My attack on the coyote --bush, that is
@bagarad (14283)
Paso Robles, California
November 13, 2011 6:49pm CST
Today the sun was shining brightly for the first day after two rainy or gray days. I decided to see what the rain had done and also get answers to questions about some of my plants. This is the best season for finding seeds and berries on trees and shrubs, and I wanted to get pictures so I can ID them during the winter months. So I was photographing weeds, trees, leaves, etc. But then I found a bunch of weeds I couldn't ignore invading the garden and orchard -- coyote bush seedlings.
If you live in close vicinity to coyote bush, you will have them, too. If you don't pull them when they are very small, before you know it they will be trees. I will be writing about them as soon as I have time, but I thought you might like a sneak peak of one of the pictures I took today.
When this stuff is in my garden area and around and under my fruit trees, it's got to go. It's much easier to spend an hour pulling the tiny seedlings, up to a foot high or so, two days after it rains and the ground is soft, than to try to wait and deal with much larger plants in the spring after rainy season is over. I pulled hundreds of seedlings in the hour or so I spent, and most came out easily. As you can see in the picture, the roots are quite long in proportion to the plant. Each square of the fence is 6 inches (15 cm) square. I pulled another one later where there was only 10 inches above ground and two feet under the ground. So you can see why getting them when they are under eight inches high is best. I suppose there will be a whole different batch after the next rain, or in a couple of weeks. The ground around the ones I pulled was almost green, but the tiny seedlings weren't large enough for me to see what kind of weed they would be. I should probably get out with a hole soon and get the baby thistles while it's easy.
Have you started any autumn garden cleanup yet? What is your most important autumn garden job? Do you have a problem with coyote bush in your area? How do you get rid of it?
2 people like this
8 responses
@GardenGerty (169449)
• United States
14 Nov 11
I see, Wikipedia did say its name meant fragrant root. The plant looks similar in habit to something here, but it does not get near so big and I have not noticed major roots on them either, so it must just be superficial.
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
14 Nov 11
I didn't notice if there was any fragrance. Maybe that's a good thing. The Native Americans in California used the leaves to help relieve poison oak rash. That's good, because they often grow right next to each other. If you don't have any, be thankful. About all it's good for, in my opinion, is to grow big shrubs if you want something to fill bare ground. It grows in the coastal scrub and chaparral areas of California.
4 people like this
@GardenGerty (169449)
• United States
14 Nov 11
I don't do the things I need to do. We need to mow one more time, and mulch with the clippings and leaves we collect. I still have some potatoes to dig. Biggest job for me always seems to be getting the houseplants in. I have some herbs in large, unusual containers and we did move them. I have an old double utility sink on a stand and I have cilantro and lemon thyme in it. First time for both and they did well. I put that close to the house hoping the cilantro winters out or more seeds start when it is warm. The thyme, I am told will be good to go. In an ancient planter made from a hot water heater from the 40's I have lavender, oregano and parsley and it needs to move to a more sheltered spot as well.
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
14 Nov 11
I have barely begun. I need to prune back the sages and the butterfly bushes which have never been pruned, except for the largest sage and it got even bigger. I started my herb garden about ten years ago with just a small circle of space and it's now gotten about five times bigger as things reseed. I don't mind, because it has lots of room to grow and what's in herbs is not in weeds. If I don't get out with a hoe I will have another thorn forest this year come spring. They will be over my head. For me, it's a selective process. I decide which weeds I will allow to thrive, with the hope that the pretty ones that don't get high will keep out the tall prickly ones that tend to take over. I'd also like to plant the milkweed seeds before we get more rain so that my weed abatement man won't plow under everything. Right now they will be right in his path when he comes through with the plow. Maybe if I put them closer to the trees they will be safer.
3 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
14 Nov 11
Hey, GG! When my family switched from coal to gas, my dad turned the old water tank into a planter, too! They had it out by the garden shed.
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
14 Nov 11
We have our own pests up here. There is a bush that I do not know the name of that is spreading through my lawn and also in the places where we put bark on and put on Roundup to get rid of it. It looks so pretty when it is in a bush but if it spreads, it i disaster.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
15 Nov 11
It would make a good hedge, but I doubt that it could survive the cold weather here and I suppose that being a desert plant, if you put it in a garden or someplace where it is watered often, it would really spread.
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (51818)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
14 Nov 11
I don't know if we have any coyote bush around here (Hamilton, Ontario) but we do have weeds, and you know it: it's easier to pull them out after a rain.
