A Tussle With Bind Weed.

The neighbour behind me at the allotment neglects her plot and does nothing to deal with the bind weed that is over taking her plot.  No that is not true she strims it!!!  

As I have dug, and feed my back bed the bind weed comes through to my side as it finds it easier rather than struggling through grass.  Most of the back bed is covered with weed suppressant fabric.  But undeterred the bind weed creeps over the fence or under the fabric and emerges into the light.  I try to be philosophical about it, but every now and again I flip out and swear  and mutter about bad neighbours.  This happened recently when I found that my crab apple tree was covered in bind weed which had thread it self  tightly round branches and the trunk again. as you can see in the picture I had cleared it twice the previous month and once already in August. I was hopping mad I threatened the bind weed with a horrible end.  I even contemplating getting a glyphosate weed killer but many of these  de-nature the soil and kill off beneficial insects   My plot is home to numerous bugs as my anger fell I decided digging it and hoeing will be my solution and I will get an 18 inch metal barrier between my plot and theirs. I will  raise the fence to five foot either with netting or willow screening so if anyone sprays the plot behind it will help prevent the weed killer drifting over my plot and onto my crab apple tree.

My neighbours also have rampant blackberries which have also thrust themselves between the branches of the crabapple and sneak under the fence. and  grass - Oh sigh! 

 I love my young crab apple the spring blossom is beautiful and the as the fruit  does not ripen until December the  red apples  glisten in the winter sun like Christmas baubles.  I share my crab apples between the wild life and myself.  Last year it was such a poor year for the birds I left all the crab apples for them.


I did think about moving my crab apple tree but it is established now and growing really well despite the bind weed, grass and brambles that invade its space. 

There is hard work ahead but I will eliminate  the bind weed by constant hoeing and digging.  I will be chanting as Thomas the Tank engine did as he climbed the big hill: 

I think I can, I know I can 

Defeat is not an option!

With Reik Blessings and Light

Merryb

P.S. I will be writing a blog soon about the crab apple  - myths, magic, and its place in the  Ogham calender.