Gorse...

I've a plan to collect a lot of tree and shrub seeds this coming autumn. Gorse seed pods are ripening now, however. I got a lot of seeds from the plants down by the Don last week. I'll need to stratify them over the winter (keep them in a margarine tub of damp compost in the fridge). It's a brilliant hedging plant - there's no way man-nor-beast can get near it. For this reason, it's excellent for bird nesting, especially relatively uncommon species like long tailed tits.

Gorse has been in the news over the last few days, because a Yorkshireman was trapped in a thicket for an uncertain period of time, not knowing how he'd got there, after 'consuming various substances.' Here's a local newspaper account. I notice he attracted attention with his cigarette lighter, which means he's lucky to be alive because gorse can be very inflammable.

Comments

  1. little gwionThu Aug 11, 11:51:00 pm BST

    On a hot summer's day gorse smells like vanilla.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JohnFri Aug 12, 03:30:00 am BST

    Ahh, mixing fire, drink, and a potential burning bush . . . isn't that how Moses got in the biz?

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFri Aug 12, 08:23:00 am BST

    Why 'stratify' seeds ?
    Why do the need to have lines on them ?

    I thought you just plant 'em and watch 'em grow ?

    Planted all the seeds I gathered in Libya - and they are growing, but, of course, I forgot what they are.
    There are some prickly pear seeds - they should be as off-putting to kids and people as gorse is.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Garry NixonFri Aug 12, 09:01:00 am BST

    Peter, be careful! I picked some seeds in Libya, got them home, looked them up... Fucking ricin!

    Have you got a blog or flickr account yet? Would like to see the photies.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ApprenticeSat Aug 13, 01:01:00 am BST

    Me too... get a Flickr account!

    Gorse is very hay-fevery sneezy to some poeple, and hurts like hell when you scratch yourself. I like the idea of 'stratify'. Must try that.

    Ricin is only toxic in enourmous quantities, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  6. ApprenticeSat Aug 13, 01:03:00 am BST

    Oh and *very* nice picture layout. I'd like the code for that, please. :)

    ReplyDelete

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