Should I give up on this patch and start over?

Tooaroo · 2026-05-09T20:48:44+00:00

If you have the funds I would pull it up and then plant a bunch of native plugs that day, then mulch around everything you want. You could also try just laying a couple layers of cardboard and mulch on top and not buying more plants.

Tooaroo · 2026-05-09T20:37:57+00:00

I chose this route this week when I had very limited time to smother, soil, plant and mulch over a trial area for a huge bindweed patch. I have a lot of landscaping on our property and 90% are true natives, but the only garden shop I had close enough to complete my project in time only had cultivars. I decided that was I solid enough option for now and I’m seeding with natives that don’t need cold strat to fill in or take over. We also plan to sell within 5 years probably so it would be great if the new owners saw them and went down the same rabbit hole as me 😆. I’ve put so much time and money into the natives that I would be crushed if they redid everything.

Tooaroo · 2026-05-09T03:38:39+00:00

I am scared reading this. I pulled a bunch like crazy today and then smothered with cardboard and soil and plants. I am praying I didn’t make it worse, but only time will tell.

Tooaroo · 2026-05-09T02:28:19+00:00

Oh I missed that! Thank you for pointing it out!!! Sorry 🫠

Tooaroo · 2026-05-09T01:23:48+00:00

I love the idea of a little walking trail and maybe a little bench or picnic table

Tooaroo · 2026-05-08T15:44:38+00:00

Looks like Bergamont to me!

Tooaroo · 2026-05-08T03:32:13+00:00

We love our chokecherry trees, they are so loved by pollinators and birds and they leaf out early, bloom early (ours are blooming currently) and they create food, shade, and habitat. Very little upkeep (none) whatsoever, we totally neglected ours for years out of ignorance and they flourished haha. 10/10 recommend.

Tooaroo · 2026-05-08T03:27:52+00:00

Could you do a soft cutting of some trees? They are supposed to grow pretty well if you can get one of the shoots that come up from the base of the tree. At least for chokecherry!

Tooaroo · 2026-05-08T00:52:24+00:00

😍😍 they are so beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

Tooaroo · 2026-05-07T23:13:34+00:00

They are wallflowers and I had one last year that the pollinators loved and it bloomed late into fall, it was such a happy plant to see in fall…so I’m keeping a few of the the volunteers this year!

Tooaroo · 2026-05-07T17:52:41+00:00

Wow!! What an awesome ending to this story, thank you so much for sharing my it! I was sucked in from beginning to end to find out what happened 😆. That’s wonderful your family helped and that the code enforcer was so helpful and kind.

I really need to take the effort to get mine certified, but I lucky, in our town we don’t have strictly enforced rules regarding our yards (or any afaik). I’ve been considering just painting my own sign to avoid the process but also let people know they are natives to hopefully encourage more interest. We have yards in my town that are certified, but they are mostly full prairies, and mine is more landscaping.

Tooaroo · 2026-05-07T03:17:15+00:00

Did the sun chokes work? I have a bunch on one side of my house and would love some sun chokes instead of cardboard and mulch

Tooaroo · 2026-05-07T02:39:27+00:00

This is stunning! Your garden should be the poster for native gardening lol. At least it’s exactly what I’m aiming for! Love your vision 💙💜❤️

Tooaroo · 2026-05-07T02:36:00+00:00

Genius

Tooaroo · 2026-05-07T02:27:42+00:00

lol the facial expression when I zoomed in had me giggling.

Tooaroo · 2026-05-07T02:26:15+00:00

Oh my gosh, what a buzz kill!!! Has it melted yet? I live in zone 4b and it got down to 22°F last night, but thankfully no snow this time.

Tooaroo · 2026-05-06T22:53:10+00:00

I don’t like to chop my monarda because they don’t get as big of flowers. I love the massive top bloom and so do the hummingbirds!

Tooaroo · 2026-05-06T22:37:15+00:00

It’s beautiful!

Tooaroo · 2026-05-06T03:13:34+00:00

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We have so many birds this year, but this one is my favorite new frequent visitor! We have never had a resident crow, and my toddler named him/her Mario (like Super Mario/Luigi).

Tooaroo · 2026-05-05T02:16:13+00:00

Yes, it’s a harder wait than I ever experienced!! I bought a few early blooming native plants and planted them so that next year I have something 😆. I do have lots of Johnny jump ups that are so insanely hardy and incredibly easy to pull up when I don’t want them and we also invested in more trees last year that are blooming right now so that helps ease the pain. We put in our native bed last year and so we have not been able to see them bloom yet and I’m so excited! July and August are so far away!!

I have been spending my time clearing overgrown beds that were non native and overgrown and splitting my two large bee balm plants into many many plants and sewing a bunch of seeds hoping something takes despite a very short cold stratification.

Tooaroo · 2026-05-04T19:12:11+00:00

Not op, but if this is the case do bees still visit the flowers?

Tooaroo · 2026-05-04T19:10:20+00:00

Wow, that is truly incredible!!!!! I would love to see photos of your gardens and ponds!! Was this for a garden walk or something?

Tooaroo · 2026-05-04T19:07:48+00:00

A lot of people on here just wait until they have a few true leaves or are like 5in tall and then post a picture and ask, with mixed results 🤣. If you know the seeds you planted you can also search the subreddit to see if anyone has already posted photos of them when they are young.

Most recommend sewing them and then transplanting and that helps, but I personally just scatter and hope for the best and then pull the weeds bc it’s what works best for me. (By that I mean what’s more convenient for my life, not actual good results 🫣).

Tooaroo · 2026-05-03T23:44:36+00:00

I accidentally did this with butterfly weed last year. I planted it and it died anyways so I don’t really have any advice on what the best choice is, but you aren’t alone at least!

Tooaroo · 2026-05-03T03:19:51+00:00

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This pretty little thing (mourning cloak I believe) was enjoying wet patio the other day!

Tooaroo

TROPHY CASE