#i once used it to get rid of soil pests and

[besnouted]

i do still keep neem on hand tho since it is also antifungal but it is a wretched substance

#if youre someone who likes savory peanut butter foods #on very first sniff you might think ok this doesnt smell that bad #this only lasts a moment before it becomes rancid #and it fucking LINGERS #i once used it to get rid of soil pests and #for the next MONTH #any time i watered that plant #my room smelled like Weird Peanuts

[kalevalakryze]

The Seeds We Sow

The fic + art collaboration Art completed by @mirandemia for the @ahsokaevents Wildflowers collab! Find it on AO3!

Sabine Wren + Ahsoka Tano The soil was warm under her hands; Freshly turned and clumpy where she uncovered it from the ashen tones of the earth. “Life finds a way.” Ahsoka had told her upon setting out on this task. The water source wasn’t too far away, a still pool with sediment floating in the murky water. 

“We can get this cleaned up, can’t we Asha?” She called to the howler, snuffling through a patch of stubbornly prevailing grass nearby. She did not receive any response from the peculiar creature, though it was nice to have her to bounce ideas off of. 

The Noti had given her the scraps from an older trawler, dragged each time they moved to limit waste, carrying broken vaporators, gears, and even old power packs to blasters that must have been acquired from Thrawn’s troopers. At least she didn’t need to lug it too much further than their current campsite to get it near the water supply.  “Let’s see what we can do,” The Mandalorian talked aloud, boots crunching over the crumbling outer layer of the planet’s crust. 

First, Sabine grabbed old pipes from blown cooling systems, using her hands to dig out four long rows in the dirt, exposing nutrient-rich soil to the sunlight above. “Bet you guys missed the sun just as much as I do,” She chuckled warmly to a squirming lifeform. “You kinda look like an exogorth. Can I call you Exo?” The pad of her thumb brushed along the sliminess of the creature's side, laughing warmly to herself when it squiggled away. “Alright, Exo. I’m sorry I gotta move you, but hey, you keep pests away from my seeds, and this can be a mutually beneficial arrangement, got it?” 

The creature was set inside of a pile of upturned dirt, where it happily burrowed itself to be rid of the humanoid that dared interrupt its rest. 

Building the irrigation system was nothing new to Sabine Wren; In fact, it was something she understood almost as well as mixing her explosive paints. Back when rebel holdouts needed crops, she was often the one counted on to help them get started, and it was always something that helped her feel useful. 

A Mandalorian could destroy, and conquer, and a million other destructive things, but she was put in this Galaxy for more than that. She created, and saved, she strived every day for as long as she could remember to embrace her Mandalorian heritage, to be everything her ancestors could have wanted, and then some. 

It was through her continued work every day that she honored the patron of her House, Tarre Vizsla, it was through her dedication to her people that honored her Clan and the lives they’d once lived, and it was her determination that honored the Rebellion she’d spent so long fighting for. Everything she did was for her family, and right now? That family was found in Ahsoka and the Noti. 

Her purification system was simple in design, and it required the sacrifice of a power pack from her blaster to generate enough of a spark to keep the miniature solar array working. She could return with a new source for it one day, for when the sun grew dim and the gears needed to turn. For now, the blaster she’d painted in the blues of reliability and royalty was dismantled under a caring hand and slotted into the home of the system. 

Clean water trickled slowly with a quiet whir of machinery, sucking the water through and filtering out sediment as it pushed along the rows of water she’d dug out. “Hey, we did it,” She called to Asha, now dozing lazily in her interesting patch of grass. “Thanks,” She laughed, bubbling like the carbonation in The Outlander Club’s specialty beverage, warmed by the lull of a punk tongue hanging lazily past yellowed canines. 

With dampened soil, Sabine was able to meticulously lay each seed; They were from her Galaxy, so there was no telling if they would take to their new home, but she had hope, and she’d learned long ago just how far a little hope could stretch. Then, the compost that had been saved up was spread evenly over the rows, pressed in lightly to allow for the sprouts to push past without much resistance, though would not risk being washed away when the drought on this side of the planet would end at last. 

“You’ve done well,” Ahsoka’s voice was warm; Lighter than she was used to, over the course of her previous apprenticeship, that is. 

“Yeah? You think so?” The Mandalorian questioned genuinely from her spot knelt in the dirt, mud caked her armor and her flight suit, and streaks painted her face and dirtied her hair. The purple-haired woman turned her head to watch as Ahsoka dismounted her howler, allowing it to trundle to Asha’s lazy form. “I do,” The hand on her shoulder was warm. Sabine allowed the offered strength to rise from her knelt position. “Lunch is ready back at camp, you look like you could use it,” The jab was light, bouncing off her armor with a light chuckle. 

“You’re tellin’ me… Think everything will be safe here?” 

Ahsoka’s gaze turned to the horizon, searching. When she shook her head in the affirmative, Sabine’s shoulders relaxed. “Do you think they’re okay…” She questioned after a moment. 

It didn’t take a genius to understand who she was asking after. “Shin will be alright, I’m sure of it. Baylan… worries me, he’s treading a dangerous path, one we will have to follow, sooner than later.” 

