How to Grow Joe Pye Weed – Beginner Gardening Challenge
Are you looking to attract butterflies to your garden?
Would you like to add something to your garden that is drought-tolerant?
Can you believe we only have one week until Christmas? The holidays are such a great time of year. Sometimes though, it is great to take a break and start dreaming of your summer garden.
Welcome back to Beginner Gardening Wednesday! This is our weekly series that will turn even the greenest thumb into a successful gardener. Today, we are sharing about the best kind of weed you can add to your garden. This prairie native weed will be one of your favorite parts of your garden.
The Perennial – Joe Pye Weed
Joe Pye weed is a perennial that is known for attracting butterflies. A perennial is a plant that continues to come back year after year. Joe Pye weed is drought-tolerant, deer-resistant and is tolerant of both clay and wet soil.
Perennials are a gardener’s bread and butter as they are planted once and can be enjoyed for years to come. The best news of all is that this perennial is really easy to grow. This may be the perfect perennial to plant in the borders of your garden. Its showy and fragrant flowers bloom from July to September and are a welcomed addition to any garden.
Native to Swamps and Wet Meadows
Joe Pye weed is native to wet meadows and swamps, so in the beginning, you want to make sure you provide this perennial with lots of water. We highly recommend that when planting Joe Pye weed, that you also install a Rootsticks. Rootsticks are a direct-to-root watering system to ensure your plants receive the proper oxegyn, water and nutrients they need to flourish.
According to Better Homes and Gardens, Joe Pye weed is “a showstopper of a prairie native, producing huge, puffy flower heads in late summer.” The showy weeds prefer moist soils, but because of the plant’s extensive root system, it also tolerates drought well. The plant grows up to 4 to 6 feet tall.
What is your favorite perennial? Please let us know in the comment section below.
