Last year I posted about finally getting a plot in our Condo community garden, after 30 years of dictatorship the old guys who had monopolized them forever had moved onto the big garden in the sky.
So this year we formed a committee, parceled out the plots, did some maintenance, and rock picking. Cleaned up some unruly shrubs, cut down a few eyesores, convinced Council to donate some money for fresh soil, and voila we are gardening.
But this climate is tricky, between the break in the cold spring weather, the rain, and the one suddenly warm day we experienced, weeds had sprung up everywhere. Dandelions are only really beautiful when they are the first bit of color in the spring. After they go to seed, they may make great helicopters, but not much else. Since we are completely organic gardeners we don't use chemicals to fight those yellow fuzz balls.
One of the other gardeners and I spent a few hours attacking the weeds, and after picking 10 buckets full, and ending up hot, sweaty, and happy, we declared ourselves done for the day. Congratulating ourselves on a job well done, we went back a few days later, and guess what?
But this climate is tricky, between the break in the cold spring weather, the rain, and the one suddenly warm day we experienced, weeds had sprung up everywhere. Dandelions are only really beautiful when they are the first bit of color in the spring. After they go to seed, they may make great helicopters, but not much else. Since we are completely organic gardeners we don't use chemicals to fight those yellow fuzz balls.
One of the other gardeners and I spent a few hours attacking the weeds, and after picking 10 buckets full, and ending up hot, sweaty, and happy, we declared ourselves done for the day. Congratulating ourselves on a job well done, we went back a few days later, and guess what?
They're back....the darn things have grown up all around us again.........
Bring on the spray bottle of vinegar.
Man that stinks! Vinegar is great for killing most anything!
ReplyDeleteDoes vinager kill all the weeds? Please help the helpless!
ReplyDeletebtw- I love wild flowers, just not at my house.
ReplyDeleteThey are demanding little suckers, aren't they? Seriously, though, dandelions have never looked as good to me as they do in your photos!
ReplyDeleteI say embrace them! Enjoy their sunny yellow faces and then harvest their leaves for salad.
ReplyDeleteI'm envious of your little plot of land. I would so love to nurture a garden and grow my own vegetables. *sigh* One day...
Hugs,
Carolynn
We have a pesticide ban in Ontario starting this year, and you should see the dandelions on everyone's lawns-especially mine!
ReplyDeleteOh, if the good stuff would be that hearty!!!
ReplyDeleteThe exact same thing happened to me! I spend an hour pulling them all out of my front lawn and two days later...yellow everywhere! Very frustrating! :)
ReplyDeleteI recently read an article, if I can find it I will send you the link, about an organic farmer making a good living from raising, harvesting and sell dandelions. The leaves are good for both salads and for Green Smoothies, and the roots make a good tea. Embrace the weeds!
ReplyDeleteJen, Call them Tenacious D...andelions. They have a taproot that we can never get completely out. I like the flower but after that they are just messy!
ReplyDeleteGail
Does vinegar work on weeds then? I use it for cleaning around the house all the time, but I've never heard of killing weeds with it!
ReplyDeleteThe weeds are my best flowers :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you are organic gardening and how cool a condo community garden. I need a good organic fertilizer to top dress beans, what do you recommend.
Vinegar is like duct tape, it fixes everything, I use it to clean and in my bug spray mixture for the horses.
My lawn is full dandelions! Does vinegar really help to get rid of them?
ReplyDeleteMy neighbour BURNT them off, but they came back after a couple of weeks, so the only option is to enjoy them!
They're baaaack. Sounds like a scary movie. Don't you hate how all the weeds grew all winter even with the snow we got this year. I thought those little popping weeds would die but no they just hid under the snow and then exploded their seeds all over the yard first chance they get.
ReplyDeleteEvery year I think I will get them under control then I look behind a shrub and kaboom, there they are and as soon as I touch them they spring their little seeds in every direction.
Hi Everyone, there have been quite a few questions about vinegar today. It is a wonderful natural product. I have been trying to answer them individually on each of your blogs. But I think that tomorrow I might do a post on vinegar. So if you have any hints to add to it, tune in tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteJen
Hi Jen! I have love-hate relationships with dandelions. They are weeds but they are pretty and have some medicinal qualities. Ewa in The Garden had a nice post about them recently. Will wait for your vinegar post!
ReplyDeleteOh I love their sunny yellow color, and they are partially green! The bunnies love to eat them! I used to be fussy about them, now I just enjoy them:)
ReplyDelete