Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Mint, redux

I didn't learn my lessons with mint. I bought another mint last year and planted it in my flowerbox. I thought keeping it in its original container would contain the rhizomatic roots so it wouldn't spread as rapidly. The container was organic, and the bottom distinegrated in the soil while the plastic top remained in place. The mint didn't care about the plastic, and its rhizomes spread deep and far. It started taking over my flower box again and has spilled out to the surrounding garden. Its life force and urge to propagate is tenacious. I pulled up the superficial plants that were growing above the surface, intermingling with the quiet yet robust thyme that has remained contained. I naively thought I cleared most of it out. When I dug down into the flowerbox to place a plastic sheet border to barricade its advancement, I kept finding more and more rhizomes. Dozens of rhizomes eminated horizontally from that one plant, layered one on top of the other, growing deeper and deeper. The superficial rhizome is a myth. These rhizomes were buried deep in the subterrain environment of the box where worms enjoyed playing with it. More and more of these rhizomes I pulled, revealing more underneath and alongside other rhizomes. 

I think I have all the off shoots pulled. Which means I probably don't.  
  

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