A Garden with self seeding plants, how to distinguish from a weed

Hello all

I hope you are well.

I am looking for some advice for my Garden which has a fair few self seeding plants.

How do I tell the difference between a small weed and a self seeded plant?

To name but a few, I have Echinacea, Verbena Bonariensis, Phlox.

Any tips would be welcome.

Thanks in advance

Kevin

 

I too would like to know....

But within the last year I learned a lot. You kind of get a feeling for weeds and useful plants. At least you learn to identify the biggest pests over the course of time. And that list grows bigger every year until you know what to kill with a single glance.

 

Hello @Black Dog

Thanks for the reply.

You know what they say, misery loves company, so, welcome aboard

I may just leave them to grow for now so I have a better idea of what they are rather than blitz them all when they first appear.

Kevin

 

It is a learning curve. None of us knew what weed seedlings and self seeded goodies looked like when we started. Even now after more than 60 years of gardening there are still times when one is fooled by a new weed seedling. Answer is simple, don't weed them out unless they are growing in the wrong place (and even good plants do that). Let them grow on until you know what they are. Most things are fairly easy to remove even when big. Obviously it pays to learn what the real thugs look like at the small stage. By that I mean Ground elder, Bindweed, Black Nightshade and Epilobium(Fireweed).

 

Hello @Palustris

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.

Kevin

 

Whenever I sow something directly into the soil, I mark the spot with a wooden stick. This is because I tend to forget which places are already occupied.