
New production plot, potatoes in the foreground will be next year’s (2018) plot

Junegrass and Black-eyed Susan

Kentucky bluegrass, weeded

Bee balm seedling

Yarrow seedling

Vervain (Verbena stricta) and Buffalo bur to be removed

Red root pigweed before removal

Probably Scribner’s panicum, not seeded but a welcome addition

View of the plot during weeding
I’ll update this post as the plot develops. Unfortunately, the farm is in the first stages of drought and I fear this will slow plant development and survival but such is the life of a farmer. It’s tempting to water it but I want to see how the drought affects each species’ development and weed pressure.

After a little rain some of the wildflowers really popped. Some of the yarrow and black-eyed Susan bloomed this first year. The primrose blooming germinated last fall and some of the vervain showed up when the plot was still in vegetables.
One month later and the wildflowers popped after 1″ of rain.

Deervetch, Lotus purshianus, an annual legume with pink flowers and dagger like seed pods in front of blackeyed Susan
One week later the weeds exploded after the rain. Sandbur, seen below, is an annual grass common to sandy, well-drained soils. They are easy to identify after the seed head emerges and before that by noting their flattened profile.

Sandbur and poverty grass proliferated on the east and shadiest edge of the plot.

After weeding the Junegrass finally gets some light!
More updates to come!