Did my first gardening job of the year (I always take a break in January as it's ususally cold and miserable). Surprisingly the soil was very easy to work - I expect the snow and ice we've had has helped break up the clay.. it made me realise that actually January is a good time to get out and work the soil over if it's not frosty. I noticed weed seedlings coming up already so not a moment too soon to get hoeing. I also managed to split and divide some perennials like sedums which have got into such large clumps that they tend to get weak and fall over in the middle when in flower. Hopefully my early intervention will rejuvenate them.
While on the subject of weeds read a really interesting article about the common spurge Euphorbia peplis which turns out to have miraculous properties for curing non-melanoma skin cancer. See the article at on http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12275507. Though they are saying that people shouldn't go self-medicating (athough we've been doing that for years), it's interesting to note that a plant which people have been digging up as a weed turns out to be so useful.
That doesn't really surprise me as humans and plants have co-existed for a long time, we have evolved to be co-dependent. (and if you don't believe me read a book I highly recommend called In Defence of Food by Michael Pollan which talks all about the sweetcorn plant which would be sterile if it wasn't for man's intervention. Quite apart from all the other uses of plants I find the medical/apothecary uses quite fascinating.
I grow many herbs in my raised herb garden at home which I add to salads and soups. They contain a great many phyto chemicals which are anti-carcinogenic, aid digestion and stimulate the tastebuds. I notice my rocket has overwintered but looks as if it has gone to seed, my thyme and marjoram need a trim (have done the camomile in the gravel already) but generally it is very obvious that plantlife is stirring and spring is not far away.
Comments