FORGET MARCH MADNESS and let’s talk about May Madness! May is the month of plenty. Plenty of greens, plenty of weeds, plenty of seeds, and plenty of hours of plantees (haha, had to keep with the ‘ee’). Tons of projects and not enough hours in the day are enough to make the gardener go mad! Mother’s Day weekend, especially, is when the madness goes from crazy to obnoxious because we can finally get all those heat-loving crops into the ground. This month I want to focus on the weeds. When it comes to weeds one thing to remember is that a weed is just a plant that is out of place. Many, not all, of the weeds growing in the garden can be beneficial in one way or another. This is the month to keep up on the weeding so it doesn’t get out of control and create utter madness. Before you pull the weed, it is best to identify the weed, see if it is invasive, how to dispose of it if it is invasive or a nuisance, and figure out if it can be eaten or will bring in beneficial insects. My favorite weeds that I don’t consider weeds are andelions, purslane, pineapple weed, cleavers, and plantain. All of which can be eaten, used medicinally, and bring in beneficial insects. Happy Weeding… and Planting!
Follow Nikki @urbangnomestead on the socials for local garden growing advice, #farmlife and some hilarious videos. And check out her free monthly garden talks from 1-3 p.m. the final Sunday of each month at Ridgeline Brewing, Bremerton. April focus: Basil/Cinlantro/Dill.