As the Master and Apprentice rode their howlers the short distance back to camp, Sabine’s fingers threaded through the thick, dark wool of Asha’s neck. “Thanks,” 

Ahsoka’s head bowed towards her. She could have kept the thoughts to herself, as she’d once had. But even Ahsoka Tano learned when it was time to truly be more than the people who’d trained you. Where Obi-Wan and Anakin may have kept themselves quiet, she was determined to break the cycle.  Shin Hati

Communication with the bandits was slow. Truly, Shin had heard of droids learning and adapting better than this sorry lot. All she received from them were grunts, either of indignation, or approval, she could only tell after they’d begun moving, either to follow her orders or to blatantly ignore them. 

The most recent act of ignorance from the clan found Shin stubbornly figuring out ways to feed them all. They’d seemed unbothered by the prospect that they could go hungry, as if they could pillage their way across Peridea; and maybe they could have, if not for the Jedi and Sabine protecting their favorite victims now. Shin knew better than to allow themselves to march into that camp, she knew what the Torguta and Mandalorian were capable of. 

Chasing away the nomads that had settled in this desolate canyon had been simple, natural, even. The moment they saw a blood-orange blade on the horizon, and saw the sun glinting off the worn paint of her bandit’s heads, most were intelligent enough to turn tail. It had even stocked them up with enough supplies to last until… well… Until what, Shin wasn’t sure yet, but they’d be damned if they didn’t figure it out soon. 

There was a water source nearby, old, rickety purifiers ran as they refilled the jugs as fast as her men could deplete them. They also noticed a raised bed of soil, something she didn’t see often in the wastes like this. There were no seeds nearby, though she could see plants sprouting from a host nearby. 

Eyes as dreary as their landscape peered around the supplies that had been left. This was new, but they had always been a resourceful student. If taking lives was so natural, then surely they would be able to sustain it, especially in the most non-sentient way life existed.

The soil had been freshly turned, Shin learned as their fingers delved into the raised garden bed. The travelers had been planning on making this place their home for the season as well. No matter, it was Shin’s people who were victorious in the end, and they would reap the profits of prior labors… and Shin’s own. 

Dirt spilled into the many tears in their gloves, worn from the months of use and with no true materials to repair them. The pebbles were harsh, though their skin was learning to grow harsher. Eventually, the tanned gorraslug material was set aside, resting precariously on a wooden support, allowing them to dig deeper, pushing grime up under their fingernails as they worked to bury the remains of the food supply. 

Plasto pails sat near the purifiers, and it was just Shin’s luck that the first pail they filled with water would crack under the unforgiving weight as it was filled to the brim. “Karabast!” They growled at the remains of the bucket, water soaking their boots and turning the ground at their feet into sloshing mud. 

The Force, a fickle ally, refused to answer their call in their growing frustrations; Even as they attempted to channel their annoyance into the pressure of water, thin plasto, and the space they wanted to create between it and the ground. 

Huffing and puffing, Shin found themselves resorting to other means; A spear was sent between the weak metal handles of the pail, allowing her the leverage to lift it, keeping it balanced on her shoulder with minimal spillage as she lugged it to the beds, cursing the whole way. 

By the time each sprout had a home in the dirt, Shin’s hands, tunic, and face were streaked with mud, sweat cutting tracks through the grime as they sat back against a boulder to admire their work. A bandit passed by them, Shin watched with narrowed eyes as they paused at her work. 

No words were spoken between them as they turned back to look at the filthy blonde, though Shin had felt the understanding in the nod of their head. A dented canteen was removed from their hip and passed nonchalantly to her on their way back to sorting through their treasures of the raid. 

The sinking of the sun was met with a wet nose sniffling at long-dry boots, a dirty white howler in search of food. With her fingers carding through the soft fur at its neck, Shin rose at last, acquiescent to find the poor beast something to eat, and with a rumbling of her own stomach, something for herself as well. 

Ezra Bridger Krownest had always been cold, but if there was anything Ezra Bridger had learned in his short experiences with Clan Wren, it was the planet's unique ability to nurture all kinds of life. 

This was why, as the Ghost touched down on a desolate surface, and no gruff voices came over their comms to demand clearance, Ezra felt the loss of those unique lives as distinctly as he had. The Jedi paused in the entryway, boot hovering just over the ramp. “Ezra?” Hera called, a gloved hand coming to rest on his shoulder. 

A deep breath and a warm smile recentered him as he used the familiar touch on his shoulder to ground himself. “I’m alright… It’s just hard not to notice…” 

Hera’s head dipped in understanding; She hadn’t made the venture yet, had been waiting on Sabine’s word to visit with the heir, the day had never come, until Ezra voiced his desire to do something for her family. “We’ll be right here with you,” She promised, glancing away from Ezra to peek down at Jacen, bundled up and standing by her side, with Chopper rolling just behind them once they began walking. 

The Wren stronghold was dark and untouched, mountains of snow coated the roof, while dangerous icicles hung dangerously along the large transparisteel windows. “Do you think it’ll grow here?” Jacen asked as the toe of his boot caught on a  patch of slippery ice. . 

