Hechicken I found it. The top weed is a Prostrate Knotweed. It is the first weed to germinate in the spring particularly on compacted soil. It emits a chemical which keeps more desirable grasses from coming up. It can be sprayed with a corn gluten based spray or if you aerate your soil that will help other grasses to grow in. We definitely have compacted soil here. Knotweed has super tiny roots so it can get in where other plant roots can't. Since we have the worst of worst clay here it is is understandable why this stuff took over.
I'm loving the gate. The people that came yesterday were super impressed even though we don't have all the finishing touches on it. I am going to buy a large storage box to set out there for packages I think. Haven't done that yet. I had been pricing them but hadn't decided I wanted to spend the money for some of them. And then I need to decide exactly where to set it. The gate mechanism cost about $500 and we did the installation. I also opted not to put in the intercom system because I don't want people pulling up and talking to me....It's not like I am in the house most of the time anyway. Anyone that needs to come here can call me or make an appointment the way I see it. I bought the key pad which isn't installed yet. It will hold several codes at once. I am thinking if I am expecting someone I could program in a one time code that they could use to enter, then remove it after they leave.
I do have a remote thing I bought over a year ago that will sound a bell if someone crosses the beam. I thought about setting that out there so at least if I was in the house and someone pulled in the driveway before the gate it would set off a warning. I wish it was all finished.
If someone wants in they will get in anyway but at least this will prevent them from driving in and slow them down. I think my dogs really like the fence line. Marshmallow can chase all the vehicles she wants and still play her games but on my side of the fence. She already has a path worn down along the fence line where she runs. And she doesn't get in trouble for it now. LOL
Maidenwolf I am familiar with the compass weed. Is it used in any medicinal ways? I see it growing along the roadways a lot.
Oh, thank you! And yes, that makes sense then where it is growing. It is in the area outside our backdoor, which gets the most foot traffic so is the most compacted. And it also makes sense about it emitting the chemical to keep other grasses out, because where this stuff is growing, there is NOTHING else at all. And it keeps spreading. Do you know if any of the animals will eat it? I guess I need to go and google it now I know what its called. I'm guessing they won't but if they will I guess I won't worry too much about it.
HEChicken I am sorry I was referring to the pic that lizzy posted. Could be prickly lettuce like Danz said. We have a lot of both growing in the field and both produce yellow flowers.
Oh...okay. I did see one google image that looked a little like that one but most of them looked like a totally different plant. Weird. I haven't noticed that either the chickens or the sheep will eat it, so I don't think I really want it around. I'll have to go and google prickly lettuce now.
It's so great to learn new things even at my age.
I totally agree! I had posted the same set of pics on my FB timeline, asking for help identifying and the only "oh so not helpful" response so far has been "They're weeds. What does it matter what they're called. Poison them". Really? Spray poison around where I have livestock grazing and chickens ranging? Poison something that might well be useful either as people food or livestock feed? Poison something that might be beneficial to have around due to insect control or some other reason? Really? (You might have guessed but that response irked me a little).
I waited until all the coop doors were closed tonight before letting the sheep in the chicken yard and wouldn't you know, every one of them ran straight to the doors to try to get in. They circled a number of times, totally confused that there doesn't appear to be a way in tonight. Little buggers.
I moved my Sultan to a new nursery tonight with the chicks she hatched. All except the one I stole to give to a broody Silchin to encourage her to switch to parenting mode. So that's two hens no longer broody....and two more confirmed broodies. I'm getting desperate. Tonight I put my non-broody NH hen in with my German NH cock bird who has been in virtual seclusion in my hoop coop because my BR cock bird will kill him if I let them out together. The poor guy has been sharing the hoop coop with a broody turkey and a broody duck - the only chicken who was in there was co-parenting a batch of ducklings with another broody duck, and I kicked out the whole family a few days ago, to go and join the flock in the main coop. Poor Paul. I'm probably not allowed to say the H word here, but I had barely put the NH hen down when he jumped her. And again less than a minute later. I'm sure he'll settle down in a day or so and hope he doesn't ride her too hard in the meantime. Once I'm sure the eggs she lays are fertilized by him, I can start to collect them and put them under some of these broodies.
