RJM62
Touchdown! Greaser!
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2007
- Messages
- 13,157
- Location
- Upstate New York
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Geek on the Hill
Of all the plants that I planted last year on my slope that I hate mowing, chocolate mint was the clear winner in survival percentage, growth rate, erosion-proofing, deer-resistance, and politeness.
The deer munched on the junipers, perhaps not knowing that they're not supposed to like it; the creeping phlox is slower growing, had maybe a 75 percent survival rate, and doesn't generate as strong a root system; the sage and thyme survived, but have poor soil-holding properties; and the dead nettle doesn't care for the sun.
Chocolate mint, on the other hand, excelled in all areas:
The surviving phlox, junipers, dead nettle, and so forth can stay, too. If they prove their worth, I'll even tame back the mint to give them some space. In fact, one of the phlox plants saw me planting the mint, and decided it would be a good time to start flowering. That plant is smarter than the average phlox.
For the shady area by the end of the driveway where nothing will grow, I've spoken to an expert, and she suggests that it would be a safe place to plant Vinca minor. There's really no place for it to encroach on in that particular location. I'm still undecided and plan to seek a second opinion. It can get pretty invasive, and I wonder about the seeds spreading.
-Rich
The deer munched on the junipers, perhaps not knowing that they're not supposed to like it; the creeping phlox is slower growing, had maybe a 75 percent survival rate, and doesn't generate as strong a root system; the sage and thyme survived, but have poor soil-holding properties; and the dead nettle doesn't care for the sun.
Chocolate mint, on the other hand, excelled in all areas:
- Strong, fibrous rhizomes hold the soil.
- Rapid growth rate.
- Smells nice.
- Deer and other vermin hate it.
- Not unattractive.
- Doesn't grow very high. Maybe 10 inches, at the most.
- Aggressive, but not rude. It prevents grass growth by shading the ground, but doesn't choke other plants whose stems enable them to grow higher than the mint.
- Makes a nice, relaxing tea.
- Doesn't complain about the poor soil, the rocks, excess moisture, too-little moisture, or the short growing season. It's very agreeable.
- Easy to grow. Basically stick a piece in the dirt, and it grows.
The surviving phlox, junipers, dead nettle, and so forth can stay, too. If they prove their worth, I'll even tame back the mint to give them some space. In fact, one of the phlox plants saw me planting the mint, and decided it would be a good time to start flowering. That plant is smarter than the average phlox.
For the shady area by the end of the driveway where nothing will grow, I've spoken to an expert, and she suggests that it would be a safe place to plant Vinca minor. There's really no place for it to encroach on in that particular location. I'm still undecided and plan to seek a second opinion. It can get pretty invasive, and I wonder about the seeds spreading.
-Rich
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