“Yeah, ‘course,” Ezra mused out loud as he knelt near one of the windows. Peering through the dust, he could see the inside of the throne room, dark and desolate, with cobwebs hanging across each surface. The light that managed to cut through the grime still found a way to cast across the painting of the Matriarch of Clan Wren, lighting yellow and grey armor up in an effect that made them glow gold and silver. 

“Do you remember how it went?” Ezra questioned, unblinking from his sight against the glass, catching the barest reflection of his own eyes back at him. 

“Never did manage Mando’a,” Hera admitted, lowering herself into the snow beside him, allowing Jacen to tuck himself against her once more as she settled. He’d known Ursa, though Hera doubted he would have much memories of them, not with the separate wars they found themselves fighting as Sabine focused on finding Ezra. 

“Basic should be fine… It’s the memory that counts, right?” He tried to keep his tone light, tried to keep the calmness steady, though the emptiness seemed to echo the way his words caught around the tightness in his throat. Addam’s apple bobbing, he nodded his head towards the snow, beginning the process of clearing away the piles to the frozen earth underneath. 

They did not have every name of every warrior lost, and Ezra found himself regretting this, too naive and headstrong, too worried about the fight than the lives of the people he’d fought beside. He would return, when the seasons changed, when Sabine came out. She could tell them their names, and they would plant flowers for them as well, as a family again. 

The ground was frozen and solid, though after a while of digging and chipping away, he’d been successful in clearing three small holes. “Vormur can grow through anything,” He assured himself as he retrieved a small duracrete container, filled to the brim with dirt from Lothal, soft enough to cover the tops and hopefully prevent them from freezing over. “They’re Mandalorian, you know” A foreboding gaze was sent to the portain through the windows before he dropped a seed in each hole. Hera stayed silent, for him, for Sabine and Ahsoka, and for Clan Wren itself. 

“Jace, you wanna cover this up, for aunt ‘bine?” He offered, leaning back as he cleared his throat, hiding a sniffle as he wiped the rough nylon material of his sleeve under his nose. Small knees shuffled through the dirt as the boy inched closer, mittens sweeping through the uncovered dirt to start brushing it to the small array of flowers. “These smell really nice,” He commented as he worked, taking a big sniff as the dirt began to settle. “Aunt Sabine will really like this when she comes back-” The young Force-Sensitive boy paused then, fingers curling in his mittens as his brows drew together. “If she ever comes back…. Here, i mean.” He was quick to correct; No one aired their thoughts about the possibility of Sabine and Ahsoka’s return, not when Ezra himself had been gone so long. 

“Well, when she hears about all our hard work… I’m sure she will,” Hera’s hand brushed over Jacen’s head, pulling the wool hat on his head askew. Final preparations were made to keep the flowers healthy and strong from the climate. Just as the sun began to crest the mountains, pink and golden light splashing across the grey landscape of the frozen lake. Before they could leave, the Rebels settled back in one last time, peering through dust covered windows at the haunting silhouette of the Countess of Krownest one last time. “Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum, Clan Wren.” Their Mando’a was rough and heavily accented, but the words seemed to release some of the weight on their shoulders, allowing them to return to their new war with a lighter conscience. 

#cc24wildflowers #Pathfinders #star wars #shin hati #sabine wren #ahsoka #ahsoka series #ezra bridger #Clan Wren #Hera Syndulla #Jacen Syndulla #star wars rebels #fanfiction

[floramama]

I’ve been researching and experimenting on polyculture gardening for a couple of seasons and I can see that it works very well! There are more pollinators and beneficial insects as well as birds in the garden now. It’s hard to see things change in one season, it takes time for living beings to adapt to your garden.

It’s a known fact that if you grow one kind of plant in neat rows, once pests will discover them there’s no chance that you’ll get rid of them (unless you use heavy chemical pesticides which are harmful for both humans and other living beings) .

But If you plant different kinds of companion plants together some of them will distract pests, some of them will attract predator insects and everyone will be happy!

We made a little video showing the different vegetables in one of our vegetable beds and I wrote down some explanation about each plant below. I hope you’ll find it helpful!

Avocado

Two avocado trees sprouted 2 years ago from vegetable scraps that I’ve buried in there and have been growing ever since. They endured frost, snow and heavy winds. There are two walls close to them which keeps them warm, and a very tall Himalayan Cedar tree on top of them that protects them from heavy rains and snow.

Mint

I planted mint to confuse pests with its smell and attract beneficial insects. It’s a wonderful hardy plant which has many culinary and medicinal uses. It just has to be kept in control, otherwise it will spread all over the bed. The best way to do it is to prune the spreading branches and air dry them for later culinary uses.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the stars of the summer vegetable garden! I love both growing and eating them!

I think of them as the main element of the garden bed and disperse the other plants around it.

Zucchini and Patty Pan Squash

I interplanted tomatoes with zucchini so they will shade the ground below, creating a living mulch. I used two varieties with the risk of being cross pollinated but so far so good!

Pumpkin

It makes a wonderful groundcover and provides amazing food for winter!

Fennel

Everyone says fennel stunts the growth of other vegetables around it, but I don’t think it’s true!

This one has been in the same spot for almost 3 years and tomatoes don’t seem to mind it!

