- There are about 250,000 species of plants (around the world), and about 8,000 of them are classified as weeds.
- Weeds have another name....undergrowth. They're simply plants that grow in places where we humans don't want them to grow.
- Weeds are neither good nor bad. It all depends on human perspective. While they can be seen as undesirable in lawns or gardens, weeds serve as food or medicine, and can even improve the health of the soil. When we were kids at home, I remember eating salads made of dandelion greens. Mom made a yummy sour cream dressing to put on 'em.
- Weeds provide habitat for beneficial organisms.
- Stinging nettles provide a protective environment for butterfly caterpillars.
- The stems and leaves of plants like the Virginia creeper provide cover and nesting places for birds.
- For the most part, weeds are blown into a lawn or garden by the wind.
- Weeds can aid in soil conservation. The roots of weeds have a web-like structure that helps make the soil less likely to be washed away by heavy rainfall.
- Weed roots can stabilize soil erosion and provide channels for the movement of water and air in the soil.
- As weeds die and decay, their roots break down, feed microorganisms and insects, and make pathways and tunnels for worms. A bountiful life below means plentiful life above.
- Weeds are good indicators of soil health. When microorganisms and insects break down weeds, they release essential nutrients into the oil that plants absorb. They store nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the ground, creating cleaner air and removing greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.....helping the climate crisis.
Bottom line: The next time you see a weed, remember that it's a sign that life is blooming, rather than think of it as a nuisance. Maybe go back to when you were a little kid with a mindset that a bouquet of dandelions would make your momma happy.
This brings us to the second half of today's post. We humans use herbicides to kill plant undergrowth. We go to great protective measures, like wearing appropriate protective gloves, eye protection and long sleeves when applying these weed killers. We even make sure we don't spray the herbicides on windy days in order to prevent the spray from drifting and falling down beyond the intended target crop.
- Herbicides are designed to kill plants. Some are toxic to animals and humans.
- Exposure to herbicides can occur by swallowing, breathing in, skin contact or eye contact.
- The severity of the poisoning can range from a mild irritation to severe organ damage or even death.
Listen closely to the news......to the cancers....to the developmental conditions that continue to appear in children. Could they possibly be linked to the toxic chemicals being sprayed on thousand-acre farm fields by planes and drones? Has the human mind deteriorated to the point where we don't even recognize our own ignorance? When man's practical judgment and sound reasoning was halted by misleading public information, we are left with a debilitating erosion of trust. What on God's green earth has happened to practical reasoning? If the herbicides are non-toxic, why do the men applying them dress up in hazmat suits?
Common sense is rooted in the universal truths. It has been said, "If you know what poison ivy looks like and you know the unpleasant effects of topical contact with the plant, it becomes basic common sense not to touch it."
