The weediest raised-garden bed in history

    

That's the daylily bed, which is also
the weediest part of our yard.
I do retain the annual grass in the middle.

    Our gardens, spread over about an acre of land, include weeds much of the year.

    But I've heard the old saying, "pull a weed in October and that's one less to pull in May."

    Uh, really?

    One spot is especially questionable. Like many gardeners, we spend inordinate time in the yard before it snows. Hostas are trimmed, as are various perennials. I haven't pulled out my beloved bright tropicals (Hibiscus, for example), but that will happen soon.

    The garden that gives me fits is in the photos; There are about eight daylily plants in that location, and probably a hundred miles, or more, of grasses with long, long roots.

    Last year, 2021, I weeded this daylily bed eight times. That's right! 

    The grass roots get entwined with the daylily tubes, about six inches underground. This raised bed has good soil and lots of mulch, so it's relatively easy to weed. 

    But so often?

    This year I let it go. Our daughter had twin girls in July, and there's been less time to spend on relentless weeding tasks.

    I was a bit shocked to see how overgrown it had become by October. I pulled out button weeds, and dozens upon dozens of grasses.

    Daylilies were once my favorite perennial flower. This daylily bed was established maybe 20 years ago, and it's quite pretty in summer.

    An article from Clemson University points out positives about these perennials:

    "Daylilies are many gardeners' favorite plants. They are dependable perennials, they are prolific and colorful bloomers, and they are relatively free of pests. Daylilies are tolerant of drought and flooding, immune to heat stress, tolerant of most soils, and grow well in full sun or light shade."

    Garden experts point out that daylilies may also be effective to stabilize soil in hilly situations.

    Do they also attract grassy weeds? I'd say so.

The daylily bed; it's not weeded on the left but it is 
weeded on the right side.
That's the large tub filled with roots of green grasses 
that grow among the daylilies.
















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