So, I managed to get over to the garden plot to take another shot at weeding, and to pull some of the now truly invasive raspberry canes that have popped up in random locations outside their designated allotment.
Happily, they are going to a good home. Those too mangled in the process of uprooting went on the compost pile with the weeds. And there were a lot of weeds. The mullein is now very tall, and the herb garden - though seemingly drowned out by all the crabgrass and mysterious little weeds as well as the sneaky convolvulus that pops up everywhere and tries to twine its way around something ("oh, I'm so well twined in here, you wouldn't *dare* try to pull me off, it might hurt your plant!" "oh you're history. I'm patient and you, are compost!")
Much weeding was done, and I used some rope to hold back the allotted raspberry canes for now, until I have the necessary strength to do a proper job with the wire and tensioners that the Duchess of 78A procured. The mosquitoes were once again out in force, so I made use of the inadvertently abandoned (since it was largely unnecessary during the hiking trip) canister of bug spray, brought by Chiquitita. Thanks! I didn't think to return to the car to use it the first night I was out around 8pm, and my hands, forearms, and ankles are just covered. >gggghh<
The potatoes are also thriving, so that's encouraging. Looks like it'll be a good weekend for gardening. Now, I must go to bed.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Weeding until dark
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7 comments:
I was wondering what your twining vine looks like. Morning glories are a huge problem. You can pull and pull, but their roots can grow up to twenty feet in length before they even pop up. And if you throw them anywhere, they will regrow. Just a warning, don't compost them, it will take over that as well.
Wow madam Margo, what a heck of a lotta work for you. Hope you had a nice cocktail hour after your long, long shower. How was gardening this weekend?
Phelan, thanks for the warning - but I am already in the know on those sneaky morning glories/convolvulus varieties. I think it's actually in the first couple chapters of Sara Stein's "My Weeds" - hilariously informative - where she goes into the whys and wherefores of the kind of convolvulus that spread roots (that break easily, and like dragon's teeth pop up a new plant from each broken piece) and the kind that are referred to as man-underground becuase apparently they retain a storage/feeder root some 6 to 9 feet underground, that can feed the blasted thing - it can be ~30 pounds?! Yeah. I take her word for it. I sift the soil I dig for my beds, which helps reduce the sneaky factor, and is why I'm late planting my summer crops (we've had alternations of pounding rain and 90+F days). Good times. I'm grateful we don't get tornadoes here like I"ve seen in your photos - although I've watched several cloud formations recently that resembled your funnel cloud. That kinda disturbs me. Thanks for the heads-up on that though, and if want a little comic relief, that book is both funny and useful.
ilex, thanks - cocktail hour comes after the post-garden tick check and the shower cycle. I got a lot done last weekend, some done this saturday, but none on Sunday - I seem to have come down with something achey. :P It figures - I was looking in on my mom this past week, and probably picked up what she's been having. Oh well. Ow. Next weekend will be better, I'm sure. I'm enjoying your bunday pictures, btw. :) They're so sweet!
Ok, this is how tired I am. Sorry:
Phelan, the part I meant to get to was that my "compost" that I refer to - I should confess it's not true compost. It's really a junk heap of weeds that I've left out to dessicate in the sun. Contained with rusty wire fencing. I'll throw a post up soon with a photo to explain - I've probably been sowing confusion since I blithely say "composting" when a major portion of what I'm doing this year is just ...killing weeds and making them give back their nutrients to the soil.
I've tagged you on my blog if you want to play along.
The mosquitos are vicious right now. I'm not as determined as you - they just make me want to curl up on the couch and post on the blog.
Hi Daphne,
Sorry this is a *very* belated reply. Normally I would have played right along with the tag, but other things have intervened this summer. I suppose it's too late this time? Or will my 'playing along' help keep the ball rolling? New to this particular concept...just let me know, I'll play along.
Wicked Gardener - you crack me up. Yes, the mozzies have been a pain because of all our humidity and precipitation. I think it's been 15 years since I used bug spray, but I've learned to bring it with me this summer. I know what you mean - curl up behind a screen, safe from teh bugs. I've been taking refuge in knitting. At least I can't get rained out of that...and reading Borges, Theroux, and Duras.
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