Taming The Morning Glory

Normally I'm a fan of Ipomoea, normally. I like the ornamental sweet potato vines, the heart shaped leaf morning glories with little blue flowers, and of course I love eating sweet potatoes but this three lobed morning glory has worn out its welcome. It started off inconspicuous enough, just a couple little leaves in the spring gradually twining through the ornamental grasses. In the beginning I thought "that might be pretty to see little flowers appearing between the sharp bladed grasses." Then I lost track of the morning glory. Not that I didn't see it. I was aware of it every single day that I passed by it. It grew and I my thoughts changed a little "I'm going to have to reign in that sucker soon."

But "soon" is a relative term when there is so much else to do.

Then it became this monstronsity and my thoughts were much different and eventually turned into "Your end is NIGH!" It had completely covered the miscanthus grasses planted there, all seven. Not to mention the little Russian sage I planted and the monarda.  Monarda, what monarda, was it even still there?

 

It's sinuous vines took over everything and were threatening to continue its effort at world domination. Hey MG, have you ever heard of Kudzu? We don't need another plague of the south!

Alas MG your day has come! While the gardener may not win all battles in the war on weeds he will win the important ones. And so now the morning glory has been laid to rest, in the sun then in the compost bin.

  

 

Morning glories develop a large tap root that was easily pulled out from the rain moistened soil. The best time to weed is right after a rain!

And now the garden is an area in recovery. Below where the morning glory was on the mulch is a mold that after exposure to the sun will dissipate. The grasses can continue their normal growth and I have rediscovered a monarda once lost.

 

A weed let go can be a big chore when grown! 

For more weeds join me for Worst Weed Wednesday on July 29th!