Saturday, August 20, 2011

I hope I am not barking up the wrong tree during these dog days of summer, but this hot, sultry period we’re in the midst of is taking its toll on more than one gardener I’ve spoken with lately.

Although my thoughts are optimistically to the cooler months ahead, I am attempting to be in the now, which means dealing with the current reality.  So the focus is on tackling the weeds whose seeds will be exploding any day now.

There are a few varieties with which I practice preventative damage control with.  These include yellow flowering, ground hugging black medic which is sometimes mistaken for clover and deep-rooted, lavender-striped flowering common mallow with its round button-like fruit.

Wild buckwheat and bindweed are also on the “must go’ list.  People often confuse the two due to their twining growth habit.  However, annual wild buckwheat, has clusters of tiny greenish flowers at its tips, giving way to a multitude of small, black seeds compared to the white, morning glory-like bindweed flowers.

Funny how we call one plant a weed while some we allow even though they may make a garden or landscape look unkempt.

The volunteer sunflower plants in the front yard and freely-seeding oregano by the vegetable beds in back are adding an extra wild look to my yard.  However, with that wild appearance, comes the bonus of wildlife.  About now, bees and other pollinators are in a buzz over the abundance of flowers found all around the yard.

I am counting on those bees to help pollinate the tomatoes and fall raspberry crop as we head into the homestretch.

Considered a weed to most, I’m now adding young teardrop shaped purslane leaves to my salads, as I enjoy their crunchy, trimmed in red, fleshy green foliage.  Occasionally a tender dandelion leaf is included in the mix.  Both are known for their nutritional value, so I’m open and appreciative of these free, healthful gifts from nature.

My gratitude for the lemon balm which readily seeds everywhere was recently reinforced when I harvested fresh leaves of this healing herb’s foliage to make a calming tea for a friend’s nervous stomach.  I am drying it and leaves from volunteer raspberry plants for winter use.

Lemon balm, yarrow, mint, comfrey, and borage are known as dynamic accumulators, a concept utilized in permaculture.  These plants are valued for their ability to mine nutrients from the soil through their deep root system.

Adding them to the compost pile or simply laying them on the ground as mulch returns these nutrients to the soil in usable form for plants. However, I am careful to not add too many dried seed heads back into my beds or compost pile if I suspect they will end up sprouting into more new plants than I want.

Although weeds are more of nature’s design than mine, especially when it comes to working with clients, it’s a fascinating study to discern which ones can actually help us out and serve as allies.  It requires a broader tolerance than we might be used to, yet as gardeners it is great to have the assistance of these extra friends.