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Apr. 11th, 2011 05:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spiralngphoenixIt was a rather lovely day today, and so there was
I have developed an unreasoning hatred of violets. Yeah, sure, they're pretty and sweet, and actually taste rather lovely when you candy them in a little sugar*, however they are an extraordinarily invasive little plant (though one must admire their durability and hardiness, I suppose), and one that needs eradication. Don't believe me? This is what happens when they get out of control:
The sad thing is that aside from that one sandy patch there, the soil is actually not too bad; nice, loose, well-mulched, and if the abundance of violets that infest it are any indicator, reasonably good on the nutrient front.
They have just choked everything else out, to the point that nothing else can take hold. There are a few tufts of grass here and there, and the odd, random tulip (I have NO idea...they just crop up), but otherwise it is all violets, all the time out there. And it's getting worse. I've spent the last several months trying to figure out why the yard just will not grow, and at this point have narrowed it down to the little purple marauders (damn it... stupid Poison Elves burning that image into my brain to attack me unaware...)
Apparently a good liming and then seeding would help minimize the population, but that's a bit outside my budget. So, I'm at least attempting to reclaim one of the small flower beds. Today I raked the leaves out of it, and ripped a few more violet rootballs and would-be maple saplings out.
Next step? Figuring out what on earth I want to do about putting things into it. Definitely nothing invasive. I'm going for good, old-fashioned, well-behaved things. Between the violets and the damned English Ivy that someone thought was a good plan to let out that I have now ripped out of the ground no less than 5 times, only to have it throw MORE runners again, I've had it with invasives.
For the love of all that's holy, PLEASE DO NOT PLANT INVASIVES!!! Unchecked, this yard is what happens when they get out of control, and it can take years and a lot of work to reclaim.
Now, I have guacamole setting on the counter that should be just about ready to eat.
*Hmm...mental note: find reason to candy violet flowers in a few weeks when the bastards start to bloom.
I have developed an unreasoning hatred of violets. Yeah, sure, they're pretty and sweet, and actually taste rather lovely when you candy them in a little sugar*, however they are an extraordinarily invasive little plant (though one must admire their durability and hardiness, I suppose), and one that needs eradication. Don't believe me? This is what happens when they get out of control:
The sad thing is that aside from that one sandy patch there, the soil is actually not too bad; nice, loose, well-mulched, and if the abundance of violets that infest it are any indicator, reasonably good on the nutrient front.
They have just choked everything else out, to the point that nothing else can take hold. There are a few tufts of grass here and there, and the odd, random tulip (I have NO idea...they just crop up), but otherwise it is all violets, all the time out there. And it's getting worse. I've spent the last several months trying to figure out why the yard just will not grow, and at this point have narrowed it down to the little purple marauders (damn it... stupid Poison Elves burning that image into my brain to attack me unaware...)
Apparently a good liming and then seeding would help minimize the population, but that's a bit outside my budget. So, I'm at least attempting to reclaim one of the small flower beds. Today I raked the leaves out of it, and ripped a few more violet rootballs and would-be maple saplings out.
Next step? Figuring out what on earth I want to do about putting things into it. Definitely nothing invasive. I'm going for good, old-fashioned, well-behaved things. Between the violets and the damned English Ivy that someone thought was a good plan to let out that I have now ripped out of the ground no less than 5 times, only to have it throw MORE runners again, I've had it with invasives.
Now, I have guacamole setting on the counter that should be just about ready to eat.
*Hmm...mental note: find reason to candy violet flowers in a few weeks when the bastards start to bloom.
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no subject
Date: 2011-04-12 12:35 am (UTC)Yay! I can't wait to see what you do!!
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Date: 2011-04-12 01:17 am (UTC)I'm curious, myself. My tendencies are usually toward herbal beds which won't do as well under the dogwood, and really my beloved mints are very, um, friendly. No sense replacing one aggressive plant with another. There were a couple of gorgeous columbine that I discovered last year, so I may see if it's possible to go with a native type floral theme.
Though I have to admit, the idea of planting mints so that they'll crowd out the violet vermin does have a certain amount of appeal to it... ;)
no subject
Date: 2011-04-12 01:24 am (UTC)I want some wild violets :|
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Date: 2011-04-12 01:57 am (UTC)You are more than welcome to some of our violets. They have been firmly added to my "Not allowed out of pots unattended" list. I'll post pictures in a couple of weeks when all those bare patches of dirt are an ankle deep carpet of violets. I will admit that it's very pretty.