(no subject)

[kuangning]

I'd almost forgotten how good it feels to plant things. Wrist-deep in soil, thinking about nothing more complicated than what these seeds need to grow best.

Planting is a prayer and the answer to that prayer all in one. Let there be life. And I know, from the second the tiny things leave my hand, that there is life, and will be life. Given time, and warmth, and space to grow, those little brown specks will become green specks, and then first leaves, and then there will be so many that I will have to make room for them again in less-cozy pots. There will be the scent of damp soil and growing things in my room for the next months. In a few weeks, that will be joined by the scents of lavender and vanilla grass. Sometime after the vanilla grass springs up, but before I can expect the lavender to bloom, my bulbs will. They're a foot tall already, having kept me company though the last few freezes without complaint. They got their own larger pot today, and seem happy to be able to stretch.

So am I happy to be able to stretch. The world still has room in it for growing things.

Comments

[kuangning]

I have just the plant for you.

Bamboo is almost impossible to kill. It likes its feet wet, and often grows in standing water, so you cannot overwater it, and if you forget to water it, it will survive the dry spell and spring back if even the smallest "joint" remains green to be put in a rooting solution. And finding it shouldn't be hard. Just keep it in a pot; it will quite happily take over your yard, and it's almost as bad as kudzu to get rid of.

[fearghaill.livejournal.com]

*grins* My grandfather planted Elephant grass on his property years ago, and at the time, we kids were told to be careful of it, as it was delicate, and he didn't want it killed before it could establish itself. And establish itself it did.

Fast forward to two years ago. The once "delicate" Elephant grass has utterly taken over his properties entire lakefrontage, and wrapped around both ponds. I, good grandson that I am, am brought in to get it under control. Armed with sickle and potato hack, along with an anemic gas-powered brush cutter, I go to work, bringing the 8 foot tall stocks down by the hundreds. I don't want to stop until its all gone - he wants me to leave about a third of it. I plead with him to let me finish what I started - "They all share on underground root system" I tell him, "if any survive, they'll all spring back, as good as new." But it is no use, he won't listen. Lamenting his folly, I pack up my tools and return home.

The next year I am back there, the old battle rejoined. I expect I will be there next year, and the year after that. I know what it is to deal with a plant that will not be satisfied with anything less than everything. You would do well to heed Cairsten's warnings in such matters. I paid for my lesson in blood, and still bear the scar - may yours come at a lesser cost.

Re:

[kuangning]

*laughs.* yes, that's another really invasive plant. Back home, we can spend years trying to get rid of clumps of bamboo. You practically have to burn the things out, which can be dangerous in itself as the stalks are hollow and jointed. A lot of times, burning them causes a series of explosions. And if even a twig gets forgotten on the ground, and it has a living joint, the thing takes root and you have yet another plant. They're lovely plants when kept under strict control, though.

While I'm commenting, though, hon -- from within Mandrake, I don't yet have a program that will handle MSN. Let me know what your schedule looks like, will you? That way I can have an idea when to switch over to Eliot.

[mayamaia.livejournal.com]

Trumpet flowers for me....My gosh, I have had to cut those back SO much over the years.....