Minty aggression?

[vakkotaur]

There are a couple spots in the yard where the grassy lawn is not present. One, on the corner of the lot by the streetcorner, has some sort of short decorative plant. Mainly short, which is sensible for on a streetcorner. This bit is walled off from the regular lawn by some bricks. Another patch, and that is what it is, a patch, is in a square of 4x4s or such.

Some weeks back I went at that patch and tried to get the weeds out and the soil tilled up a bit. And I planted some seeds: marigolds and moonflowers. These were properly planted, according to the directions on the newly purchased seed packets. As an afterthought I found a couple packets of seeds bought last year (mint and parsley) that had been lying in a drawer for a year or so. These I just threw about, broadcasting them, with no particular effort to do proper planting.

So far, no marigolds. I think a couple moonflowers made an attempt but didn't make it. Some parsley came up. And the mint took quite well. I consider this whole thing an experiment. I'm no gardener, I will freely admit. But I was still irked when that patch was mowed over last week by the folks who take care of the lawn. Guess it all looked like weeds to them. So now there is a sign, albeit a crude one, saying not to mow that patch. Hopefully it will be heeded.

This morning I looked the patch over. There was some of the parsley coming back, though not as tall as before. Still no marigolds or moonflowers. And the mint is coming back with a vengeance as if saying "Mow me, will you? I'll show you!" I'm not sure yet, but I think the mint is out-competing the weeds and the (now fewer than before) dandelions in that patch might not make it. I'd read that mint could be aggressive, but I wasn't expecting it to clobber weeds. I'm not complaining, merely pleasantly surprised.

Comments

minty-fresh

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah - Mint will out-crowd anything except rhubarb, and then they will join forces and launch a sortie against your lawn.

I will never forget rhubarb in the lawn....