Back on the Woad Track

I’ve turned out to be a rather rotten blogger.  I have this idea of only writing where there is something appropriate and relevant and then somehow not getting back to it for a few months.

The plants last seen around September 14 have mostly survived.  Woad in porch planters were eaten by something.  The Woad in the yard took off though one Weld didn’t survive.  Additionally I have some more seeds in flats that will hopefully take off.

[Woad]

[Three Weld plants in front, the Woad nearest the tree and another Weld  behind.]

 

[One of the Weld plants.]

Due to drought conditions – I’m in southern California – there are watering restrictions. On my street odd numbered addresses have  Mon, Wed, Fri and Sunday, before 9am and later in the evening for watering.  For awhile now I’ve been using dish (washing) water on the dye plants and they seem to be doing ok along some shade from the tree.

My other yellow dye staple is Oxalis, aka the Weed-that-does-not-die. That one is of course did well for it’s seasonal appearance and keep a lot of bees happy while providing me with a good supply of yellow/orange dye.

Woad and Weld

Earlier this year I stared some Woad in a planter to see how it would do.  So far it has survived the crazy weather and nibbling by local urban wildlife.  Looks like it would be possible to grow this one in planters if no yard is available.

This area is the Weld and one Woad plant behind.  And behind that is the dead lawn.  Current drought conditions are my excuse for letting the lawn go dormant. (Nice word for letting it dry out.)  I wouldn’t have a lawn at all but I’ve been outvoted.  Since I can’t get rid of it I’m expanding the dye plants and medicinal herbs out over it a section at a time.

One of the Weld plants with the Woad behind.

Woad and Weld are not desert plants or My Moment of Duh

If you ever forget that parts of Southern California are desert under all the asphalt,  an automotive breakdown in the San Fernando Valley will be your reminder.

Earlier in the year (after my last happy post) I woke up to one of the worst heat waves that I can recall.  For a few days my local temperature beat out that of my (Pahrump,) Nevada relatives.  Yay for me but parts of my garden curled up and died.  Even watering before and after work didn’t save the Woad and Weld.  Not being native or desert plants those two in particular did not survive the summer.  Fortunately I do have seeds from last year and will try again next year.  (Pictures of dead plants would be depressing so just use your imagination here.)

Cotton however did really well and I had enough for various guild friends and myself.

Some of the bolls that haven’t opened yet I bring in doors and leave in a warm spot – window, by heater,  bowl near the stove – and they open later.

More Woad and Weld Sans Possums

The Possums are quiet this month. (And I realized that I misspelled ‘Possum’ in my last post so now my poor spelling has been advertised planet-wide…)

The Woad in a planter however still isn’t doing well though the Woad in the ground continues to flourish merrily.

Weld also growing.  Hand in the 2nd picture to give an idea of the size.  They are still small plants but tend to shoot up in the spring.

I start them off with a cover of hardware cloth (wire mesh) to protect from local wildlife that like to roll and dig into new beds.  Just removed the cover this week since I think they are large enough to be safe.

Possims Ate My Woad

I haven’t written for quite awhile.  I seem to be wandering into various non-dye projects.  As far as the dye plants go there is the ongoing collecting and drying my favorite invasive weed/dye-plant/Bee-snack – ie. Oxalis.

The woad and weld in the ground is surviving what passes for winter out here but the woad in-planter (on the porch) was nibbled down to the roots and what wasn’t eaten rolled over and died.

[woad from last year]

[new weld plants]

It’s probably not fair to blame the woad snacking on the Possums.  We have a surprising variety of wild life that have adapted to city living: Racoons, Owls and Coyotes along with the Possums. Most of these aren’t seen too often unless you work really early or night shifts.

Woad in the Planter

I had this project idea to see how the Woad would do in a planter vs yard.  It started out well enough then one night something made its way to the porch  ate most of the Woad in a pot – but not the yard.  I guess the next few test plants will be wrapped in hardware cloth.

Woad plants in starter pot and the yard.

And the Weld. These are from last years Weld plants. Just starting to come up.

Weld seedlings just coming up.

Weld a few weeks later.

Weld under hardware cloth to discourage local beasties from rolling in it.

Weld section of the front yard, backed by Rosemary, White Sage and Valerian.

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Woad Root (or why I think this might do ok in a planter)

This is the root from a Woad plant that went to seed last fall. Looks like it could be small enough to survive in a planter.

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Woad: in Yard and Porch Pots

Most of us don’t have a field handy for our favorite invasive blue dye producing weed. I have a small front yard area for a few plants but in the past had to limit my home gardening to pots and planters. So with that in mind I decided to see what Woad in a few porch pots would do.

A couple of starter plants along with ones in the yard (dirt).

Graduated to a larger pot.

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Woad, Snowpeas and Fennel

The 2nd year Woad plant.

Snow peas.

Dye, herbs, veggies and legumes coming up.

Super Fennel. I pruned it down last fall a it is shooting back up.

Tomatomania and pictures of dirt

Tomatomania is a wonderful,  mostly tomato (California local) plant sale. Lots of enthusiastic gardeners, more varieties of heirloom and homegrown tomatoes then you can imagine and generally good fun.

My vegetable is so small everything merrily cross pollinates. This event gives me an opportunity to toss in some new varieties.

Tomatoes, Sweet Basil, Strawberry and Ladybugs.

Ladybugs on the loose.

And in the dye garden
What I have right now are mostly pictures of dirt. Not much sprouting yet.

Dirt covered in hardware cloth so small animals (ie.my cats) don’t roll in it, or commit other unspeakable acts on the seedlings.

One project for this year is to see what I can manage with Woad and Weld in container garden.

More dirt and something sprouting.

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