Weed or Keep?

11 years ago

OK. this is going to be funny to a lot of people but I simply can't tell weeds from plants especially when they are sproutlings. Although I can identify bindweed ( i think ) which is how I found this forum!. One of the reasons why I decided to start from seeds is for me to learn to identify younglings. Also as I am learning about gardening and plant names I think I should also learn to know the names and how to identify their counterparts as well. Anyways here are a few things I found while watering this am and not sure if I should yank them out or leave them alone.

This is growing right next to the Penstemon RRH and is the only 1 of it's kind in the bed. The dozens of others are the dandelions sprouts of undying love!

This one is tiny and about half a foot away from a clump of pansies. I am thinking it may be a pansy that reseeded but unsure. If it is YAY! 1 measly seedling but I'll take it!

This one is ALL OVER THE PLACE and I've already yanked out hundreds by now which definitely makes this a weed but what sort of weed is this?

I know this is a weed but what is it?

What the heck is this weed? or is it?

Comments (8)

Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
11 years ago
Hi Alice,

The first one could very possibly be a Penstemon seedling, so I'd let it grow a little more and see what it looks like in a month or so!

The second one COULD be a pansy, but really hard to tell at this stage! Let it develop a little more and watch the leaves to see if they start looking like your other pansy (or viola) leaves.

The third one! Some questions! Did you get a forget-me-not (Myosotis) at the swap last year? If so, was it anywhere near there, and did it bloom and go to seed? IF yes to all of those, those could be forget-me-not seedlings! If no, keep on pulling!

The fourth one is a weed--but I don't know what it's called!

Too soon to tell, but the last one could conceivably be a Mahonia, most likely Mahonia repens, and birds drop the seeds, so, yes, it could be coming up anywhere!

Any of them that you're not sure about I'd recommend letting them develop a little bit more before you make a final decision.

Skybird
conace55
11 years ago
This has been posted on this forum before and can be pretty helpful. If you click on one of the lists, you will see pictures.

Visual Weed ID

Connie
digit
11 years ago
"I know this is a weed but what is it?"

Lambsquarters, almost for sure.

"What the heck is this weed? or is it?"

Black Medic?

Steve's digits
bob_in_colorado
11 years ago
1-5
Keep
Weed
Weed
Weed
Keep

What do I win?
thistlebloom
11 years ago
I agree with Skybird and Steve's assessments. Number 5 looks a lot like a Snowberry seedling. They come up all over the place here, but they aren't obnoxious.
nunchucks
Original Author
11 years ago
Bob hhhmmmfff... weeds of course since I will be be keeping the Keeps. Thanks for all your responses. I am liking the snowberry. I think I'll stick it in a pot and let it grow some and see what it looks like. The penstemon could be potted up for the swap although I am unsure if it comes true to seed because I had one sprouting last year in the platycodon pot I sank in the ground to over winter about a foot away and at the end of the summer it sprouted purple flowers instead of red. Not sure if it came from my RRH or a seed took a ride from the nursery. I think I'll pot it up since it looks like it could be smothered by the mom plant soon. BTW I looked into lambsquarters and what do you know it's edible!

Here is a link that might be useful: edible lambsquarters
digit
11 years ago
Sure! Lambsquarters are edible.

I only encourgage orache more than lambsquarters because it is just a bit more tender but those 2 sisters are very similar - in a relative sort of way.

Spinach is a cousin!

Steve
highalttransplant
11 years ago
Two other tasty relatives of lamb's quarters are Amaranth and Quinoa.

# 3 Yep, it's a weed, and there are bazillions of them in my garden every spring. A scuffle hoe works well on them.