kohoutjm's Blog
kohoutjm's posts about: Perennial Bed
Apr 21, 2008 | 9:36 AM PST
Tags: Bloody Cranesbill , Perennial Bed , Ornamental Flower Basket , Mulch
This weekend I expanded my front perennial bed about 5 ft. I think next year I will bring it all the way up to the house, but this is a good start for now.
In the photo below you can see the large flower basket that my dad made me last year and the phlox (purple and white) on the left side. I divided these and moved them in last year. It looks as though every single one made it through our harsh winter. I checked them out and see lots of little flower buds. They will be opening soon. I hope they begin trailing over the edge this year, but I know it may not be until next year.
Off to the right of the basket is where I began the expansion. I sheared off about 5 ft. of Creeping Charlie. Hoping to keep it under control a little better this year. I split the Bloody Cranesbill that did so well over the last couple of years. I managed to get six good sized divisions. I planted 5 in the new bed and gave one to the neighbor and left a good chunk of the original plant in place. Below you can see the divisions happily in their new home.
I am trying a new process for mulching. Someone suggested that instead of using landscaping plastic to use old newspapers in thick layers to keep the weeds at bay. So here goes, I put down newspapers over the bare ground around all of the divisions, and then added 3" of mulch. Hopefully Charlie won't visit my new bed.
This is the original plant in full bloom in 2006. It was almost twice as big last year and should have split it then, but it was too late before I realized it.
Bloody Cranesbill 2006
Here is more info about Creeping Charlie and Creeping Jenny
They are different plants but both are perennial. Both can be invasive.
Charlie has scalloped edged leaves and purple flowers. It spreads by runners. Any where the runners touch soil they grow roots. If you use a hoe to dig it out any broken pieces will grow roots and compound your problem. It is best to wait until fall if you are going to spray it with chemicals, but pulling it up in the very early spring before it gets it's new growth on it seems to work best for me.
Here is more info about Creeping Charlie.
Jenny is often sold for a ground cover, but most people here in Nebraska use it only in container gardening and treat it as an annual. It has round leaves and it is often chartreuse in color. It has yellow flowers.
Here is more info about Creeping Jenny.
