I'm sure glad I do not have bindweed. Yuck!

http://organicgardening.about....

My 3 items,

Variegated vinca, it trailed out of a pot, rooted in my back rose bed, took it over, and its now growing over the 6 ft retaining wall, and heading for the garden bed outside my basement.

Sweet gum balls, they fall from my neighbor's trees, and are all over my yard. They're painful to kneel on when I'm working in the garden, and I dont know they're been buried under the pine mulch.

Crab grass, where did it come from anyway?

Congratulations, ZenCat - I have a similar situation. Have successfully kept it from seeding any more but haven't quite gotten it all out of the ground yet. This'll be season 10 here.

Good luck, Critter! The easiest way I've found is to jump it when I first see it. It's a lot easier to pull then and denies it chlorophyll. The lady who lived here before us thought it was pretty and kept it. Ugh...

Yes, whenever I see leaves, I try to pull but if that doesn't work I at least strip them!

Variegated vinca looks just like something I would order or jump on at a garden center/big box store. I looked it up in several places including Monrovia which made it sound like the 'Plant of the Year'. I searched Google images and I saw it trailing down walls and taking over gardens yet the beautiful photos have me convinced that people will think I am a Master Gardner if I grow this. LOL.
Fine Gardening offers a hint when they say it is not as hardy as Vinca minor and also not as aggressive. The only way I would know this is aggressive or invasive is by reading comments on the forums.

That's why we hang out here!

You got it!!

Strangely, I am trying to ESTABLISH vinca to my driveway shrub border, with limited success. I also have it under a lilac in my front garden bed where it coexists peacefully and does not overly intrude on the surrounding plants. And I do have bindweed in one garden only, not sure why, but I let it mingle with the shrubs for a bright splash of white here and there, pulling it when it gets too much but not tryng to eradicate it.

Careful with that bindweed....

Annette - I did manage to get rid of the vinca while it was still young. We gardeners have to win once in a while.

It has taken 9 years to eliminate the Morning Glory seeds. I researched it only to find the seeds remain viable for 80 years. I just can't see myself weeding out the last ones when I'm 150.

The first thing I did was rip off all the flowers before they could set seed.
MUST BE VIGILANT on this one!!

pirl said:Annette - I did manage to get rid of the vinca while it was still young. We gardeners have to win once in a while.

It has taken 9 years to eliminate the Morning Glory seeds. I researched it only to find the seeds remain viable for 80 years. I just can't see myself weeding out the last ones when I'm 150.

Good enough for me. LOL.

Can you see the obituary now? Ancient woman dies pulling out germinated Morning Glory seeds?

Susan ...

Variegated vinca is one tough plant and will be hardy in your zone. It's hardy in mine.

Mrs. J planted it on the slope in my back yard. I never water it, nor do I feed it. The only reason it hasn't taken over the slope is that there isn't enough soil for it to spread further. The slope is mostly rock. Here's a photo I uploaded to the Rock Garden Forum because one of my future projects is to see if I can create an interesting rock garden up there.




Here's a photo of where it has taken over a rock wall that Mrs. J installed. I've managed to keep it away from the rose, but it is climbing over the wall and has invaded the area under my dogwood tree where I want to create a shade garden with heucheras.



I don't have it anywhere else in the garden because I am certain it will get away from me.

However, I think the wild violets are worse. Their roots strangle the roots of other plants and if I turn my back on them, they go after the roses.

Smiles,
Lyn

Arlene ....

Mine would be "ancient woman dies while planting a rock garden on a slope when she slipped and no one found her behind the fence."

Smiles,
Lyn

RoseBlush1 said:Arlene ....

Mine would be "ancient woman dies while planting a rock garden on a slope when she slipped and no one found her behind the fence."

Smiles,
Lyn

Lyn, I love the sloping rock garden and if there was ever a good place for it then that would be it. What wall? Holy Cow!! Is that a wall?