Weeds, Worms, and Winter Damage
How can it be that our recent freezing temperatures burn and blacken many favored plants, but the weeds are never damaged? In the vegetable patch, in the rock garden, in the driveway cracks, our winter weeds just keep coming. I think the two most common ones are the chickweed and the little bittercress or shot weed. Letting them go to seed only means more work next season. When weather permits, get out there with a sharp hoe or hand-pull the ones you can reach.
The cold doesn't seem to bother the worms either. They are happily pulling leaves down into the soft ground all over the yard. They must do this at night, 'cause I never seem to catch them at it during the day. Another good reason to cover beds with fallen leaves. Earthworms are able to move them and other organic matter deep into the soil.
What about those plants that have trouble with the freezing temperatures? My lovely scented Daphne has a good proportion of leaves with cold injury. However the flower buds are beginning to open and look just fine. Once the bloom is over, a bit of pruning will remove the bad leaves and new spring growth will fill in quickly. And my winter honeysuckle has opened its first sweet blooms. No cold problems for this charmer!
How can it be that our recent freezing temperatures burn and blacken many favored plants, but the weeds are never damaged? In the vegetable patch, in the rock garden, in the driveway cracks, our winter weeds just keep coming. I think the two most common ones are the chickweed and the little bittercress or shot weed. Letting them go to seed only means more work next season. When weather permits, get out there with a sharp hoe or hand-pull the ones you can reach.
The cold doesn't seem to bother the worms either. They are happily pulling leaves down into the soft ground all over the yard. They must do this at night, 'cause I never seem to catch them at it during the day. Another good reason to cover beds with fallen leaves. Earthworms are able to move them and other organic matter deep into the soil.
What about those plants that have trouble with the freezing temperatures? My lovely scented Daphne has a good proportion of leaves with cold injury. However the flower buds are beginning to open and look just fine. Once the bloom is over, a bit of pruning will remove the bad leaves and new spring growth will fill in quickly. And my winter honeysuckle has opened its first sweet blooms. No cold problems for this charmer!
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