The Evil of Ivy

Any plant trying to grow where it doesn't belong is a sad story. When I volunteered at Discovery Park doing youth restoration programs I watched the kids go crazy ripping English Ivy out of the ground. I was first introduced to the invasiveness of this plant while volunteering on a farm, where I was asked to pull out ivy around some trees. Although it was just maintenance work because you never really get rid of that stuff. I was annoyed to be handed the least desirable farm work, but I guess you just have to "do your time". I was told to cut the thick, fibrous vines around the base of the tree, and that everything growing above would eventually die. The tree is given some breathing room. Death cannot be avoided only staved off.

Why is this ivy so intense? In WA it's a Class C on the noxious weed list (with a bunch of other plants less complained about, many with medicinal properties). But no one likes to be dominated. Ivy is said to move in, take over all the space, pushing out biodiversity, creating ivy "deserts". This incredible plant can even choke out trees, taking then down. But what is to be afraid of? Could ivy take down an entire woodland? Probably not. Ivy is more the gardener's bane, or the naturalist's achilles heel. People aren't happy observing domination, regardless of how much threat is actually present.

The ivy in our North Beach yard is intimidating, though. It's starting to creep up the neck of the plum trees.

It's doing what it needs to do, laying it's groundwork for an offensive.

It's staging area across the slope is building rank. I think I will need to host a work party, and prepare for battle.

Biodynamic inspiration

One neat thing about Abundant Life Seeds are their handful of certified biodynamic seed varieties. I haven't looked into the biodynamic certification process but my understanding is it's as complex as certification can get. As a gardening system biodynamics is one of the most rigid, precise, and rule-bound. I wonder how closely the certification follows the science itself. I just checked out https://www.biodynamics.com/ and am interested to bring this philosophy into the North Beach garden this year. But I don't want to mess around so must obtain resources quickly. I will experiment with the biodynamic-certified seeds, and do my best to grow these plants under the right conditions. Then compare them to the non-biodynamic plants/conditions. Why not? That farm in Battle Ground I mentioned was doing similar quests and were more legit because they had their own cows. Oh well. I will still have some fun. I will order these seeds Thursday:

Apiaceae: Nantaise Narome carrot
Chenopodiaceae: Rote Kugel beet
Fabaceae: Ura pole bean, Major bush bean, Blauseh Okker pea
Lamiaceae: Summer Savory

One thing I'm unsure about is if I will grow them in the same bed as the nonbiodynamic plants. I think that would complicate "the experiment".

Also here is an interesting article published in the Seattle Times from 1993 (I was 7 years old then)

Also! There is a biodynamic farm on Bainbridge Island, Tani Creek Farm... I am keeping my eye on this place

If the weather's warming

Someone posted on the bioregional list-serve a link to a map of the U.S. depicting changes in hardiness zones. Which you click play you watch the progression 1990-2006 raising heat. It's not dramatic and gives you that feel people can adapt. The message also included a reference to Albert Bates. He is a permaculture activist, laywer and author. His most recent book (which I will look for - I haven't read it) Biochar Solution is about living carbon-negative lives. I wonder if growing food is considered carbon-negative. Maybe experimenting with growing warmer weather crops  is part of that. There are many farmers doing that right now, I imagine. One farm in Battleground, WA was trying to grow olive trees when I interned there briefly in winter 2008. (Why was I there only in the winter? I liked that part of the state, and it's close to Portland. I enjoyed traveling there on intercounty transit.) There are five farms for sale in Battle Ground, WA.