Washingtonians

[Slinglings]

DH has been working on a big project in the bed next to our driveway. He's been tearing out this really overgrown ground cover and tossing it in the yard waste bin for the past 2 weeks. I need some knowledgeable garden folks to identify this ground cover for me. When it blooms it has tiny light purple flowers.

Does it look like any of these:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=vinca&FORM=HDRSC2

Vinca or periwinkle. There are many varieties, a lot have purple flowers and can be invasive. I have some that is driving me crazy.

 

[JennS]

DH has been working on a big project in the bed next to our driveway. He's been tearing out this really overgrown ground cover and tossing it in the yard waste bin for the past 2 weeks. I need some knowledgeable garden folks to identify this ground cover for me. When it blooms it has tiny light purple flowers.

I was just thinking... since my free ranging chickens have eaten every other plant in the backyard if I should let them have a go at this stuff before we trash it in the yard waste bin. I need to identify it first so I know it's not toxic for them.

I also need to start brainstorming a source for greens for the girls since winter's coming. I'm wondering if the grocery stores would let me have their unsellable produce?

So what is this stuff? Is it on the toxic plant list? Can anyone help? TIA!

It's the ground cover with smaller leaves -

DH has been working weeks to tear it up out of the ground. It was creeping into the driveway.
There's a pile ready to go into the trash in the foreground.

Closer view -

Is it vinca minor (periwinkle)? It looks like it to me, but I may be wrong. That's what I've been ripping out of my front flower bed! It took me about 2 months, and it's coming back in a few spots. As soon as the coop is done, I'm going to rip out the last of it and plant the flower bed with the rows of potted perennials I've been saving. I've been bad and picked up several dozen bulbs to add as well....

Jennifer

 

[chickenjane82]

I met Shyla-C this morning and picked up some beautiful glass chicken beads that she made for me. They are so cool I just had to share. She did black, blue, white and brown plus a speckled, barred and a Cuckoo! I had originally bought these with gifts in mind, but I'm not sure I can let them go now.

I. NEED. SOME OF THOSE!
I love em!

 

[JennS]

What a beautiful space! You've done very well on a small lot, it's amazing! Great job!

By the way, mine's 1/2 acre...and looks like crap ALL the time. So...good job.

Thank you! If I don't stay on top of it, it goes to crap REALLY quickly. I've got morning glory coming in the the neighbor on that side, ivy and blackberry from the one to the right, and horsetails from the one on the other side.

It's a constant battle to keep the weeds under control!!!

Jennifer

 

[SadieSue]

Quote:
AHA! I don't know...

But you guys have given me a starting point so I can look it up. Thank you!

 

[SadieSue]

Well if it's vinca minor or periwinkle, I don't see it on the toxic list...

http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxic1.html

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
I know! I already PM'd her to see if she has time to make me a Tilda bead.

 

[JennS]

AHA! I don't know...

But you guys have given me a starting point so I can look it up. Thank you!

If it's vinca, and it's non-toxic, your husband is welcome to come up here and rip out the *other* flower bed I have that's overgrown with it! LOL I've got enough to keep your chickens in vinca for a long time!

Jennifer

 

[FirewifeJess]

Well if it's vinca minor or periwinkle, I don't see it on the toxic list...

http://www.poultryhelp.com/toxic1.html

I have Rhubarb, Rhododendrons, Foxglove, Ferns, and Elderberries.

Maybe we know why Tilda died now...

I had no idea all those plants were toxic to my chickens. They were just in my yard when we moved in; we've done nothing to modify the yard in any way. Sigh.

 

[itsren]

Hi, New to the forum as well.
I have 5 kids, 13 chickens and live in Spanaway. we recently put the coop up and got chickens. I enjoy them so much. they are so much fun
All together now i have 9 americana Including 1 black and white americana and a mix, 1 RIR, and 2 black copper maran.

Welcome!

Join on in the conversation.