Gardener’s Update, 4/12/09
First, a little house keeping. I changed the title of this thread from “My Garden” to “Gardener’s Update.” It just sounds better. Also, I will use this forum for discussions of general gardening interest and not limit it to my vegetable garden.
That being said, last week I was on vacation. I focussed on doing work around the house. One of my projects was to trim my front hedge and see if I didn’t kill it completely with the poison ivy killer. No great loss if it doesn’t come back. I’m not very fond of it and would prefer a tree like a japanese maple or something in the front yard instead.
The poison ivy, although apparently dead, had an incredible network of roots intertwined around the bushes and under parts of my lawn. I donned two pairs of rubber gloves and went to work trying to pull up all the roots. My mother (who doesn’t get poison ivy) started to try removing the vines and actually got completely skeeved out by how extensive the roots were and gave up. That’s when I came in with the poison ivy-icide. Now, six months later, I went in to remove as much of the remaining plants as I could incase it survived my attempt at herbicide. I got a lot out. Something between twenty to forty feet of root. I did not get it all.
Even though I wore the gloves as mentioned, I was only wearing a short sleeved tee shirt as well as long pants and old sneakers. I’m sure despite my efforts to keep the roots off my skin and clothes, I don’t think I did. I also think I trod in the piles of root as I was pulling up some of the more determined bits. As a result of my zealous eradication of the poison ivy I have most likely exposed myself to the possibility of the worst rash I’ve ever had.
After the removal, I immediately washed my hands and arms with the anti poison ivy scrub you can get at the pharmacy. I then took a shower and washed with the scrub again. Now, I’ll wait. At the first sign of itching or a rash, I will scrub again and break out the calamine lotion. The anticipation of a poison ivy rash is enhanced by my just getting over a rash I think I got pruning my lilac bushes.
I find gardening quite enjoyable when the plants aren’t out to get me. The current state of my property isn’t quite at that utopian garden of Eden I’m striving for. Soon I hope.
Garden update: I decided to finish off the garden by putting in edging and mulching around the outsides of the beds. I used a wavy pattern to balance out the formal squares of the beds. I think it turned out okay. It’ll help keep the plants out of the lawn and visa versa.
All the seeds I sowed two weeks ago are showing signs of life. They sprouted quickly, but now I have to be patient as they grow to edible size. I know they won’t grow any faster if I keep peeking at them every time I go by the garden or past a window. Still, my first garden has me transfixed.
Since I haven’t received the seeds I ordered last month from one of the seed companies I broke down and purchased some cheap sugar snap peas and planted them. We’ll see how they do. I’m sure they’ll be fine. (Seed Update: The seeds arrived in the mail Friday afternoon. Planted some carrots and beets on Sunday.)
I guess the garden seed supply business is one of those industries that does well in a down market. The reason I haven’t received my order according to the e-mail I received is that they have had such heavy demand they can’t keep up and had to hire thirty additional people to help fill their orders. I guess home gardens aren’t just hobbies anymore. Good to remember for next recession, buy stock in seed companies.
The poison ivy oil gets on your clothes, too, and you can pick up the rash from there. At this point, I won’t even look directly at the stuff. It’s so awful – and I have to say, the stuff in your front yard was the scariest I’ve ever seen. Those giant red spots made it look like a mean alien infestation.
D.
Comment by Dave Kopperman | April 12, 2009