Why is it called coyote bush?
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
15 Nov 11
MOst weeds are easier to pull after the rain, but not poison Hemlock. If you pull, it breaks off at ground level and comes right back. It's a very wicked plant, and I will probably have to spray them while they are still small. I hate spraying, but the plant is more poisonous than the spray to kill it is.
2 people like this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
14 Nov 11
Well, my dear...each growing region has it's "achille's heel"..and as earlier discussed I guess we have two...one in common the Thistle!
My nemeis here is SCOTCH BROOM (Cytisus scoparius) and over the years, I have managed to eliminate every little plant..and therefore easy to keep on top of it! Can't control what comes in with winds and animals! If I find one that has bloomed and gone to seed, it has to be bagged as the seeds live 100+ years in the ground!
One theory...it arrived from Scotland, as a packer for Scotch Whiskey...their version of today's bubble wrap---the Scotch Whiskey being imported for the Gold Miners...and that is why it is also prolific in CA. especially Sierra Nevada's!
The only other use for it was to wet the broom-like branches and use it as a broom to clean out baking ovens! Interesting read; www.hgtv.com/landscaping/controlling-scotch-broom/index.html
Reading about your Coyote bush, I see, too, that it was used by the natives for arrow shafts...so must have real tensorial strength!
Fall clean-up...all done nearly a month ago...and just have another 200 Garlic cloves to plant! Already have 250 in! The gardens have to be cleaned up early from summer stocks, so winter crops can go in! Beets, chards, Kales, Leeks and Garlic! Phew, done for this season!
Good luck on ridding the property of Coyote Bush...and the Thistles! The vinegar with the Thistles worked marvellously for me...and even killed the roots!
2 people like this
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
16 Nov 11
NO...NEGATIVE..NIEN...would I ever be part and parcel of sending seeds of this obnoxious, invasive...pretty in bloom weed...that can render an entire area monoculture. It chokes out everything...and we have, each spring a "doom of the broom" day! The only safe thing is to put a plastic garbage bag over the plant...and pull it up by the roots! Make a huge burn pile, and burn it...TAKE THE BAG off first! The seeds are viable seems forever!
I would not wish this plant on anyone...you have thistle to deal with!@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
15 Nov 11
Hmmm. Maybe you should send me some seeds if I can use the plant for packing popcorn. I hate buying it, and only get what is recycled when possible. I've taken to wrapping newspaper wads in plastic newspaper sacks the papers are delivered in to cushion the books to keep them from sliding around the edges of the box. Doesn't look like it grows here yet.
I have hardly began my fall clean-up. I probably won't plant any winter crops. My chard was planted earlier -- it reseeded itself, and is almost ready to eat. Maybe I should plant some garlic.
I suppose I will have to keep after the coyote bush and keep pulling new seedlings as they get to be about two inches high.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
14 Nov 11
I was going to do that today....but after work I was more tired then I thought so will leave it for tomorrow or the next day. I have to cut down my hosta's and pull up a few seedlings. One of the seedlings is a nice tree that I would love to transplant in the spring so that one might just stay where it's at. I don't think we do have cotote bush. Never heard of it before right now.
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
15 Nov 11
I discovered quite a few little trees yesterday -- pine, oak, cottonwood, and I'm not sure about the others. If we don't do something soon we will have quite a forest. Right now they range from tiny oaks about three inches high (and roots a foot long) to oak and cottonwoods taller than I am. Count yourself lucky if you don't have coyote bush. I've had to hire someone to remove two of them as big as trees from my front yard at the Paso house.
1 person likes this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
14 Nov 11
I can relate! One year I had to don a thickly and long sleeved shirt, gloves, saw and hatchet, and set about slaying the wild rose bushes and spreading branches which had invaded my raspberries. What a job that was! I learned never to delay getting rid of the more invasive weeds!
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
15 Nov 11
I once considered planting wild roses because they are supposed to produce the best rose hips, but I don't really make rose hip tea or jam. I wish my berries would come back. Most people have to cut them back, but it's all I can do to keep them from being killed by the critters.
1 person likes this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
17 Nov 11
We didn't have a garden this year because of the fact that we were dealing with so many different medical issues in our household this year. So, the big thing is going to be that next year we are pretty much going to have to start over. However, I think that it is all worth starting over after dealing with the medical issues that Tom has had this year.
With that said, we typically get rid of all the weeds that we have by being very vigilant about pulling them.
