A mid-January Jump Start on the Weeds

It is only mid January, but a walk through the garden finds two types of weeds already in flower, in our mild Pacific Northwest climate. While our all-time record-tying 28 consecutive days of rain discouraged me from venturing near the garden, the invasive and unwelcome plants relished the weather along with all my favourites.

The pineapple weed (matricaria matricarioides) - resembling a chamomile flower - is topped in yellow buds. The bittercress (cardamine hirsuta) is putting out tiny white flowers, and has spread to form patches of the green. After donning garden gloves and kneepads, I am ready for battle. Happily, both yield very easily to the side of my plastic hand shovel (trowel), and soon I have a 5 gallon bucket of food for my compost bin. There is much more which can be done in the garden, but I'm DONE (that's my aching body speaking!) for today.

I take a leisurely walk and visit each of my 9 fruit trees, all but one which show signs of life, tiny buds bulging along the bare twigs. Daylilies are just poking through the surface of the soil, the daffodils and tulips and crocuses (or should I say croci?) are evident. One crocus is even in bud - show off! Pretty satisfying for my first day of gardening in 2006. Lots more rain and possibly snow to expect in the next couple of months, but I'm already anticipating the arrival of Spring.