Wow! No need to sow so many containers is there? I love my volunteers, but so far the only thing that compares to your pics in my gardens are the California poppies. I get zillions of those, but they do that every year and make a nice edger along the driveway.

I was thrilled to discover lots of little lupines out in the Xeric garden the other day, where I had scattered the seeds from the lupine pods last fall. It worked!

Wishing I could come help you clean out some volunteers! :P

That is amazing. I can barely get larkspur to bloom at all, let alone reseed itself. The only flower that reseeds itself for me is lunaria.

I know what you mean about tree seedlings whose roots grow right down to H***. I (attempt to) dig up black walnut seedlings that the squirrels plant every year. The tops of the darned tree seedlings don't emerge until the root has already grown about a foot deep. And, like dandelions, you have to get the entire root or the whole thing will grow back.

And don't let me get started on the millions of maple seedlings from the tree that we can't afford to get cut down... At least maple seedlings are easier to pull up.

I have a heck of a time with those birch volunteers from my neighbor's tree. Usually my clay is too hard to get the roots out. But with over a foot of rain in April, I've done well at it recently.

I'm happy to see a few allysum volunteers in my front yard now. Usually they come up in fall and die out in winter. I guess the cold weather came early enough and suddenly enough last fall that they didn't get a chance to pop up.

Karen

Hi Karen-Last year, I battled a gazillion valerian seedlings- bet I potted up 100 valerians for the plant giveaway. I couldn't figure out what happened -the "mother" plant was at least 5 years old and had never reseeded itself that badly. Well, DUH, I hadn't deadheaded it. Maybe that's an answer for you? And yes, last year, the dried seedheads came off immediately!
Shirley!

Yea,I was just talking to my neighbore yesterday about all the tree sprouts this year, I have them Every Where,what a pain in the,ah,knees, to pull. I will be pulling them for years to come, there are so many,
And you should see the mint that is coming up,any one want any?I planted about 12 last year,way to many, they all came bak this year,nothing spreading,but the same clumps are back, I will keep one, the rest have to go, free for postage if yourinterested.Very pretty flowers.
cAROL

Awww - they're cute!

Larkspur is volunteering like crazy, and it doesn't stay where it was put last year, either.

The trees are bad, too. We have a row of Chinese elm and reseeding has never been much of an issue with them till we put in a bigger vegetable garden out back, about 20 feet from the elm. Well, with all that bare soil I've now got a couple dozen seedlings, and these things grow fast. By second year they can reach six feet so one of today's projects is getting them out before they really take off.

Caryl

Yes, the volunteer flowers wouldn't be so bad if I'd keep up with deadheading. I was particularly bad last year in the extreme heat we had. Then my Mom got very sick in September and well, I didn't have time for anything after that.

Karen

That Verbena Bonariensis is one plant that I've always tried to grow, WS'ing, direct seeding, and after 2 years I still haven't gotten a single sprout!

I have the same problem this year with Perilla.. my whole side yard is a pretty purple.. but not so pretty when ya realize they also reseeded themselves in the veggie beds.

Well know I am learning about perennial Hell. I didn't know rudbeckia's re-seed. I feel your pain, however, this was informative as well.

ladyrose,pot some Rudbeckias up, and use them in a trade,for something you would like.
I have tryed to grow them 2 years now, nothing,so, you are luky.
cAROL

I feel your pain Karen... I spent the day ripping out rudbeckia volunteers myself. I have given just tons away to people over the years and still, it just keeps coming (R. Goldstrum)

But my New england Asters have to be the WORST. Very difficult to dig up if you don't notice the reseeding right away. I do love the plants in the fall (purple flowers in Sept/and Oct.) but the groupings just grow and grow.

Wow, nothing comes up that thick for me. Not even lawn grass, and I was trying to make it do that. How thick is your mulch?
Edie

I WILL deadhead early next year. I WILL deadhead early next year. I WILL deadhead early next year.....(the mantra I was saying in my head as I dug up hundreds of Bachelor's Buttons volunteers this morning).

We use bark mulch in spring, generally about 3" deep. Usually I mulch with leaves in fall too, but didn't get it done last year.

My mulch disappears fast. My soil has a lot of organic matter (20+ years of applying compost). The soil just consumes the mulch.

Karen