I haven’t posted in a while. Starting new plants and trying to regrow what I lost in the last heat wave.
Even though my Woad plants curled up and died there were seeds from that last batch.
I’ve been moving them a few at a time into the yard.
This one (above) is the growing-Woad-in-a-planter experiment. Since the roots seemed so shallow it seemed possible that it might thrive in planter.
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.
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.
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.
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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I’m still collecting Woad seeds. When the one plant that had started going to seed took off I wrapped it in a tomato cage and will continue collecting seeds as long as they appear. Also on the to-do list is to start sending out seed packets to various fellow-dyers.
My idea of an enjoyable weekend: dyed more yarn, Woad and Onion peel pots and made a batch of Plantine and Lavender salve.
Since last week I started harvesting Woad seeds as they are ready.
Tomato cage wrapped around the plant going to seed – so it doesn’t fall over.
This last year I didn’t process enough Woad to dye more than a pair of socks or gloves and I’m still buying Woad powder along with processing my own.
Next year I’m planning for more plants. More of my neighbors are planting vegetables in their front yards so no one will be surprised by the expanding herb and dye garden.
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One of my favorite blogs is: Riihivilla, Dyeing with natural dyes. A really wonderful natural dye blog in Finnish and English written by Leena Riihela. I don’t know for sure but I think she may also take the photographs. One of the great things about the internet is being able to see what other dyers are growing, working with, etc.
Recently there was a post that the Finnish Natural Dyer’s Association will be putting on “ first international DIPDAY (Dyeing in Public Day), September 2nd 2011″. I’ve spun, woven and knitted in public but never been to a dye in public event. Sounds fun.
One of my favorite dye blogs is Rihivilla Dyeing with natural dyes. Wonderful pictures and good information. The current post: Riihivilla, Dyeing with natural dyes: Now in my garden Nyt puutarhassa has a good picture (scroll down a bit) of what Woad seeds look link when ready to harvest.
Pictures of my going-to-seed Woad plant below. (Hand in pictures to give an idea of the size of the seeds.)
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Woad flowers. What you don’t see in this picture are the aphids.
Up to now it seemed that nothing wanted to lunch on my dye plants, not even snails – and the latter are capable of tearing up a cactus.
At least until a couple of days ago. Went out to water the garden and found a herd of aphids parked on the Woad plant just below the flowering stems.
The plant seems ok, continues flowering and I’ve started spraying with my home brew ‘insecticidal soap’ (dish soap and water).
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