Insect food

– Posted in: Miscellaneous
5 comments

Goldenrod provides food for many beneficial insects. It deserves a place on your property where it won’t overwhelm more domesticated plants (if you can find such a place).

About the Author

Kathy Purdy is a colchicum evangelist, converting unsuspecting gardeners into colchicophiles. She gardens in rural upstate NY, which used to be USDA Hardiness Zone 4 but is now Zone 5. Kathy’s been writing since 4th grade, gardening since high school, and blogging since 2002. Find her on Instagram as kopurdy.

What differentiates a bulb from a perennial plant is that the nourishment for the flower is stored within the bulb itself.…There is something miraculous about the way that a little grenade of dried up tissue can explode into a complete flower.

~Monty Don in The Complete Gardener pp. 142

5 Comments… add one

Julia Myers April 28, 2021, 3:29 pm

Thank you for this posting. I’m fighting a losing battle with this stuff, which had totally consumed the front flower beds of a home we bought 2 years ago. I made good progress last year, but so much is back this year. I will say that after digging up a lot of it last year, it seems to be coming up more easily this year from places I dig up last year. I feel like I have a lifetime battle with this. Thank you for commiserating with me.

Bruce Radzwion August 25, 2019, 2:41 am

I have 5 acres, half field/meadow, that I have owned since 2015, I have let things grow in areas, with raspberries, blackberries, Goldenrod, and Milkweed, and weeds, and grass…and planted things in those areas with them, like Hazelnuts, Lilacs, etc. But, I have Milkweed growing with my Goldenrod, who is going to win this environment?!?

Leo A Blair II September 15, 2013, 8:39 pm

Hello Kathy,
I’m really confused now that I’ve looked at photos of Rag weed and Golden rod on the internet?? Is there a particular smell to either one of these plants(weeds)? We are senior and have fell in love with gardening several years ago and the party goes on:-)).
We use to live in the Rochester area but moved in Apr 2013 to Massachusetts.
Our garden (Raised Beds) 30″ high have done real well this year. Tomatoes galore and 3 kinds of Kale all doing fine. Hope you have had a great year too.
Thanks , Leo on a mountain.

Kathy Purdy September 15, 2013, 9:34 pm

I think goldenrod has a fragrance. I don’t know how to explain it except that it reminds me of late summer. I wouldn’t try to sniff ragweed since it is full of pollen and causes hay fever in some people. I don’t know why you’re confused because the two plants really don’t look alike. Ragweed isn’t showy at all.

Leo A Blair II September 16, 2013, 6:30 am

Thanks for your email.
I will further investigate as our field has lots of yellow looking weeds?
Leo on a mountain.

PS Love your site.

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