weeds

Hello, new to this forum and also a newbie gardener! I want to get seeds from some Queen Ann's Lace by the side of the road, and I also like a similar weed that is purplish like Joe-Pye weed, but the blossoms point downward. It has a strong aroma that I have loved since childhood. When should I get seeds from these, and how? And how should they be sown? Will they be agressive? Unfortunately many of the weeds (or more nicely, "meadow plants") that I enjoy, are invasive. http://pages.ivillage.com/cecily_p/joyfulnoisehomepage/

This message was edited Friday, Jul 6th 6:54 AM

Kay: Like you I love Queen Annes Lace. Will have seed later in summer. It is very invasive, I am always pulling it out, just want a few to bloom. It will take over a flower bed. If you don't let it go to seed, you won't have any problems with it. It is a biennial, blooming the second year of growth, then dies.

QAL: Wait for the flower heads to turn brown, they will then be covered in seeds. Just hold the stem, pulling upward, and the seeds will come off in your hand. They are small and oval shaped, and sort of fuzzy looking. A little goes a long ways as they have a high germination rate. I sow indoors, barely covering. Transplants started early enough often flower in the first year. Yes, very invasive, but if you have a manageable amount you can keep deadheaded and under control.

Joe-pye like weed: Wait for the plants to produce pods. When the pods split you can collect. The seeds are attached to the silks inside of the pods. Brown, oval, flat, about 1/8" to 1/4" in length. Watch the pods carefully...you want to catch them before the seeds fly away! Probably sow like other milkweeds. Plant 1/4" deep. Not aggressive, I imagine.

Could I do a package of mixed zone 3 perennials for some of these seeds, please

I regularly trade Queen Anne's lace and Joe-Pye weed seeds, it seems that they do not grow in all parts of the country. I manage my QAL by deadheading or netting the flower w/old pantyhose, I usually net Joe-Pye weed to get the seeds before the birds & critters do, besides I can not seem to get it to grow on my property, but have been succesful at my sisters, I get my seeds from the plants that grow by the ditch accross from my house(close enough for me to still enjoy) I love DandyLions too and never seem to have enough of them to both: feed to my iguana, Kermit & to put in our salads, the poor things never get the chance to flower let alone go to seed, I usually end-up buying Dandy Lion seeds and growing them in the veggie garden, I would ask to trade for them but..... When my new neighbor moved in next door I caught her pulling my DandyLions one day, recently my biggest QAL was pulled-up by someone, I've been trying to explain to her for 3 summers now that I do not think of these plants as weeds, and that her nice gesture really irks me. I'm currently out of JPW seeds but should have some soon I do have some QAL that anybody can have for SASE.

I uprooted a number of young Queen Anne's Lace plants from along a roadside and transplanted them into the garden for next year. I'll also sow in the spring, so that should take care of my alternating years. I'm going to try to get a couple of chicory plants to take also, seeing as I always find this combination very striking when I see it occurring in the wild.

Apparently QAL is just a variety of carrot. Not even a separate species, just a different variety. Maybe if we just left our carrots in the ground...

JanetR, You are right about the carrots and QAL, they are both biannuals and you can harvest the seeds the same way, just leave the carrots go and they will flower the second year, the flower looks very similar to QAL, and the seeds are harvested the same way, but do not try eating the carrots that you have allowed to go to seed they are stringy and bitter.
Let me know how transplanting of the Chicory goes, It sounds like something that I would like to try. I like thick stands of flowers and it sounds like a good way to do this.

If the transplanting doesn't go well, I'll gather some seeds in the wild. It does have a tap root, so I'm not getting my hopes up, especially since I just pulled this one out of the ground while on a walk. It was small, so I thought I might have a chance. Too early to tell if it's going to take.

I can't imagine buying dandelion seeds... ;o) I'll harvest a bunch for you next year if you really want them. Everybody will think I'm insane, but what the hey.

Kay I know this is getting off the subject but I just love your quilts and craft. I also like to quilt being a beginner and teaching myself from books and from Simply Quilts shows. I think it is a lot of fun.

Great, save me some Dandy Lions, the one catalog offers a salad mix that grows large leaves that remain tender, I'm trying to find the best stand to save seeds from but do not seem to be having very good luck. Also off-subject, I got some really great fabric from Wal-Mart for a buck a yard, I do not quilt much, but have been picking-up fabric that appeals to me for years, I guess I'll sit down with a quilting book and do something with it someday.

Michele, the dandylions will have to wait till next spring, I'm afraid.

As for the chicory plant, it died back and I thought I'd lost it, but yesterday I noticed a small rosette of new leaves at the base. So it should produce some blooms next year.

I was also wondering if just letting a chicory plant from a vegetable garden flower would have much the same effect, seeing as they are virtually the same plant. I'll try to persuade my father-in-law to let one go to seed. He'll probably think I'm nuts.