Makes me so mad! - Page 7 - Wildlife Gardeners

TheLorax · 02-23-2009, 12:04 PM

Ah hazelnut, in order for us to realize any benefits (either real or perceived) from the planting of French marigolds we would have to have the specific species of nematode present in our soil otherwise we're doing little other than providing ourselves with food for the soul and most likely food for somebody else's soul too since marigolds routinely escape cultivation.

JennyC · 02-23-2009, 06:16 PM

Well, my marigolds do smell quite strong. I can't speak to nematode control; I don't think I had any problems with nematodes, but then I don't know if they're present here (last year was my first garden here).

So that's a resounding maybe not on the marigolds

What about the nasturtiums? I'd like the buds for eating as well as the possible benefits. Are they likely to get aggressive?

TheLorax · 02-23-2009, 06:27 PM

You are in Georgia. The nasturtiums would probably end up being food for the soul and food for your neighbors' souls also.

hazelnut · 02-23-2009, 07:33 PM

I have not found marigolds or nasturtiums to be invasive here in Alabama. Not a problem like the woody invasives: chinaberries, asian privet, asian wisteria, mimosa, ivy, etc.

loris · 02-23-2009, 09:10 PM

This is such a good thread. Two things I'd like to add.

1. I saw biigblueyes mention Master Gardener sales as a way to buy native plants. I found the same thing, and have also had good luck at the periodic sales put on here by the Audubon Society, and local arboretums. I would think a sale put on by a local native plant societiy would be good, but I haven’t gone to one yet myself.

2. Butterfly Milkweed is native to much of the eastern US and Canada. It was the first native plant I had that my husband actually said, “What is that? I like it.”

Asclepias Tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed) per the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Site is:

Native Distribution: Ontario to Newfoundland; New England south to Florida; west to Texas; north through Colorado to Minnesota.

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ASTU

-- Lori

TheLorax · 02-23-2009, 09:39 PM

Thank you for catching my mistake loris. Aye yi yi. I will go back and edit my post for the Butterfly Milkweed I missed that was in the mix.

Leslie · 02-23-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazelnut

I have not found marigolds or nasturtiums to be invasive here in Alabama. Not a problem like the woody invasives: chinaberries, asian privet, asian wisteria, mimosa, ivy, etc.

Here, either. Nasturiums don't like it hot. And try as I might, I've yet to get a marigold to survive more than 3 weeks in my garden. Hopefully my natives will do better.

JennyC · 02-24-2009, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leslie

Here, either. Nasturiums don't like it hot. And try as I might, I've yet to get a marigold to survive more than 3 weeks in my garden. Hopefully my natives will do better.

I'm far enough north of you that marigolds did just fine in my garden; killed by the frost. Now this year I guess I'll see if they reseeded themselves (I did deadhead, but they produced a lot of flowers).

Heat may well have been the problem with the nasturtiums, that and record drought.

Im4dabirds · 02-24-2009, 11:42 AM

Marigold will reseed here in Alabama, but I've never seen one grow outside the garden itself. I spend a good deal of time in the woods and pastures of my area and have never seen a garden marigold growing in the wild.

Don't know about nasturtiums as I've only ever planted them once and wasn't satisfied with them, so I've never tried them again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by loris

2. Butterfly Milkweed is native to much of the eastern US and Canada. It was the first native plant I had that my husband actually said, “What is that? I like it.”

Asclepias Tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed) per the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Site is:

Native Distribution: Ontario to Newfoundland; New England south to Florida; west to Texas; north through Colorado to Minnesota.
-- Lori

I've read and found it to be true that the butterfly milkweed has been very nearly eradicated from it's native habitat by the use of herbicides by the DOT, at least here in Alabama. If I see it along the roadside, I will either move it to a garden or at least try to save seed from it. If I don't, I know they will come along and spray it along with all the other 'weeds'.

hazelnut · 02-24-2009, 11:44 AM

Our arboretum at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa has native plant sales twice a year. Also, there is the Northport Native Plant society which has a sale in downtown Northport (a little town -sort of e xclusive - north of Tuscaloosa).

02-23-2009, 12:04 PM	#61
TheLorax Unicellular Fungi Join Date: Nov 2008	Ah hazelnut, in order for us to realize any benefits (either real or perceived) from the planting of French marigolds we would have to have the specific species of nematode present in our soil otherwise we're doing little other than providing ourselves with food for the soul and most likely food for somebody else's soul too since marigolds routinely escape cultivation. __________________ "In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; we will understand only what we have been taught." -Baba Dioum, Senegalese ecologist Last edited by TheLorax; 11-29-2009 at 10:29 PM.

02-23-2009, 06:27 PM	#63
TheLorax Unicellular Fungi Join Date: Nov 2008	You are in Georgia. The nasturtiums would probably end up being food for the soul and food for your neighbors' souls also. __________________ "In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; we will understand only what we have been taught." -Baba Dioum, Senegalese ecologist

02-23-2009, 09:39 PM	#66
TheLorax Unicellular Fungi Join Date: Nov 2008	Thank you for catching my mistake loris. Aye yi yi. I will go back and edit my post for the Butterfly Milkweed I missed that was in the mix. __________________ "In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; we will understand only what we have been taught." -Baba Dioum, Senegalese ecologist

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02-23-2009, 06:16 PM	#62
JennyC WG Guardian Spirit Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The South	Well, my marigolds do smell quite strong. I can't speak to nematode control; I don't think I had any problems with nematodes, but then I don't know if they're present here (last year was my first garden here). So that's a resounding maybe not on the marigolds What about the nasturtiums? I'd like the buds for eating as well as the possible benefits. Are they likely to get aggressive?

02-23-2009, 07:33 PM	#64
hazelnut WG Writer Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Greensboro, Alabama USA	I have not found marigolds or nasturtiums to be invasive here in Alabama. Not a problem like the woody invasives: chinaberries, asian privet, asian wisteria, mimosa, ivy, etc.

02-23-2009, 09:10 PM	#65
loris Grub Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New Jersey	This is such a good thread. Two things I'd like to add. 1. I saw biigblueyes mention Master Gardener sales as a way to buy native plants. I found the same thing, and have also had good luck at the periodic sales put on here by the Audubon Society, and local arboretums. I would think a sale put on by a local native plant societiy would be good, but I haven’t gone to one yet myself. 2. Butterfly Milkweed is native to much of the eastern US and Canada. It was the first native plant I had that my husband actually said, “What is that? I like it.” Asclepias Tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed) per the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Site is: Native Distribution: Ontario to Newfoundland; New England south to Florida; west to Texas; north through Colorado to Minnesota. http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ASTU -- Lori

02-24-2009, 11:44 AM	#70
hazelnut WG Writer Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Greensboro, Alabama USA	Our arboretum at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa has native plant sales twice a year. Also, there is the Northport Native Plant society which has a sale in downtown Northport (a little town -sort of e xclusive - north of Tuscaloosa).