Fennel is a perennial herb that I use fresh in salads, stir fries, pastas and so on! I also collect its seeds to use in herbal teas and savory cakes . The larvae of anise swallowtail butterfly feed on it and it’s an aphid trap!

Calendula

Ever since I first sowed calendula seeds in the garden they kept self seeding and flowering all year long! They are a good aphid trap , beneficial insect and pollinator attractor and they deter nematodes. In the beginning of spring they were about to take over the vegetable bed, so I pruned them heavily and lay them as mulch.They decomposed quickly, providing nutrients for the soil.

The flowers are medicinal, an infused oil made with them heals wounds, rashes and insect bites. I collect them all year long and dry them for later use.

Mallow

Mallow is a volunteer in the garden bed. It attracts pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies. It’s perennial and has beautiful flowers. Both flowers and leaves are highly medicinal, used in many different cultures for healing wounds, toothaches, joint pains and so on. It’s a hardy plant with edible leaves that are similar to spinach in taste.

Marigold

The most well known and used companion plant for tomatoes is marigold. It’s easy to grow and has beautiful flowers that attract beneficial insects such as hoverflies, ladybugs, lacewings and parasitic wasps. Where ever I planted a tomato, I planted a marigold.

Oh it’s also a dye plant that gives yellow color!

Sunchokes

On the outer edge of the bed I planted sunchokes. They grow tall and create a living fence. I had five kittens last year and I had to discourage them from using my veggie bed as toilet! So I went out and got a kilo of them from the farmer’s market and planted them in last year’s spring. They grew very tall and made the living fence that I imagined!

We harvested lots of them in October through December and left some in the ground for this year. They all sprouted towards the end of May. In fact too many of them sprouted, so I thinned them by moving them to the empty spots in the garden (you can read about it here ) .

Borage

I read about borage and its benefits so much that this year I decided to plant some! The seeds sprout easily in early spring but slugs love them and it’s a little hard to protect them . One day the seedlings are great with large leaves, next day they’re totally eaten! From the 5-6 seedlings only 3 remained and they’re flowering now!

It attracts pollinators, deters pests and adds trace minerals to the soil plus the leaves and flowers are edible!   I’m hoping for it to self seed and remain in the garden forever!

Cucumber

As the sunchokes grow very tall, I planted cucumbers next to them so they can climb on it.

Beans

They provide nitrogen to the soil, so I planted climbing ones next to sunchokes and some bush types next to tomatoes.

Basil

Even though they are not seen on the video, I planted red and regular basil in the empty spots next to tomatoes. They deter pests with their smell and I heard that they make tomatoes taste better! I also like them a lot in salads and  pasta sauces. Such a fresh taste!

Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

It’s a hardy perennial herb that attracts beneficial insects. Its tiny flowers attracts all kinds of bees.It self seeds and you can remove the seedlings to next to fruit trees or other empty spots in the garden.

We add it to our herbal tea blends all year long. It aids digestion, is mildly sedative and tastes great!  As with cats…some love them and some ignore them. Only 2 out of 5 kittens in our garden liked it.

 I’ll be posting new blog post at www.mandalinarossa.com  

#permaculture #permakültür #permaculture gardening #sustainable living #organic gardening #Growing Vegetables #summer garden #growing #sürdürülebilir yaşam #polyculture #polyculture garden

[taimio]

Effective Pest Control Strategies for Novice Gardeners

Ready to tackle pest management in your blooming garden? For new gardeners, pest management can be a daunting task, yet it's essential for maintaining a healthy, thriving garden. This beginner's guide to pest management walks you through the process of effectively getting rid of unwanted guests from your garden without damaging your precious plants. Unearth practical tips and organic solutions, that are not only environment-friendly but also cost-effective. Ditch the frustrations of pests ruining your labor of love, and let your garden flourish in its full glory. So, prepare to regain control of your beautiful green space and ensure its full potential with our comprehensive pest management guide designed for new gardeners like you. Continue on reading to equip yourself with essential knowledge and start embracing effective pest management today.

Pest Management for New Gardeners

Introduction

Gardening is an enchanting journey, but as a new gardener, you'll quickly learn that pests can turn your green dreams into a nightmare. Fear not, for I have navigated these treacherous waters and emerged with battle-tested strategies to conquer those pesky invaders.

1. Identify the Enemy

The first step in effective pest management is to identify the intruders. Observe your plants closely, be it the tomato-devouring caterpillar or the aphid army feasting on your roses. Once you know your enemy, you're better equipped to combat them.

2. Embrace Nature's Allies

Why fight alone when Mother Nature has an army waiting to assist you? Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings to take up residence in your garden. They'll gladly feast on aphids and other small pests, keeping your plants safe and sound.

3. Wield Organic Weapons

When going to battle against garden pests, consider organic methods. Avoid the harsh chemicals that harm beneficial insects and potentially seep into your soil and crops. Instead, create your own arsenal of *safe, homemade remedies* like garlic spray or neem oil to repel invaders.

4. Practice Good Hygiene

Keep your garden clean and tidy to minimize pest problems. Regularly remove dead leaves, weeds, and debris that provide cozy hiding spots for pests. Believe me, a clean garden is a less inviting playground for unwanted guests.

