Encroaching on other plants, for instance.

Rob, that one has been in my garden for years. There are usually way more volunteers than I could use so I treat the extras like weeds and pull them. I have quite a few plants like that actually.

with hyper reseeding plants ... you can just pull them out.. before the seed matures and drops ... you dont have to remove all of them.. just remove enough that you dont have a bazillion seedlings in fall/spring ....

then you miss the problem you have now ...

when and how you cull .. is variable.. based on the plant ...

ken

ps: consider ... that in sending them around the neighborhood ... you are spreading a hyper reseeder .... not everything is a plant worth sharing .... i used to say.. there are plants you share with your good friends.. and plants you share with your enemies ... lol ...

So cull in the area(s) I want cleaned out and leave some of it if I really want someone to have seedlings. I can do that.

Ken,

I just keep those plants deadheaded. Next year, I'll be more vigilant with 'Zebrina'

;)

You can also just pull out the extras to make room for other plants, and let a couple set seed. You can give the seeds away instead of the seedlings and avoid having to get young seedlings in the ground under time constraints. I'd rather recieve seeds anyway.

I would leave them until spring. I'll have both to give away, since some do prefer plants.

:)

I have those Malvas too, but they grow as annuals here. Where are you located?

Jay, I'm in Nashville. I think it's rated down to zone 4 temps.

Rob, I'm pretty far north of you and I'm in zone 5b/6a, so you would probably have to be at least 6b or 7a. The Malva Zebrina would be annuals for you too, so any seedlings you give away now probably wouldn't reach flowering stage before the cold kills them. It's already dipping into the 40s at night here and the leaves are falling, so I don't think those seedlings will have enough time to flower. It often happens that some desireable annual seedlings will pop up near the end of the growing season. There's really nothing you can do about it. These kinds of annuals like Malva will grow very fast when planted out in spring.

I assure you, I've grown them as perennials for years ;) I checked online too, it's hardy to zone 4. Although, I might grow it as a annual since it gets rust so easily!

I guess it's warm enough by you to overwinter them successfully. Don't think they would really be perennial in zone 4 because they aren't for me in zone 5b. I really thought they were annuals, I didn't know they were perennials. Well I guess you can scratch everything I've said. I've grown Sidalcea too. That one is perennial here and self seeds. Never had any Zebrina winter over. I've had 4:o clocks and tall Verbenas winter over because they were in a microclimate, but never Zebrinas.

I forgot to say that plant dealers usually always claim their plants are hardier than they really are. They sell a lot more plants that way.

I hear ya! It's why I use MO Botanical gardens as my go-to site. I assume they're not trying to sell anything, and their climate is quite similar to mine.

Just close your eyes and yank them. I have to do it each spring with all the volunteer sunflowers and verbena bonariensis. Pick a number for how many you want and then stick with it, if you just look at them and figure you've pulled enough and it doesn't look too bad you'll still probably got way too many. You've got to be strong!

Katob, I can relate to that V. bonariensis comment. Unless you want a monoculture of them you must pull.

Like Jay, me too on Verbena. That's an easy one to think about. Guess I'll have to think about it that way. I can do that.

trust me on this ... lol ... like the snake in jungle book ... sooner or later.. you will get a hate on for any plant like this ... its part of the learning curve ... at 1:25 at link below .. lol ... [omg.. wathc the one after too ... also look for the actual recording video.. louis primo does the whole dance while recording the song ... ill find it for you]

and when that hate fully evolves.. you will get rid of it.. and spend the next 5 years after.. still getting rid of it.. for all the seed in the soil .. .lol .. then years later you will be on some garden forum warning the next person .. lol ...

ken

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCX5JJwkZhU

i think i may have dated myself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV8HrpOu1FA