Weed War
I have a new enemy in the war of the weeds. The Musk, or nodding thistle. It has a beautiful, large, purple bloom. It has hyper aggressive leaves and stalks. One flower can seed a field. In my neighbor the national park, they are using herbicide to kill it, which is a last ditch measure. I checked out their EPA approved product. It costs $138 a gallon and is good for ten acres diluted at an ounce of product to a gallon of water. I’m going to dig mine up. I only have an acre.
I started yesterday with my turning fork and leather grilling gloves that go up to my elbows. As I mentioned, the leaves and stalks are a prickly lot. The thistle has a tap root, and in most cases, it comes up easily and it’s a handy way to carry it to the trash. But it also grows well in thin, rocky soil and that takes a bit more work. When I tire of digging, I go around and deadhead the plants, cutting off the blooms. I’m also trying a vinegar and water solution to see how that works. The jury is still out.
My battle with the khaki weed lasted five or six years, but I let that get away from me before I fought back. I think I’ll have better results with this new enemy. I actually started attacking the problem last year, but I started late and now I’m paying the piper. This is when it’s good to be recovering from a surgery, because I’m staying close to home and it’s good work to do in bits and pieces. And if every life needs a purpose, this one is as good as any. Wish me luck.