Weeding is nonending

And early is essential

It’s safe to say that spring is here and some days when I’m out in the field, I could swear we skipped spring and went straight to summer. It got warm fast! I do have some photos in my archives with fully bloomed Dogwood trees dripping with ice. That’s not a good memory and so I’ll just put that quickly away and not even think of the damage that May storm inflicted.

What I really wanted to talk about are those spaces in our gardens, landscapes, or in my case, farms, that we want certain things to grow. Anything else in that area would be considered a weed. Those weeds (or plants in the wrong place) need to be watched carefully, especially this time of year. If they flower and set seed, they’ll quickly distribute seven years worth of seeds that will grow right where you don’t want them.

Catching things early is the best course of action. If you don’t want dandelions, then pluck out the yellow flowers before they turn into those fun puffy balls that shatter and blow away in the slightest breeze (or breath). It happens fast. In our area, one dandelion seed from last year can grow to a mature plant in eight weeks and send out hundreds of seeds three times. It’s math, so don’t let it boggle your mind, but think of one seed putting up say 200 seeds and each of those seeds gets planted and grows to maturity, sets seed. Those two hundred seeds grow into mature plants that flower and set seed and, well, that’s too much math. Never mind. Suffice to say a LOT of weeds can grow very quickly where you don’t want them.

Plants were created with the ability to replicate themselves. Columbine makes a seed pod that points downward. When the pod opens, dozens of tiny black seeds just fall to the ground around the mother plant. Maple trees have a seed pod with wings that twirl like a helicopter sending it away from the mother tree and depending on the wind, can be carried far away. Forget-me-not flower seeds are barbed and stick like Velcro to anything that gets near it. I’m pretty sure I have those growing everywhere on the farm now. I totally understand how they may have earned that name. Did I mention they are EVERYWHERE now? I won’t soon be forgetting them.

Lesson learned: If you don’t want thousands of something growing, catch it before it sets seed and engages in very creative distribution methods. If you’ll excuse me now, I need to go do some weeding.

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Editor’s note: Mechel Wall is owner and operator of both The Cottage Flower Shop and Wallflower Farm. She can be contacted at blooms@wallflowerfarm.net.