More Than Flower Farmers — We’re Land Carers Too
Here at G’s Lane Esk, we’re not only flower farmers — we’re land carers too.
Looking after our patch of land is just as important to us as growing flowers. We do our best to remove the “pestie” weeds that pop up and take hold, particularly the invasive ones that can quickly spread and cause problems for the surrounding environment.
We’ve been targeting a few different weeds over time, with Lantana being one of our major ongoing battles. More recently, we’ve turned our attention to another very invasive plant — Prickly Pear.
And when I say we remove a lot of our weeds by hand, I really mean it!
Prickly Pear — By Shovel
With Prickly Pear, “by hand” actually means by shovel.
There is no way I’m keen to be picking up Prickly Pear with my bare hands. Instead, we’ve found a method that works well for us and keeps those nasty prickles well away from our fingers.
We start by using the shovel to cut the plant down, limb by limb. Once each section is separated, we can use the shovel to scoop the pieces up and dispose of them without needing to touch them.
It’s a surprisingly effective way of tackling them.
Once we’ve worked our way down to the trunk, the remaining plant is much easier to handle. We can then dig it out and remove it completely.
They’re Heavier Than They Look
One thing you quickly discover when dealing with Prickly Pear is just how heavy they can be.
Those thick, fleshy pads contain a lot of water, so what might look like a manageable piece can have quite a bit of weight behind it. Another good reason to let the shovel do the work!
The Job Doesn’t End When the Plant Is Gone
Removing the obvious plant is only part of the job.
Whenever we clear an area of Prickly Pear, we make a point of going back and checking it again. We’re looking for any little pieces we may have missed or any signs of regrowth.
It’s an ongoing process, but keeping on top of it makes a big difference.
And that’s something we’ve learned with weeds in general: the smaller they are, the easier they are to deal with.
A little bit of time spent removing a weed when you first spot it can save a whole lot of work later on when it has had the chance to establish and spread.
Caring for the Land
Being flower farmers means we spend a lot of time thinking about what we grow, but being land carers means thinking about everything else growing around us too.
We want to look after our little piece of land, encourage the good plants and give them room to thrive, while doing our best to keep the invasive weeds under control.
It might not be the glamorous side of flower farming, but it’s an important part of what we do here at G’s Lane Esk.
Flowers are what we grow.
Caring for the land is what we do.
