How to tell the difference between wood aven and geums?

[Th30G]

I planted geums last year and have quite a weedy garden. Wood love the geums to spread so don’t want to pull any up accidentally. They look so similar.

I didn't think geums spread via seed but needed to be divided manually? Mine always had to be dug up and ripped apart to propagate.

Otherwise wait until they flower before digging up and concentrate on clearing the other weeds in the meantime.

Wood Avens is a type of geum so it's not surprising OP! Unfortunately I think you might have to wait till it flowers to be sure. Wood Avens is a brilliant spreader by seed unfortunately (I have it everywhere too). Most Geums you choose to grow though are probably hybrids and may even be sterile or if they not the offspring may not be true to type. So you might have to wait till they're large enough to divide.

From my personal experience the zillions that are popping up this year are wood avens and your lovely named ones that zinged up your garden last summer have pegged it overwinter.

Bitter, moi?