My mulch is... perilla (Perilla frutescens) seedlings!
I had a few plants growing over here last year, and this plant produces seed like nothing else I grow!
Lots of other weeds here too, mainly provided by the bird feeder:
You'd think that birds, chipmunks and squirrels would find every seed, but they don't.
Looks good filling a pot, doesn't it?
So much perilla!
The other side of the walkway is mulched with persicaria instead:
The seedlings aren't as prolific, but since these are perennial the parent plants (unlike the annual perilla) take up a lot of the available space:
Anybody else mulching this way?
Clearly I have so much weeding to do. Seems like I'll have time to do it this week finally.
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Hey, you've got a living carpet of weed suppressant right there.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! That perilla is something else.
ReplyDeleteWow, those are both really beautiful, too bad they won't magically stay that height or else yu really would have a great mulch.
ReplyDeleteThe purple is cute! Good luck with the weeding!
ReplyDeleteAn innovative and new mulching idea. The color variety is stunning. I used to have bird feeder mulch but now make do with forget me not mulch. Fun stuff.
ReplyDeleteSomeone I saw speak (maybe Rick Darke?) was yelling about mulch and how we should be using ground covers instead. So: bravo!
ReplyDeleteThanks all! I've never understood using plants as mulch. We're told not to plant too closely and to remove weeds to reduce competition, but somehow planting a carpet is fine, even recommended? I need to be educated on this!
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