Planting Goldenrod

[Jeffrey Todd]

Does anyone have any experience and/or tips for planting goldenrod seeds? Specifically, I would be interested in harvesting seeds from goldenrod that grows wild along fences and in fields. The area I am thinking about planting is in a utility right-of-way and is a thin clay soil with lots of limestone rocks and small boulders.
If there are other plants that you think would be better, then I would be interested as well.

Thanks,

Jeffrey

[Michael Bush]

If you want to put the seeds in the dirt, don't plant them more than 1/4" deep or so. You can just scatter them. The only problem is the wind seems to blow a lotof the sees away since they have kind of a fluffy part attached.

[BerkeyDavid]

Never tried it, but it should work pretty easily. I have heard that goldenrod roots emit some kind of substance that keeps other plants away and helps it to spread.

Not sure if it is true. But it does seem to grow in clumps and spread out as the years go by...

[Ruben]

Jeffrey, I live in Rockbridge County in Virginia, we are made up of pure limestome and clay and the Goldenrod grows like mad here. I don't know if there are different varieties of Goldenrod but I would be glad to try and get some seeds and send to you because this Goldenrod loves clay and rock.

[James Henderson]

Last fall, I scattered a bunch of seed from goldenrod (I've never been bored enough to identify it to species level). A bunch of it sprouted last spring a grew to over 8 ft tall. I am sure my neighbors, who probably thinks it cause hayfever, probably hate me as I put the goldenrod in my front gardens along the street.

Before you plant the seeds scratch the soil in some way or till then scatter the seeds. Planting prior to rain would eliminate need to water by hand.

In the spring, you could transplant some clumps to get a head start on your new colony next fall.

The area I dug up my clumps from was entirely composed of clay.

[Alex Cantacuzene]

Hello Ruben, from the photos one can see a very neat operation. The involvement of the younger generation is super! Much luck with your hives.

[Robert Brenchley]

There are numerous species, and I can't speak for all of them, but the common one in UK gardens can rapidly become a weed. If yours is anything like it, expect easy germination, and if you're putting them in your garden, you may live to regret it! I have enough space on the allotment to be able to live with them, but I wouldn't have them in a small garden again.

[JohnBeeMan]

I saw in the local paper last week that one of the neighboring counties was debating a possible new law against "obnoxious weeds". This would have included fines for weeds over a given height.

One guys wild flower is someone else’s weed.

[Jeffrey Todd]

Thanks for all the good responses. I am encouraged by the results y'all have had and will give it a try after the goldenrod goes to seed.
Ruben, your offer is very generous but I would feel guilty about you doing all that work and doing the mailing when I could do it myself. There is a good bit of goldenrod that grows around here, just not close enough to my bees for my liking. Let me see if I will be able to get some seed from the empty fields first before you go to the trouble. But, again, thanks for the very generous offer.

Jeffrey

[BjornBee]

I am not sure of the actual number. But I was attending a meeting and some VIP stated that there was something like 140 something different varieties of goldenrod in north america.

Now is a good time to collect the flower heads from any local varieties. At least here. Not sure about texas.