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Tag Archives: books
Wonderful Weeds: TEASEL – A Striking and Spiky Wild Plant That Benefits Bees and Butterflies in Summer, then Seed-eating Birds During Autumn and Winter
Teasel Dipsacus fullonum Other names: brushes and combs; Venus’ basin. Life cycle: Biennial Only treat teasel as a ‘weed’ if it interferes with your gardening as it has many positive benefits. In late summer plants reach 1.2-1.5m (4-5ft) tall and are topped … Continue reading
Posted in bees & other insects, blog, earth-friendly books, green gardening, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, soil, weeds
Tagged allotment, books, garden, gardening, nature, organic, soil, weeds
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Wonderful Weeds: CHICKWEED – A Sign of a Rich and Fertile Garden Soil, This Prolific and Edible Wild Plant Can be Added to Your Salads All Year Round
Chickweed Stellaria media Other names: chickwittle, cluckenweed, mischievous Jack. Life cycle: Annual/ephemeral Dense green clumps of chickweed, up to 30cm (1ft) tall indicate rich, fertile soil, but it will grow virtually anywhere in the garden, including the cracks in paving. The … Continue reading
Posted in blog, earth-friendly books, green gardening, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, soil, weeds
Tagged allotment, books, garden, gardening, nature, organic, soil, weeds
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Wonderful Weeds: BORAGE – A Prolific Self-seeding Plant Which Can Swamp its Neighbours, But is a Big Hit With Bees and Other Insects
Borage Borago officinalis Life cycle: annual/biennial Grown as a herb, this prolific self-seeder has escaped in many gardens and should be treated as a weed, except for any plants which you want to allow to develop and flower throughout the summer. … Continue reading
Posted in bees & other insects, blog, earth-friendly books, green gardening, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, weeds
Tagged allotment, books, garden, gardening, nature, organic, soil, weeds
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Wonderful Weeds: DANDELION – Let Some Wet-a-Beds Bloom to Provide Vital Food for Bees and Insects in Early Spring
Dandelion Taraxacum officinale Other names: pee-a-bed, wet-a-bed, blow balls Life cycle: perennial Dandelion’s deep taproot must be dug or forked out and older plants, with very deep roots, may need several attempts. However, dandelion doesn’t spread sideways, so I let a few … Continue reading
Posted in bees & other insects, blog, earth-friendly books, green gardening, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, weeds
Tagged allotment, books, garden, gardening, nature, organic, soil, weeds
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Wonderful Weeds: HOGWEED or COW PARSNIP – A Big, Tall Weed Whose Flowers Are a Magnet for Bees, Hoverflies and Other Beneficial Garden Insects
Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium Other names: cow parsnip, keck, limberscrimps Life cycle: biennial/perennial Often seen on roadsides, this tough, taprooted weed can be difficult to remove if it gets a foothold in beds or borders. Leafy rosettes of deeply lobed leaves … Continue reading
Posted in allotments, bees & other insects, blog, earth-friendly books, green gardening, nature & the natural world, weeds
Tagged allotment, books, garden, gardening, nature, organic, soil, weeds
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