Northeast Gardening: Garden Projects #11, 1 by bbrookrd

bbrookrd wrote:
Karen, Your sales area looks wonderful and what great looking plants. I am impressed.

That was a good example about the use of common names in describing a plant such as American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Pidgeonberry, Pokeberry or in Latin Phytolacca americana while the the plant that I thought you were talking about is the shrub, Ilex glabra or as we know it, Inkberry. It has other common names too, none of which I ever heard used here on Nantucket but found in the DG Plantfiles. Gallberry, Inkberry, Bitter Gallberry, Evergreen Winterberry, Inkberry Holly, Appalachian Tea 'Green Magic'.

I agree about the kind you are trying to get rid of as we grow it too, not intentionally, though as a kid in Okla I remember neighbors eating Poke greens in the spring. I never tried them as the family I knew who ate them had to our family "strange" eating habits. I should have have been more adventurous as I'll bet they are good. I know the birds love it, but it is impossible to get rid of so I just keep cutting it back to the ground when I see it, which is far to often and try never to let it get to the point where it is a bird food. I might try pouring some vinegar on it to see if that works. It gives me a mild rash when it is in bloom so I am pretty diligent to pull any that I find before the stems turn that pretty purple.

I'll bet Wha burned his T-plants in his screen covered Fire Pit while enjoying a brewski or two, but maybe he just has a big old burn pile. We can't burn until winter and only with a permit which they strictly enforce.

About to head out for another day of work. Had some nice rain yesterday evening which was great as I hadn't watered in my transplants. Have a good one all. Hard to believe it is Columbus day weekend.

DH's yellow pumpkin.....not sure what it is but it is a gorgeous color. Patti