5. Rotate Your Crops

Imagine this: pests eagerly awaiting the arrival of their favorite treat, only to be disappointed when you've changed the menu. Crop rotation is a simple but effective technique that keeps pests guessing while maintaining soil health.

6. Stay Vigilant

Pests can strike at any moment, so be watchful. Keep an eye out for early signs of infestation, such as chewed leaves or discolored plants. With a keen gaze and quick action, you can nip pest problems in the bud.

Remember, gardening is a labor of love, and pest management is an integral part of the process. Don't be discouraged when pests pay a visit—view it as an opportunity to learn, adapt, and become a wiser gardener.

Conclusion

Pest management is a delicate dance between you and nature's tiny foes. By identifying pests, welcoming beneficial insects, using organic methods, maintaining good hygiene, rotating crops, and staying vigilant, you'll be well on your way to a bountiful garden. So, put on your gardening gloves, grab your tools, and let us wage war against those pesky invaders together!

Read more about pest management strategies here. Learn more about gardening with Taim.io!

#Pest Management

[exterminatepestcontrol]

Ant Pest Control

What Attracts Ants and How Do I Get Rid of Them?

While ants are fascinating creatures that play an important ecological role through soil aeration and organic recycling, they are not something you want trudging through your home. The typical garden or black ant in Ireland lives in colonies dominated by the queen ant dedicated to egg production, which can live for up to thirty years.

As the weather starts to warm up in spring, the worker ants that make up the vast majority of the colony begin to forage for food. Initially just a few scouts will leave the nest on this errand, yet this is the starting point of potential problems with ants intruding into houses.

When ants forage for food nowhere is out of bounds in their quest. They will scavenge a wide range of foods, but have a particular liking for sugary substances. This is where the home becomes vulnerable, as anything from a small spillage of juice to a slice of cake left on the side will attract ants.

It does not take much sugar content to bring them in. While foraging, an ant also leaves a scent trail that not only helps them find their way back to the nest, but also helps other foragers follow the trail in the other direction. So the sight of a single ant in the house can be the prelude to many more visitors.

How do ants get into the home?

By the very nature of their size ants do not need much of a gap to be able to get into a house for food or just to shelter. Apart from if you have left the back door open, ants will get in through slight cracks in the foundation, gaps under the doors, or poorly sealed windows.

It is extremely difficult to keep ants out, but some general maintenance such as sealing cracks and crevices in doors and window frames at least reduces some of the entry points. The best way to keep them out though is to try to eliminate the causes that attract them in the first place.

What attracts ants inside the home?

When ants forage for food nowhere is out of bounds in their quest. They will scavenge a wide range of foods, but have a particular liking for sugary substances. This is where the home becomes vulnerable, as anything from a small spillage of juice to a slice of cake left on the side will attract ants.

It does not take much sugar content to bring them in. While foraging, an ant also leaves a scent trail that not only helps them find their way back to the nest, but also helps other foragers follow the trail in the other direction. So the sight of a single ant in the house can be the prelude to many more visitors.

Preventing an ant invasion

Preventative means are probably the best way to stop ants intruding into the home. Keeping a clean house, cleaning up any spills straight away, and cleaning down food preparation areas will help. Remove any rotten fruit or vegetables, and keep sugar based products such as jams and cakes out of reach in sealed containers. Natural products such as salt, turmeric powder or paprika sprinkled around known points of entry can deter ants.

Once the ants are inside, however, scooping them up and putting them out, or killing them on the spot, will unlikely put an end to more visitors coming due to the scent trails already laid. However you choose to remove the ants, the area where they have been will need to be cleaned thoroughly with a strong soap or window cleaner to remove the scent trail.

Household insecticides can be applied around the entry points, and also around the nest in the garden if located. Yet with the sheer quantity of ants and the low dosages of these insecticides this may well prove to be a short term solution. For serious ant problems, a professional pest controller should be used.

How to kill ants without poison 

Firstly, watch the ants and their movements, take note of their trails. This way you will be able to see the location in which they’re entering.

Avoid the urge to get rid of the ants you can see immediately because unfortunately, the queen will only produce more eggs – so your problem will keep returning.

Try using ‘ant bait’ and place this along the ant trail.

Stop cleaning the ant contaminated area for a period of time and use the food source that they’re finding their way to, to destroy them. This will lead them along the same trail and to the bait – so whilst the queen keeps producing more and more ants – they will all follow the same route and be effectively removed.

Once the ants have come to and from the ant bait contaminated with the insecticide, a high quantity of this will end back up in the nest and thus, destroy the entire nest. This process can take around a week but it is a very successful method.

Afterwards, clean up and seal any gaps around windows or doors. 

How to kill ants without Borax or other chemicals Or without harming pets:

Vinegar mixed with water: wipe your floors and surfaces with this solution and this should deter a colony of ants.

Boiling water: pouring boiling water into an ants nest.

Peppermint: wiping this around any entrances the ants use to get inside your home can put a stop to the problem.

Hire pest experts: if you’re unsure about getting rid of ants, you can always contact the professionals who will put a stop to your problem.

