For the first few years of my gardening 'career' I could never imagine pulling up a plant, even if it was a desease ridden, non-blooming, fussy, floppy, whimpy, invader etc.
That practice has changed over the years. Now I don't waste time on those plants that don't do anything, life is too short!

I will admit that sometimes (quite frequently actually) I just cannot bear to toss a plant out. If that happens I will likely transplant it to an out of the way area that I might not otherwise plant in.
CMK

It has taken me years to get to the point where I could pull out a plant.
But I do it now. I know the summer blooms won't do well if there are spring stragglers in that place.

Tom, I also have a terrible time "pulling the plug". You wouldn't believe the stuff that stays in around here. But poppies...well, you don't live so far north of me and, you know what, they aren't going to make it into the summer down here. Think of them as really tall pansies with strange seed pods.

Yeah. I rip those out. The sooner the better. But you do want to leave 'em long enough to harvest seeds.

California poppies? Corn poppies? Iceland poppies? I pulled some Calif poppies that were leaning over their neighbors, but there are plenty more for seed. Corn poppies and the big headed OPs have to open up their pods for me to cut and they're out of here.

I've already cut half the spiderwort back to the ground and the rest gets cut tomorrow. I'm casting a jaundiced eye on pansies and violas. They're still cute, but they have to make way for the next tenants.

The earliest larkspur to bloom are already making seed pods.

Gardens require lots of deadheading and deadleafing and ruthless editing. Good pruning tools are your best friends.

Nell

it has been a tough battle but I am learning to pull the plug on plants - I use to have to wait till the last possible bud had opened and expired before yanking plants out but down here we have so many different growing seasons that I will yank and replace with the next crop ......

Lynne

Just last night I shovel pruned a Anemone Robustissima that has spread itself far and wide, so the mother plant had to go ! I also pulled out a bunch of self-seeded Ozark sundrops in full bloom, because they were crowding some more cherished plants such as an in-bud bearded Iris, a June hosta transplant, and a struggling peony. I could have moved them to another location, but I was too tired to replant. I dug out and tossed a Rosemary bush from last year that didn't look like it survived the winter, and I am seriously considering removing a lavender plant that was spectacular last year, but still looks dead this spring. It bothers me to see so much new growth everywhere and then one plant that looks crappy. I find myself mostly pulling volunteer seedlings only when they get in the way of an established plant. I have a bunch of echinacea seedlings that I allowed to stay from last year, and I will probably spread them around the gardens this year. I love the original color and flower form, even though I have the yellow one too (Sunrise). At least that saves some money on plants and helps fill in the less established gardens.

token - I hear you!

I have the same problem - by May I am ready to pull mine - That is why I direct sow them in the Fall - they bloom really early for me when it is cool and at that time, they look great! Then the heat starts, the spring rains and they flatten.. The mounds that are flat are going today!

carrie

I took out three large clumps today. I left the ones that were still standing. I'm hoping I can collect seed from them in a month or so. Once it gets hot, they're going to look really bad. I need to find a way to plant them at the "back" of the beds even though my beds have no back.

Even in the back of the bed, they still look ragged - they grow best in California! (Ha - California Poppies, no wonder)... Anyway, I have magellan zinnias in my holding bed ready to replace the poppies, even though they will take a while to bloom - but they get really big and good for those spots... Poppies are definitely going this weekend, especially after this rain...

Carrie

I didn't have the heart to kill them all. How could I?

{{gwi:683059}}

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Look at those faces. Come on, I have some soul left in me.

But I know their time will come too. I've already pulled some annuals I put in because I realized they were in the wrong spot. No where else for them to go, I could pot them up, but eh...too many things in the ghetto already.

This thread is too funny!

I'm not organized enough to pull stuff and plant something later in the same place, I have to admit. I also have a hard time pulling a healthy plant - although I have done it with some that were starting to take over the garden, like blue flax. I did give some to a neighbor, at least! I've also moved some to less conspicuous spots as free filler.

I'm still debating about my nepeta - whether to keep it or not.

I sometimes plant annuals in open areas, decide to plant bulbs there, but can't bear to pull up the annuals in full bloom. So, my bulbs get planted around the annuals - one way to get the random look!

So today, I was trying to divide and clean up my over grown garden. And I was having sooo much trouble with the fiddlehead ferns (strong suckers) that by time I got to the wild daylillies, I was just ripping them out of the ground.

no mercy. It's me or them.

I grow annual poppies and they do have a tendency to fall over. So I stake mine when they fall and that takes care of the problem.

Maybe corn poppies and California poppies need to grow in a more informal site where they're not expected to perform, just be in a mass. They may need a leaner soil and less nitrogen, too. so they are not so floppy and grassy companions that lend support.
{{gwi:683067}}From ahh May

This one planted itself in the grass:
{{gwi:683068}}From ahh May

Nell

Nell, I'm planning next year to spread them out around the garden instead of in the perennial bed. They should bring up some good nutrients with their deep tap root.

pulling plants? :::gasp:::: :)

Oh dear - I don't think I've gotten to that point yet. But you know what they say - the first step is admitting to a problem! :)

I love poppies - annuals or perennials. I have a ton of them growing in the front beds this year near my roses. I just can't bear to pull them. they produce a ton of seeds and I always have more to plant the following year plus the ones that self-seed on their own.

Estelle (keep saying you can do it) :)

Pods dry quickly -- a couple of weeks or three. Gather only as many as you think you'll need and (gasp) pull the rest. Drop the extra pods to reseed in place, chop the stems for in-place composting and get on with the next round.

I have some pretty corn poppies in various shades of pink that are marked for seed. They're in a bed with daylilies that will bloom about the time I can gather the poppy seeds. This succession of bloom business gets tedious, doesn't it?

Nell

For years I could rarely deliberately cause the demise of a plant. I admit I need to have a good reason to do so. I grew a lovely monkshood but couldn't bear that it was so poisonous so it went. I also trashed a catmint that didn't look right altho it was a huge healthy monster and I'm still having seedlings come up 3 years later. Iceland poppies are almost extinct in my garden as they are not worth the space IMO. Oriental poppies, on the other hand, can stay altho I sometimes wonder why.

This week I've trashed a few common perennials that were past their prime as I'm redoing several areas. I always let some seed if they will so there are lots of replacements. So many that we've made two new large beds so I have space for new plants in my main garden.

Still wondering where everything will go. Planted too close together as usual I guess.

OT

Tom,

It's amazing how different things are from zone to zone! Two weeks ago I was in mourning because I had NO poppies up on my gravelly hill where I had thrown lots of seeds
at two different times during the winter. We went to NC
on April 29--Holden Beach-- At son's home in Greensboro on May 9, our daughter in law showed me the poppies from
the seeds in her Christmas package. They were about 3-5
inches tall. When we got home to Indiana Sunday evening
I went out to the hill and still nothing. Monday evening
I found the first leaves just coming up!

Also found a large batch of forget-me-nots which I did not
plant. Surprise

Chris