Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Strawberries Are Driving Me Wild!


Doesn’t this look idyllic? What’s better than a strawberry patch in spring? How can I complain but, well, here’s the problem. These are wild strawberries. The fruit is too tiny to pick and eat and the vines are everywhere! They started growing in the deep back of the yard where they went pretty much unnoticed. By the time we became aware of their presence, they had already spread. We like to keep a natural kind of setting, not too manicured but still controlled. Hah! The strawberries didn’t get the message. They squiggled around the existing plants, moved out in long lines into the lawn, skipped over unsuspecting patches of grass and are now invading the side and front grounds as well. I know that the birds are spreading the plants and I am glad that the avian crowd can enjoy the fresh berries; however, these vines do not share space well with others. I am not one for using chemical warfare so I have been pulling them out by hand, a rather tedious job and not particularly effective. The strawberries definitely have the advantage over my limited tolerance for weeding. So (deep breath) I think this may be the summer I learn acceptance – of my interconnectedness with nature, of my body’s physical limits, and of the value of releasing control. Until I fully embrace all of that, does anyone know of an effective, non-toxic way to get rid of wild strawberries?

3 comments:

  1. Those vines drive me crazy too. I finally gave in and have learned to enjoy the little
    peek-a-boos of red mixed in with my other plants.

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  2. I wouldn't mind if they didn't try to take over the whole yard! I tasted them. Mostly seeds. A friend said she had the best advice - ignore them. I like the leap from ignore to enjoy. Thanks, Anonymous.

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  3. I haven't had too much trouble with wild strawberries but I have learned to ignore something else. In early spring my backyard is innundated with yellow flowers. I'm not sure if they are weeds, or perhaps, buttercups. While they grow in the flower bead, they also grow on the lawn, providing a full carpet of yellow in the midst of the green. I let them be and pretend I live in the midst of a meadow. Besides, once they stop blooming, their leaves blend in with the grass and can't be seen until they bloom next year. Acceptance.

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