Pour cornmeal around the ant’s nest: the ants will eat this and perish when their stomachs expand. 

Grow fresh mint – ants will avoid your home and garden because they don’t like the smell of mint and this will go unnoticed by pets.

Exterminate.ie Pest Control Solutions 0852635994

#exterminate pest control #exterminate.ie #ants #pest control

[calliecrossroads]

How to clone cannabis

A cannabis clone is a cutting, such as a branch, that is cut off of a living marijuana plant, which will then grow into a plant itself. A clone has the same genetic makeup as the plant it was taken from, which is called the mother plant.

A typical clone is about 6 inches in length, give or take, and after cutting it off the mother plant, the clone is put into a medium such as a root cube and given a hormone to encourage root growth.

After roots develop, it is then transplanted into a pot or the ground, and it will grow like any weed plant. 

Why clone cannabis plants?

Growing weed from seeds can be complicated, and starting from clones can be a lot easier. Clones will save you time—they need time to root out, but you don’t have to germinate seeds, which will shave off a month or so of the growing process.

Clones will also save space in your garden. With seeds, you have to grow many out and sex them out to identify and get rid of the males. Also, usually some seeds don’t germinate. You’ll need extra space for all those seeds, and they might not even turn into full plants.

Taking a clone from a plant you already have is also free. You just need to invest in some supplies. Although, you can buy clones from a dispensary as well

One of the best things about clones is they are exact genetic replicas of the mother plant from which they were taken. If you have a particular marijuana plant you like, because of its appearance, smell, effects, or something else, you can take clones of it and grow it again and again.

There is some speculation that clones can degrade over time based on environment stressors and other factors, but that is open to debate.

What are cannabis clones?

Clones are just cuttings from established cannabis plants, which are called “mother plants." For beginners and experienced growers alike, growing from clones offers a variety of benefits. You have total control over the plant genetics you pick, and you don’t have to deal with the delicate seedling stage. In other words, it’s easier, faster, and more precise. Roll up your sleeves and let’s get started by taking your cuttings, rooting them, and finally transplanting your cannabis clones.

How to choose a mother plant to clone

As genetics are identical between a mother and a clone, it’s important to choose a good plant as a mother. A wilt plant, or one that doesn’t produce good buds, won’t make a good mother.

Growers usually look for these qualities in a mother plant:

Sturdy, vibrant growth

Great aromas and flavors

Big yields

Dense trichomes

Resistant to pests and mold

How to clone a cannabis plant

What do you need to clone cannabis?

Cloning cannabis is relatively easy and requires just a few key items:

Scissors (for taking cuttings off the mother plant)

Razor (for trimming up cuttings)

Rooting setup (tray/tray-cell insert/dome/root cubes/heat mat, or an auto-cloner)

Rooting hormone

Choose a rooting medium and setup

Common rooting mediums include rooting cubes, Rockwool, or other non-soil equivalents like peat or foam. Rockwool is melted rock that has been spun into a fine thread, and it has terrific airflow and moisture retention. You can find any of these cubes at most grow stores or online.

How to take a cutting from a cannabis plant

When selecting a mother plant to clone from, look for plants that are healthy, sturdy, and at least two months into the vegetative cycle. Don’t take a clone off a plant once it starts flowering.

It’s best to take cuttings off of mother plants that haven’t been fertilized for a few days. This will allow nitrogen to work its way out of the leaves. When you take cuttings, an excess of nitrogen in the leaves and stems will trick your clones into attempting to grow vegetation instead of diverting energy to rooting.

Be sure to work in a sterile environment. Use gloves and disinfect razors and scissors.

How to take a cutting:

Look for branches that are sturdy and healthy. You want at least two nodes on the final cutting, so pick a branch that is healthy and long enough. A sturdy clone will lead to a sturdy plant.

Cut the clone off the mother, cutting above the node on the mother plant. It’s OK to use scissors here; it may be hard to get a razor in the middle of the mother plant.

Then, using a razor, cut below the bottom node on the fresh cutting at a 45° angle to the branch. This will increase the surface area of the rooting surface, promoting faster growth.

Place your fresh cutting immediately into a rooting hormone. Then, put it directly into a root cube. If using an auto-cloner, put a collar around it and place it in the auto-cloner; you’ll put rooting hormone in the cloner after all cuttings have been taken.

Once done taking the cutting, remove unnecessary leaves toward the bottom and clip off the tips of the remaining fan leaves on the cutting. This supports photosynthesis, helping your clones uptake nutrients and water.

#cannabis clone #clone weed #marijuana clone #THC #CBD

[lipstickplantcare]

The LIPSTICK PLANT

Botanical Name- Aeschynanthus Radicans

COMMON LIPSTICK PLANT VARIETIES Red lipstick plant Black pagoda Curly leaf Mona Lisa Rasta

Plant Care for Lipstick Plant

LIGHT – For Lipstick Plant too much Direct sun light are harmful. can cause leaf scorach and leaf drop and Poor Flowering.

SOIL– Plat doesn’t require any special soil he will grow just in normal soil.

