It's that time of year again. Time to do battle with the knapweed. It hasn't flowered yet, but it's tall enough to spot. When I go out on a picking expedition I get on long sleeves and pants, a scarf, hat, and gloves. I chew on a bit of raw garlic before heading out as further protection from the mosquitoes. (Don't come around when I'm picking knapweed.)
Knapweed has been a part of our lives for seven years. First I just thought it was a pretty purple flower. Then a neighbor told me it was a noxious weed. Huh? What's that? I found out. It's a very bad, naughty plant that you must get rid of if it's on your property. We've been doing our best. We've tried pulling, poisoning, mowing, but nothing eradicates it. We keep about a third of our property nearly free of it. It takes many hours of pulling just to do this much. I've despaired of ever getting rid of it completely. Last year I offered to pay the kids 10 cents per plant pulled, but realized my mistake when 160 plants were produced in less than 30 minutes. One day we were thinking of wild schemes to do it in and came up with a solution: go back in time and prevent it from ever arriving here. Jr. wrote a riveting sci-fi thriller about it, called The Knapweed Revolution.
Well, maybe we won't have to invent a time machine, because now there are bugs. Flies and weevils have been released that actually like the toxic plant, and this year is the first time I've noticed lots of them on our plants. There is hope!
Isn't he cute?
But to tell the truth, when I'm out there pulling knapweed, I actually enjoy it. Even if the darn stuff keeps coming back year after year, making big piles of it gives me a sense of accomplishment. It seems to be in human nature to revel in destruction of an enemy. And I do love to kill knapweed! No guilt accompanies it. I'm very angry with the deer and moose when they eat my plants, but I could never kill them. Knapweed does not have a cute fuzzy face or a heartbeat. It's more like a robot, silently outcompeting and poisoning everything in its way until there's nothing left but knapweed. It is a truly perfect villain.
Now, with the help of the bugs, I say, let the knapweed revolution begin!
For information on knapweed and other invasive weeds and pests go to this great website.
2 comments:
that book "the knapweed revolution"
It is probably a number one seller.
I recommend publishing it so you can be a milionare.
garlic huh?
sounds like a good repelent.
i will have to try it later when i go on my expeditoins.
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