In our area we call them mole beans. They are poisonous to moles so they will leave the root system alone. I think I have a few around the house here. They are related to jimson weed as I recall.
What's Growing in the Garden
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Didn't know castor beans would repell moles, good info to store away.
Castor bean is not related to Jimson weed. Castor bean is in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) and Jimson weed is in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) along with potatoes and tomatoes.
Castor bean is not related to Jimson weed. Castor bean is in the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) and Jimson weed is in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) along with potatoes and tomatoes.
Castor beans contain ricin poison so if you have small children, dogs, cats, etc around, make sure they know never to eat the beans.
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That's true, but surprisingly, there are many documented cases of people and animals eating whole beans without becoming ill.
The castor bean has a very hard seed coat that is difficult to penetrate. Even the acid in our stomachs has a hard time breaking it down in the amount of time it takes for the bean to pass through the digestive system. As long as the seed coat stays intact the ricin is not released.
Now I don't want to suggest that it's OK to start swallowing castor beans, but for a poisonous plant, for which there is no antidote, it is surprisingly safe to have in the garden.
I think one would have to eat quite a few to get enough ricin to be dangerous too. If I remember right, they had to grind them up into powder and then distill the ricin out to get a potent concentration. But I remember my parents always warning my brothers and I not to mess with the castor bean tree we had in the backyard. Our dog naturally never ate any - it was smarter than my brothers and I - I suspect they are kind of bitter. We had oleanders too which I think were also poisonous. Add the black widows and I don't understand how we kids survived.
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Oleanders in Oregon?
Tons of Oleanders in Northern California. They are most definitely poisonous! Chuck
No, Kahl-ee-fornee-yah, Chula Vista to be precise, circa 1960-1964 before we moved to Samoa.
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Some small species tulips just starting to bloom.
We had a whole fence line of them at both houses i grew up in. Lil Mikey used to play with it and make things including bows and arrows. Maybe that is what is wrong with him! Someone should have told him about the danger.
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How I know it's spring in the Midwest:
1. Cut and ate the first asparagus today.
2. Has been in the 80's the last three days.
3. Are going to have an snow storm with accumulation Sunday night.
1. Cut and ate the first asparagus today.
2. Has been in the 80's the last three days.
3. Are going to have an snow storm with accumulation Sunday night.
Getting ready here. Today we brought in some fresh dirt to top off the raised beds after settling - especially the ones that were new last year. Also have some dirt for a couple planters I'm building around the ends of the clothesline poles.
Got seedlings going in the basement. They haven't really taken off much yet, but that's ok, because it's about 6 weeks before anything will get transplanted.
Of course, the nice weather we've had this week has me eager for getting stuff planted. But it's not time for that yet.
Got seedlings going in the basement. They haven't really taken off much yet, but that's ok, because it's about 6 weeks before anything will get transplanted.
Of course, the nice weather we've had this week has me eager for getting stuff planted. But it's not time for that yet.
Picked and ate my first Lemon Boy tomato today! Mater sandwich with mayo and onions yum yum
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Haven't posted much here, a series of freezes kind of shut down doing much. I do have potatoes,peas, spinach and radish seed planted, and was able to transplant onions earlier this week.
Planted 4 trees today, two each redbud and sassafras. Also was able to move a bunch of plants to the cold frame. If it doesn't rain too much this weekend will plant tomatoes the first of the week along with some sweet corn.
Here's some more of my species tulips blooming.
Planted 4 trees today, two each redbud and sassafras. Also was able to move a bunch of plants to the cold frame. If it doesn't rain too much this weekend will plant tomatoes the first of the week along with some sweet corn.
Here's some more of my species tulips blooming.
Not in a garden, unless our desert is a natural garden. Palo Verde, Arizona's State Tree, in full bloom, and still has another 30 days of it. There are more flowers on this tree than leaves. When the seeds start this year, I'm going to try and remember I would like to make a meal out of the green seeds, like fresh beans. I have eaten them raw, and they are pretty tasty. Then after they harden, I'm gonna see if they can be boiled and eaten like other beans and peas.For the next week or so, I'm gonna look up a bunch of them and have a box large enough to shake leaves off and try to get enough that would fill a gallon jar. I'll cast them in the fall if the flowers don't turn color and stay yellow. Also, I have to stick with one variety as the flowers have different color intensities. The Florida variety has the brightest of 4 varieties here and also has the best looking wood. .............. Jerry (in Tucson)
Really enjoying the greenhouse. We should be able to harvest a little lettuce in a week or so. I have all of the plants that I started in the house moved into the greenhouse, some have been transplanted into the integral raised beds while others await warm weather to move outside. I just planted cukes and summer squash that will go outside in a few weeks after danger of frost has passed. So far I have growing tomatoes, peppers, salad greens, radishes, basil, watermelon, summer squash, cucumber,and onions. As well a a few flowers for the wife. Most of this would not be possible this early without the greenhouse.
SUper Envious
It really didn't cost much cash. The frame is cedar that I milled myself. I bought a 5# box of 3" screws to put it together with. I also purchased some 6mill greenhouse plastic and some poly lock metal channel to fasten it with. The plastic is rated for 4 years but I know a commercial grower who usually gets 6 years out of it. Probably out of pocket was around $300
I sure wish we could have a greenhouse like that. Nothing big, just something to get things started and to keep the frikkin' deer off. But our HOA rules won't allow it. I'm sometimes tempted to build one on the end of our deck, opposite the end we covered with the roof last year. I could easily get 8ft X 8ft.
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Mine is 10 x 10. I could get a lot more plants in without the raised beds, but that's what I wanted. As the weather warms I will roll up the sides and remove the end panels on the south end. Come fall I will close things up again to extend the growing season. 8 x 8 would hold a lot of plants. Our rural town doesn't require permits for agricultural buildings.