Weed
Function: noun
1 a (1): a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth ; especially : one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants.... 2 a: an obnoxious growth, thing, or person b: something like a weed in detrimental quality
Function: verb
1 a: to clear of weeds <weed a garden> b (1): to free from something hurtful or offensive (2): to remove the less desirable portions of 2: to get rid of (something harmful or superfluous) —often used with out
There's a plant, an ugly, neon green broadleafed plant, that invades my front flower bed every week. I turn my eyes away for just a few days and suddenly it has infiltrated my phlox, wormed its way into my agapanthus, and climbed over my curly willow.
This coarse plant with its red stems extends so deep, its roots unending beneath the thick black soil, making me dig a foot or more to find the source of each, all of them seemingly interconnected by even thicker strands. I pull at each delicately, following the thread like a booby-trap string hidden just under the sand, hoping that the end is near, that sweet snapping release of its hold over my beautiful, intentional flowers.
This sneaky weed has a built-in anti-gardener device as well, the leaves and stems breaking off at the base, not allowing one to simply yank it up, roots and all, in one fell swoop. A less experienced gardener would see the white of the base and the few straggling hair-like roots and think they had success, but I know better. No, I must dig, with my fingernails, with my bare hands, to the source of the problem, and eradicate it there. I won't allow it to fool me anymore.
Function: noun
1 a (1): a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth ; especially : one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants.... 2 a: an obnoxious growth, thing, or person b: something like a weed in detrimental quality
Function: verb
1 a: to clear of weeds <weed a garden> b (1): to free from something hurtful or offensive (2): to remove the less desirable portions of 2: to get rid of (something harmful or superfluous) —often used with out
There's a plant, an ugly, neon green broadleafed plant, that invades my front flower bed every week. I turn my eyes away for just a few days and suddenly it has infiltrated my phlox, wormed its way into my agapanthus, and climbed over my curly willow.This coarse plant with its red stems extends so deep, its roots unending beneath the thick black soil, making me dig a foot or more to find the source of each, all of them seemingly interconnected by even thicker strands. I pull at each delicately, following the thread like a booby-trap string hidden just under the sand, hoping that the end is near, that sweet snapping release of its hold over my beautiful, intentional flowers.
This sneaky weed has a built-in anti-gardener device as well, the leaves and stems breaking off at the base, not allowing one to simply yank it up, roots and all, in one fell swoop. A less experienced gardener would see the white of the base and the few straggling hair-like roots and think they had success, but I know better. No, I must dig, with my fingernails, with my bare hands, to the source of the problem, and eradicate it there. I won't allow it to fool me anymore.
I have a plethora of these in my island, their unattractive stubbiness marring the beauty of my mulch. It doesn't matter how often I try to destroy them...
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right about them breaking off at the base; it's infuriating!
Good post for someone like me to read. I just learned something from you today. I don't do any gardening or lawn maintenance ( I pay someone to do it for me) but if I ever decide to take up gardening, I will remember your post and recall that the weed is very sneaky and strong and I need to dig deep to get rid of it's suffocation of the pretty stuff. Thanks! Great read.
ReplyDeleteOh, now I feel guilty. My garden has too many weeds for comfort. I'm going to have to do something about them apart from glare at them.
ReplyDeleteThey will succumb easier after a good soaking rain. I use my fingers, too and my nails always look awful!
ReplyDelete