Valley Gardening: Weedy wisdom

What a great rain, right? Rain helps so much with overall health of plants. Something about the electrical charge from the sky—or something like that? More than anything it helps with the weed pulling!

Speaking of weeds…a number of folks have come in this week complaining about Prostrate Spurge Euphorbia—also known as Spotted Spurge. It’s really obnoxious right now. You can get rid of it in a couple of ways. First of all, you can pull it—right? I don’t think so. Or…you can spray it with a product containing 2-4D, a typical weed killer. I love the hose end type sprayers with the spray pre-mixed and ready to go. So easy. You need to spray when the weeds are a good size, not right after mowing. Water your lawn first, then spray, then hold off on watering. 

Spurge is an annual weed, growing from seed every year. A healthy (get that—HEALTHY) lawn will choke out most weeds. Water deep, mow high, and fertilize right. Are you tired of hearing me say that? 

Another weed that is coming on right now is the dreaded puncture vine, affectionately known as goat head. The PV can grow for miles on one plant—that’s what it seems like, anyways. It is stickery, and the dried seed heads are miserable if stepped on, especially for animals. I remember Dan R. getting after the goat heads at the Farm Park gardens before it became the Farm Park. I remember him telling the Guatemalan farmers that the plants needed to be put in a bucket and destroyed, because if you only raked them into a pile, the seeds would blow in the wind and just take over. I wonder if they are under control now. Just wondering.

Before I forget, there is a public input budget meeting for the City of Alamosa on August 14 at 5:30 p.m. at the Recreation Center. I’m thinking there is free beer and whiskey—just trying to get more people to give a damn! Please come, share your thoughts and concerns, and make a difference. I was about the only citizen who showed up last year. That sure gave me time to address some issues, but it was sad. I don’t know that any of my issues have been addressed, but that doesn’t make me stop attending and voicing an opinion. At least I can say I tried. I can look at my children and grandchildren and tell them I tried. Please come…and we can go for beer and whiskey AFTER the meeting. 

One of the things I realize more and more, is that gardening is a process. Nothing happens overnight, and nothing is a miracle. It all takes work AND maintenance. A new landscape may look awesome the first year. The second year it looks good. The third year it starts to need some TLC. If the grass/weeds weren’t killed before you put the rock down, they will start coming through the weed barrier. If you put rock down, the dirt has blown in and the annual weeds begin to take hold. If you planted perennials, they need to be cut back, allowing for more blooms, or keeping them from seeding out. There is no garden that I know of that doesn’t require maintenance.

One of the things I have suggested to the City of Alamosa, for a number of years, is that they need to hire a person with a PASSION for flowers and shrubs and trees. Someone who knows what to do, without being told. Just do it. If they were to hire the right person, Alamosa would already be looking better—in my humble opinion. I do have some history on the subject. I have seen many beautiful landscaping areas bulldozed and destroyed—for what reason(s) I am not sure. Understanding that Alamosa is looking at budget cuts, I wonder if they will ever hire someone to fill that void. I will suggest it again on Wednesday, but not very hopeful. Sad.

Just had a great visit with Monte Robertson, owner of the San Luis Valley Hemp Company. Next week I am going to combine some of his stories with some of mine and write about this wonderful plant called HEMP.

Please shop local whenever you can—all across the Valley! The Valley Food Co-op is closing at the end of the month. I know times are changing—but that doesn’t mean for the better. Support your local communities, if you want anyone to survive. Thank you Valley Food Co-op for your years of service to our Valley. You will be missed, more than we realize right now.