FERTILIZER– I Suggest Use some organic fertilizer rather then chemical once because they work better and there’s less of a chances of burning sensitive Plant

Common Lipstick Plant Pest

Aphids

Spider mites

Mealy Bugs

Control and Management Practice

Organic pest controls products work better get rid of house plant Pest.

Neem oil spraying are good Results

Some other Plant Problem

Plant Leaves Dropping

leave turn yellow

Flower Dropping

#https://urbanplants.co.in/

[throwing-roses-into-the-abyss]

I saw (part of) a video compilation of plant tiktok yesterday and I got annoyed so here are ACTUAL basic plant care tips & also some mythbusting:

-misting plants does absolutely nothing for increasing humidity, and can in fact be incredibly counterproductive since constantly wet leaves massively increases chances of pests & diseases like mold & gnats & lice. If you have a plant that does best in humidity, put it on a pebble tray with water or keep it in a terrarium of some sort. If you have a couple, group them closely together, since that will increase humidity too. (That said, most commonly available plants that like humidity will do fine without it too. They might not thrive as much, but most of them will be okay.)

-that said, do clean off leaves every now and then, and either rinsing them off in the shower/sink/bathtub or putting them out in the rain in summer (my preferred method) ocassionally does wonders for them. Plants need clean leaves for good photosynthesis, and rainwater has lots of good nutrition for them (plus it’s free water!). there’s some debate going in plant world right now about using wax shine and other products on leaves. I personally just grab either a damp cloth, some dry tissues, or a small paintbrush, depending on the plant and how much effort I want to put in that day.

-things you need as a beginner in my opinion:

a plant you like and that’s easy to take care of

a pot to put it in (get an inner pot with holes in the bottom for drainage, and an outer pot to catch the water that drains out)

a place to put it

(if you get a cactus or anything with spikes/poisonous juice: gardening gloves)

that’s it. I saw someone say you need ph-level kits and hygrometers and different kinds of soil and all kinds of products, and I seriously wonder if that person was sponsored or actually an employee at some company because that’s some bullshit right there. I do absolutely recommend researching plants before you go to the store, to make sure you’re getting one you can actually take care of in the long run, and also so you don’t get overwhelmed by all the choice. but you don’t need all kinds of fancy equipment unless you’re not a beginner and you’re maybe specializing or going pro in some way. Honestly, I don’t even have a proper watering can??? I use old drinking bottles that I stopped using because I didn’t like them lmao. I use 2, because I have 2, and now I can keep different fertilizers separate, but honestly if necessary you can even just pick up your plant and put it in the sink for a bit. we do that all the time in this household.

-before you bring a plant home, check it - IN the store - for visible pests/diseases. A lot of lice will be on the stems/on the bottom of leaves. don’t get that one. (I very often forget to do this, don’t be like me.). If you have the space, I recommend quarantining plants in a separate space for a week or two after you bought them, just to see if anything shows up you couldn’t see in the store. you’d be surprised at how often you accidentally bring home lice with your cool new plant.

-instead of getting a hygrometer, if you need to know if your plants need water, just stick a finger into the soil about one or two knuckles deep. is the soil dry? water it. is it a bit moist? wait with watering. tadaaaaa done. and for free!

-contrary to popular belief, cacti & succulents DO need water fairly regularly. aside from the part where there are succulents native to almost every environment on the planet, it does rain in deserts sometimes too. Don’t spray them with a mister, just put some water on the soil around them/on their roots. Mine get almost no water in winter because a lot of plants go into a dormant phase then, about once a month in spring, and weekly and sometimes more in summer. A lot of succulents will actually show when they need water, because they’ll get all wrinkly and thin and sad instead of full and plump. don’t overdo it, because they tend to be prone to rootrot, but definitely do give them water and even some fertilizer every now and then.

-speaking of dormant phases: a lot of plants go dormant in winter. look up if this is the case for your plant too, and adjust how you take care of it. some might look like they’re dead but come back in spring, some might need to be cut back a bit, some want less or even no water. depending on what kind of plant you got and where you live, you might also want to move your plant to a different spot temporarily (windowsills get much colder than the room, and cold climates can completely kill a tropical plant that was doing fine all summer)

-you WILL have to deal with pests & diseases and you WILL lose plants at some point. doesn’t matter how experienced you are, these things just happen. best to just accept it, you literally can’t save every plant, try as you might. learn to identify what’s going on quickly, and by all means experiment! but if it’s not going to work or your other plants (or you yourself) are in danger somehow: chuck it out. losing a plant doesn’t make you a bad plant parent, it just makes you a normal plant parent like the rest of us.

-EDIT BECAUSE I FORGOT: sometimes you will get a bit of fungus/mold on the top layer of the soil. this is generally fine and completely harmless, though maybe a sign you’re overwatering. if you want to get rid of it, try putting some cinnamon on the soil. it’s worked for me so far, though I won’t make any promises it works for everyone and every plant. (also, coffee grounds can help against lice, but I do recommend just leaving it in spoons or smth and putting those near/on the soil and not putting the grounds themselves directly on the soil. coffee is toxic to a lot of living things, including some plants.)

