flower or weed??

[browntoe]

1st let me start by saying that i dont have a green thumb i think i actually have more of a brown toe.

we just bought a house and in the flower bed there are some leafy things i have no clue if they are flowers that will bloom and look nice or just weeds. i know we have rose bushes and some tulips and a couple other plants i have no clue what they are that are comming in and i would hate to pull out a nice flower.

can someone maybe tell me what it is in this pic?

keep or pull?
and if i keep does anyone have a pic of what it will look like?

also where is the best place to view pics of weeds so i know what to pull and keep

thank you in advance

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x122/771subliminal/2012-04-01181812.jpg

[Chris]

pretty sure that is a weed. Though I'm not familiar with all flowers, it looks like something in the parsley/carrot family (which includes many weeds).

[inchworm5]

That looks very similar to what I have at my house too. I have never had it change into anything different so I ended up pulling the patches along my retaining walls.

And speaking of that, I really need to get a good weed killer, but not something too toxic. I will need a lot for my sidewalks and pathways on a corner lot. Anyone have good products or deals, websites to share for ordering bulk?? I found a good home/garden Walmart coupon here (http://frugaldad.com/walmart/), but don't know what to get.

On a yard budget!!

[Chris]

Actually on second look it may be a columbine or a mum, so a flower.

[cattail]

This looks like mugwort to me. Here's a picture of mugwort that looks very similar to what you got:

http://treehaven.org/garden-conversations/herbal-immersion/

Mugwort grows in edges and bare spaces, especially along roadways. Many people consider it a weed. But it actually has a long history of medicinal and "magical" uses.

[cattail]

And speaking of that, I really need to get a good weed killer, but not something too toxic. I will need a lot for my sidewalks and pathways on a corner lot. Anyone have good products or deals, websites to share for ordering bulk??


Inchworm5,
Weed killers by nature are toxic, however if you are serious about a non-toxic solution consider either of these cheap alternatives:
- straight (undiluted) white vinegar, pour it directly on the weed
- hydrogen peroxide at 10% or higher concentration (not as easy to obtain as the vinegar, but most hydroponic stores carry 30..35% which you could dilute with water.)

In either case, there is no toxic residue. The vinegar of course is acidic, so will turn the soil more acidic there and may require some lime or other pH-raising adjustment should you want to grow plants there later.

The hydrogen peroxide leaves a residue of water and oxygen, no problem for anybody.

[newpat]

1st let me start by saying that i dont have a green thumb i think i actually have more of a brown toe.

we just bought a house and in the flower bed there are some leafy things i have no clue if they are flowers that will bloom and look nice or just weeds. i know we have rose bushes and some tulips and a couple other plants i have no clue what they are that are comming in and i would hate to pull out a nice flower.

can someone maybe tell me what it is in this pic?

keep or pull?
and if i keep does anyone have a pic of what it will look like?

also where is the best place to view pics of weeds so i know what to pull and keep

thank you in advance

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x122/771subliminal/2012-04-01181812.jpg

I have that stuff everywhere. It doesn't bloom and it's hard to eradicate. Just keep digging it out getting as much of the roots as possible and over time you will have less of it. As for the weedkiller, I would use vinegar. It's pretty effective, and doesn't last long in the soil. It works by stripping the root system of the plant/weed so it can't absorb water and nutrients. If it rains right after you put it down it just washes away, so you have to do it again. If you are putting it in sidewalk cracks etc, where you want a more permanent kill, go for round up. If you are really opposed to chemicals, boiling water also works pretty well, but in a more temporary fashion.

[TNplants1]

Its definitely a mugwort. These little boogers grows everywhere in Tennessee. We have flower beds of trilliums, virginia blue bells and may apples we harvest for plants sales and these little hogwart (what we call them and they are an invasive weed) must be plucked up by the roots or sprayed with roundup to get rid of them. They are not as bad as kudzu but almost. Pretty easy roots to remove but terrible when your gowing a specific species and they invade.

[AdamBorzy]

Flower! I do agree with them it is definitely a mugwort. As for future reference on which is a flower and a weed, I can say it will depend on your judgment. Some weeds have beautiful flowers and some have flowers are just ugly that you can't appreciate them. As for the pictures of weeds I will PM you the link. Happy Gardening!

[Perennialnorthernmichigan]

I always wait for a couple of weeks, just to make sure. It looks like it is full. The best way to determine is by pulling a little section. If the root is not connected to the rest of the plant, then it is a weed.

[forkliftaccess001]

I think I saw this one in one of my favorite online store (http://www.lawneq.com/) . and I can say its a flower.

[elgardener]

It looks like mum to me if you pinch it back now and again in July it will bloom in the fall.