How to Identify Weeds from Plants In Your Pacific Northwest Garden

You are out in the garden pulling weeds, when you stop and look again. Was that a weed you just pulled or could it have been a plant or a flower you put in there on purpose? You may discover this happens in your flower beds as well. Those weeds are tricky! Doesn’t it seem like weeds just know what flowers or veggies you planted and morph into very similar looking plants? How can you tell which is a weed and which is a plant you actually want? Well, our great employees at Greenwood Hardware are going to help you identify a few characteristics that will help you differentiate between weeds and non-weeds. Here are some tips:

• Save yourself a little trouble and draw a diagram that shows you where you planted seeds or plant starts. When you see things starting to grow outside of these areas, you can quickly identify them as weeds and remove them.
• When you see things sprouting, look at the soil. Is it rocky, dry or uninviting? If so, then that little green sprout is likely a weed. Plants that you plant on purpose will likely not grow in undesirable conditions. Weeds can grow darn near anywhere!
• If you already have several plants growing and in bloom, carefully compare the leaves and stem to the plants you want. Do they look the same? Look for fine white hairs along the stem. This is usually a giveaway. Weeds tend to have that prickly look from the very beginning.
• Take pictures of your flower beds and save them to compare to next year. Many flowers like poppies, are self-seeding and will come back year after year. However, poppies tend to spread out a bit in a bed and may at first be mistaken for a weed. Compare the plants to your picture to determine if it is the correct foliage.

It is important to point out that some weeds are actually flowers, but they are just a little too aggressive for most gardeners. There are a few characteristics that classify a plant as a weed. Keep in mind, some plants like chives and strawberries are like weeds because they meet several of the weed traits below, but are desirable plants. It is all about keeping them tidy and restrained!

These are some of the things that could make a plant a weed:

• Seeds are dispersed over a wide area by wind or birds
• No real natural enemies, i.e. aphids, grasshoppers, slugs
• Grow very quickly
• Reproduce quickly—seed heads are set and dispersed in a matter of weeks
• Large number of seeds produced and ultimately distributed

If you are battling weeds in your garden, you can find what you need to combat the problem at Greenwood Hardware. You will also find plenty of fresh starts and seeds to help you transform that weed-riddled area into a beautiful garden space again. And as always – if you have questions, we are here for you. Come on in, or contact us online.