For all of you cannabis lovers out there, I’d like to apologize in advance because this post is, unfortunately, not about marijuana. This article is, however, about those pesky, perennial plants that poke out of the dirt every year and oftentimes, invade our gardens. Sorry to disappoint if you were hoping to read about some good ol’ THC and CBD strains. But if you’re interested in hearing about my sudden love of weeding, definitely keep on reading 😉
FIRST COME THE WEEDS
As a child, we had a ton of dandelions growing in the front yard. I remember this vividly because my brother and I loved to blow the fluffy, white seeds into the air whenever they appeared in the garden. Now, two decades later, the front yard has primarily become a hub for Oxalis Stricta – a beautiful green weed with bright yellow flowers that looks very similar to a three-leafed clover.
Additionally – the long, bricked garden beds flanking the house are infiltrated each year with a moderate amount of Oxalis, some invasive Geranium that is lovely but takes over when unmanaged, and a bunch of other random weeds and tall wildflowers that I have yet to identify. There might also be some native milkweed & dandelion varietals mixed in there, but I honestly do not know for sure since I am, sadly, not a horticulturist.
Long story short – come early February, we’ve got weeds. Plenty of them in fact, which in turn means plenty of extra work when planting season arrives in Southern California. And even when I’m not worried about getting edibles and flowers into the ground, these weeds are still a nuisance when it comes to general property maintenance and my recent attempt at keeping a manicured front yard.
Because I absolutely love St. Patty’s, I allow the festive Oxalis aka Shamrock ❤ to some – Wood Sorrel to most – and Sourgrass to others, blanket the entire front yard until the end of March as their beauty actually brings me great joy. However, come April, that joy quickly dissipates because I detest the thought of having to yet again spend a few backbreaking hours meticulously pulling weeds.
In June of 2021 after the weeds were pulled and officially no more, I embarked on a fun but strenuous landscaping project in the front yard. I thought that the layers of newspaper and recycled brown paper that I carefully laid under inches of mulch would prevent most of the weeds from reappearing. As you might have guessed, my optimism was quickly shattered because by November 2021 a bunch of Oxalis had already poked through due to some heavy autumn rain. In an attempt to keep my newly landscaped yard in pristine condition, I decided to pull the newly sprung weeds with the hopes of stopping the inevitable invasion.
THEN COMES THE WELLNESS
As I trudged outside with my gloves and bin that November afternoon, I was full of animosity. My feelings of deep dislike were, of course, brought on by my gardening woes but intensified by other, personal goings on that also had me feeling very frustrated and blue at the time.
So with an extra heavy heart I started to pull up the Shamrocks. By the fifth clump, I was surprised that this typically annoying task was easing my bitterness. I have always enjoyed gardening, but weed pulling – not so much. However, in this moment, the extraction of those Wood Sorrels was incredibly therapeutic. It could have been the warm sunshine, the satisfaction of perfectly pulling up an entire root system, the methodical act of repetition, the good vibe minerals coming up from the cool dirt, the birds, the bees, the jacaranda tree above my head. Who the hell knows? Whatever it was though, I was completely into it. This once loathsome act was suddenly the biggest stress relief I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
For the next hour, I happily pulled up the rest of the Oxalis. By the time I was finished, I felt a huge load lifted off my shoulders. I was light, bright, and genuinely happy. The feeling was so euphoric that from that day forward, I have never looked at weeding in a negative way. Anytime I feel overly stressed or annoyed by a situation, I now just take a short walk outside and pull a few weeds 🙂 It’s truly fantastic and oddly brings me the same amount of glee, if not more, than taking care of my herb, vegetable, and flower gardens.
So there you have it folks – the task of weeding can certainly contribute to your wellness. The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or annoyed – just head outside and pull a few weeds. I would love to know if this simple practice helps in easing your stress and calming your mind as it now does for me! Please let me know in the comments below.
And just in case you were curious – the front yard is currently blanketed with Shamrock that is ready to be pulled. All I can say is – lucky me 😉
Happy Gardening!
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