thing I have discovered, is with using the cardboard over the nasty creeping grass, the long never ending roots are just under the surface and are easier to pull. The leaves and cardboard have turned to beautiful compost so though I could not stop them the weeding is less difficult.

 

[ninnymary]

I have to have flowers in 1st photo what are they ????

Looks like verbena to me.

Mary

 

[flowerbug]

I have to have flowers in 1st photo what are they ????

it is a low growing thyme. best when used around rock piles as it does get overgrown easily being such a short plant. it doesn't like being overgrown by daffodils or other plants in thick bunches.

i have you in my TODO list for this summer to send some small iris bulbs so will send you some of this plant too if you can't find it locally.

i'm testing various things out all the time to see what will go together in layers and all work together to keep weeds from having an easy place to get into. mainly i want various flowers and strawberries mixed together.

 

[flowerbug]

I am weeding a bed that was perfect last fall and is just beginning to show signs of weeds. One thing I have discovered, is with using the cardboard over the nasty creeping grass, the long never ending roots are just under the surface and are easier to pull. The leaves and cardboard have turned to beautiful compost so though I could not stop them the weeding is less difficult.

it's often much easier to get weeds out of mulched/composted areas than the hard clay we have underneath. the fun is when the weeds get down into that clay and can survive and spread.

the worst weeds that are very hard for us to get rid of in certain beds are the sow-thistle and horsetail. they can go pretty deep and spread quite a ways and will come back from small pieces of roots. since i do all my clearing of these by hand it takes several years of consistent effort to get them out and then keep them from coming back.

i can't always smother and mulch some areas so i just have to be vigilant...

and have a good edge down in the ground if you are along a weedy area so that the weed roots can't come into the garden from the edges. this also keeps weeds that happen in the garden from getting out under the surrounding pathways/gardens.

 

[Nyboy]

I have thyme in my walkway just not that color love it

 

[baymule]

I hate grass burrs. When I was a kid, we called them stickers and we got them stuck in our bare feet. I take a shovel and wagon and walk our 8 acres, digging them up and haul them to the burn pile. After 3 years of doing this, there are very few now, plus the sheep eat them.

 

[ducks4you]

I would like to know what kind of thyme it is. DD's have two small areas on the south side of their house where the large, established trees are maintained by the city, but they shade out the grass. In the next weekend or two I will be transplating about 25-30 daffodils, amaryllis, small iris and something else?, a spring bulb that I either bought on clearance, started inside in February, or transplanted close to my house last year. They will be spent by May, but should come up nicely next Spring. The thyme would be a nice filler in between them. I even spent $1 on two miniature daffodils today for them. YOU KNOW, you see it, you buy it! Bulbs are good investment, in my book. I transplanted a couple of the iris in one of their beds last year, expecting only leaves this year, but they flowered and look very nice.
I say, pay attention to your gardener's instincts and they can pay off.

 

[bobm]

I have to have flowers in 1st photo what are they ????

Your red thyme stepable ground cover just started to grow in their new pots ... the patented lavender will arrive here first week of May. (looks much like the blue plants in 2nd photo.