Wednesday 24 July 2013

5 waterbutts are better than 3!

Anyone who lives in the UK will know that up until a couple of days ago, there has been no rain for several weeks. All good and well for those who enjoy 28'c temperatures and near constant sun, but not so good if you have plants that require rainwater.

I got so low on rainwater that a few of my plants either died (either completely or just died back). Fortunately I have a kind neighbour who allowed me to take some of her rainwater. This rainwater allowed me to water all of my plants and since then, I've brought another couple of waterbutts and we've had rain and storms and have more to come!

Thursday 4 July 2013

A truly nasty plant

I often get asked, "can carnivorous plants hurt a person?" The short answer is: no, the long answer is "no they dont".

I recently read a news article about a particular type of plant called a 'Giant Hogweed'. A plant so nasty and invasive that in the UK, it is actually an offensive to plant one in the wild.

"The sap of giant hogweed causes phytophotodermatitis in humans, resulting in blisters, long-lasting scars, and—if it comes in contact with eyes—blindness. These serious reactions are due to the furocoumarin derivatives in the leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and seeds of the plant."

Source: wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum