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Husband cut down Joe Pye Weed :(

20 years ago

Hi,

I transplanted my Joe Pye weed to a bank we have behind the house. It was finally taking off. My husband was weed-eating in the area and cut it all down. Oh how I screamed! Will it possibly still grow back this year??

Fortunately, I put another stand of it somewhere else, that he won't get near. But I transplanted them several years ago, and they were just taking off. Dangit. Is it possible that they will resprout this year?? Thanks.

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Comments (10)

birdgardner
20 years ago
Hmm - to the ground? They will probably resprout - most "weeds" take a heap of killing.
catherinet
Original Author
20 years ago
Hi birdgardner,
He left about 4" stems on them. I suppose I shouldn't be too mad at him.......they looked like all the other weeds. We have alot of property, and ALOT of weeds. We grow weeds for firewood! :)
You're right about weeds though.......they're pretty indestructible. I just needed to whine for a little bit! Thanks again.
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Kate, your post didn't list the number of feet. Thansk for the input, everyone. Maybe I will leave it where it is this year to see what it does first. Assuming it is not too hard to move when it is 2 years old. When I googled it I saw a picture in someoneÂs garden where they had harnessed it into being tall and thin with double plant rings. ThatÂs something that could work too in that place in my garden. ItÂs more the spread IÂm concerned about, as my garden is an island bed and there is no more horizontal space. I planted it as a backdrop for some wine-colored daylilies, but whether it will bloom at the same time I have no clue.
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I don't cut it back in the Spring, but I will clear away the dead stalks if I notice them. In all these years, I have never seen any seedlings; and this is the only wild Joe Pye I have. I have a small one I bought three years ago, I believe it's called "Chocolate Joe Pye"? Has deep purple/bronze foliage and white blooms. This year it is about 2 - 2.5' tall and about that big around. I saw three Monarchs just last evening down front, two of them battling it out, chasing and fluttering all around the redbud tree by the field. Probably one of the same in the courtyard garden this morning. How similar are the Viceroys? I was wondering if that is what I saw instead of Monarchs. For some reason I was thinking they have the same coloring but different markings?
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Iris GW
20 years ago
Why yes they'll come back. And they'll probably have more flower heads than before! Just think of this as "extreme pinching back".
catherinet
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks esh ga,
Hubby will be glad to hear that! I may even let him out of the doghouse! :)
fatso
20 years ago
In fact June is a good time to cut back Joe Pye if you want it to grow smaller and have more flowers. Although usually not back to the ground. Still, hard to believe it won't come back...
pam_3
20 years ago
My husband mowed down my entire native garden. It was small, but it included Chelone, Hibiscus coccineus, Crinum americanum, etc. I yelled at him, but I admit my plants were also amongst the weeds. So, my mom and I dug up everything and transplanted them into an established bed (this was about a month ago.) Everything is coming back, and looking great. Can you move your Joe Pye weed, or put some mulch around them to set them off? Good luck!
ahughes798
20 years ago
i have nicknamed my DH "Godzilla." That which he does not mow, he steps on. He weed-whacked my Kentucky Wisteria to death because "it looked like grass" I plucked the remainder out of the ground and threw it at him. I was SO peeved. I think your Joe-Pye will be fine..it's pretty tough.
catherinet
Original Author
20 years ago
Thanks everyone,
Sounds like some of us have the same problem with our DHs. I sit down and talk with mine about what he can and cannot mow before he goes out, and he agrees, and appears lucid.......but then he gets hold of that equipment, be it the riding mower, or the weed whacker or whatever, and his eyes glaze over, and he turns into the terminator! lol. (well, actually, it's not so funny).
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
20 years ago
Fortunately, I put another stand of it somewhere else, that he won't get near.>

Are you sure he won't hit that with the Round-UP then? Might you need to point it out to him...or at least the other area that is to be spared?

Sue
catherinet
Original Author
20 years ago
Hi Sue,
We don't use chemicals, so he'd have to get it with the mower.....which is still a possibility. But......I took him to the stand of it and made him repeat after me......"I acknowledge that this is something I'm not supposed to destroy"......lol! It's in a corner of our yard, so hopefully, it has a chance.

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