Friday, April 24, 2009

Have a cup of tea and kill weeds at the same time...

One of my instructors in the Master Gardener program once mentioned that she couldn't understand why a neighbor would spend all day meticulously picking weeds out of their walkway when they could pour boiling water over them. Seeing how I'm stubborn, I've been sticking to the "sit on the ground and pull weeds from the paver" methodology. Occasionally, I use Roundup on the stubborn ones, which causes me a little bit of guilt.

So yesterday, I decided to try the boiling water method -- seeing how it's Earth Day and all. And being the researcher that I am, I documented the experiment. I used my tea kettle to boil the water and then carefully poured the water on the weeds, making sure to cover all the leaves.

Weeds before (lft - oxalis, rt - spotted spurge)

2 minutes after boiling water applied

Weeds 24 hours later


Last thoughts on this method...
It certainly works well enough to be added to my "weed removal tool kit." I will still pull the winter grass because I want to keep the reseeding to a minimum. I'm not sure it'll work on all weeds, it didn't seem to have any effect on the birch seedlings. I'll have to keep trying on different types. I'll definitely use it where I'm concerned about drift from using Roundup. Remember, the hot water will kill any living organism, so it's best used for weeds in pavement cracks and not in a vegetable garden (for instance). And do I have to remind you to wear closed toed shoes while pouring hot water on the ground?!!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Soldier On, Soldier Beetle...

Have you seen this guy in your garden yet? If so, count yourself lucky and step away from the bug spray!

This is a Soldier Beetle and it's one of the beneficial bugs in your garden. Their cuisine of choice in adulthood are aphids (which by judging by my yard are quite plentiful right now) and pollen/nectar. Despite their appearance, they don't bite, sting or pinch and my girls love to catch them.

If you would like more information about these insects, check out this link:


Monday, April 20, 2009

If I could find them, I'd buy them...

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Copia Wine Center in Napa. In a nutshell, this really cool facility was dedicated to good wine and gardening! Unfortunately, it's been a casualty of the current economy. They hope to reopen one day, and if they do, I highly recommend a visit -- especially if you like to eat and drink wine!

So, while touring the extensive gardens, I spied these red ceramic balls tucked into the planting beds. I like the clean lines and the way you can bring art and color into your garden in an unusual way. Unfortunately, beautiful red ceramic balls aren't standard fare at the local garden center. One day I'll stumble across them and I won't think twice about hauling them home in the back seat of my car!