#plants #plant care #this is long sorry I got ranty flkhflkdsjflkd #the whole 'cacti & succulents don't need water' thing is a major pet peeve for me #they need good drainage yes #put them in a pot with holes in the bottom #and feel absolutely free to let the soil completely dry out in between waterings #but do water them!!!!!!!!!!! #anyway #this has been a psa #now back to watching the gay series of the moment #(I'm watching papa&daddy) #(its v v cute so far)

[fandomdumpsterfires]

Monstienapped - chapter 11

((Oh look i finally posted another chapter. Anyways, Heehoo bad guy pov time~))

Philip dove into the sea and clung tightly onto the tail of the mechanized lagiacrus, ratha following close behind, kyle and snapshot tried to follow but the fog eventually became so thick that the seregios got confused.

Ratha on the other hand was still hot on the leviathan's tail, lighting up the fog with balls of flame from his jaws, hovering in place when a large ship now stood before him. The rathalos snarled, looking frantically around in the water for any signs of his rider.

He looked up and flew higher, snarling when several enemy riders began to shout and panic, attempting to knock the rathalos out of the air with their monsties, but ratha was too fast and easily swirved around their attacks. He roared and was about to blast them with a burst of flame, but was instead struck with a blast of lightning, letting out a pained shriek before plummeting onto the ship's deck.

Menalger grinned, having quickly fixed his lagiacrus's reception crystal and was able to make it shoot ratha down. Zellard stood near him, glaring down as his rider grunts rushed to ratha and tied it up with chains.

The wyverian slowly walked down the steps and approached the half conscious rathalos, kneeling down infront of it "nice try, rathalos.." he grinned, ratha baring its fangs in a snarl, trying to wriggle free of its constraints to no avail.

Zellard chuckled, grabbing a loose chain as he stood up so he could drag the rathalos across the floor "i have plans for you and your power, so don't bother trying to escape." he dragged ratha cross the deck of the ship and down into the chamber that held all of the monsties, watching as a rider wearing silverwind nargacuga armor struggled to open the azure rathalos's cell with a quiet scowl.

Philip was so busy trying to pick the lock to razzar's cell, he didn't notice the shadowy figure creeping up behind him until they spoke "well well well...who do we have here, trying to soil my plans once again?"

Zellard watched as the rider jumped back in fear, grinning as this is the exact thing he wanted to see once he got revenge on philip for ruining his dream.

"Ratha!!" Philip cried out when the wyverian pulled forth the rathalos, zellard using no effort at all in dodging their attempted attack and breaking their shoulder from its socket.

A sharp quick pain surged through his shoulder blade before he could finish philip off, he reached behind himself and plucked out an arrow, then turned around to see an angry kyle with another arrow loaded and ready "Give. Him back. NOW!" They demanded.

"Dammit..." zellard muttered under his breath in frustration after watching the two riders escape on their azure rathalos, he was SO close to putting an end to his pests attempts in stopping his scemes of creating a better world, yet of course they had to escape...

Zellard huffed and looked down at ratha, who roared for its rider. Zellard growled and stomped on ratha's head to force their mouth closed "be quiet, lizard.." he hissed, ratha whimpering and struggling to fight back.

"You should've gotten your mechanized monsters to finish them off!" Zellard scolded menalger as they knelt down before him.

"Please sir, i did all that i could, give me another chance!" Menalger begged "you're out of second chances doctor, from now on, your mechanized monsters belong to me." Zellard snapped his fingers "guards, take him away!" Two riders rushed over and lifted menalger by the arms, the dorctor pleading to be let go, yet zellard did nothing except ignore him as he was dragged out of the chamber.

"Good ridance.." zellard huffed, having planned on getting rid of the scientist before once he had gotten enough monsties with the help of their machines anyways. He turned to ratha, who had been chained down to the floor. The rathalos shrieked and thrashed to break free from his containment, stopping as zellard drew near.

The cruel wyverian grinned as he looked down upon the rathalos, the monster that held the power of ruin once more in his grasp and his wish within reach.

"That rider has no idea how to use your power, it's quite pathetic. Having such a powerful force yet never bothering to use it, leaving it to rot away, it's such a waste.." zellard stared into ratha's hatred filled gaze, grinning wide "allow me to awaken it, so you may bring fourth the power of ruin and reawaken the cradle of destruction." He raised his arm, an orange crustal imbeded in his palm glowing vibrantly.

Ratha shrieked and once again began to struggle as the black whisps snaked towards it, the rathalos shrieking in pain as the membranes of its wings burned alight with purple fire, its eyes glowing with a crimson hue as the red and tan of its scales began to fade away and lose all saturation.

Zellard chuckled as he watched ratha's (painful) transformation. All the other monsties also reacted to the black whisps, trying all they could to quell the agony they felt as the energy of kinship they contained began to be sapped away by zellards evil kinship stone.

A pulse of dark energy burst out from the ship, ratha having broken free from its constraints and pounced on zellard, who looked at it with a twisted sense of admiration, the wyverian cackled "at long last..the power of the wings of ruin is mine to command once more!!!"

((*dies again*))

#mhs #mhs2 #monster hunter stories 2 #monster hunter stories #monster hunter stories: wings of ruin #oc: philip #zellard #ratha #razewing ratha #kyle mhs #monstienapped #get fucked evil scientist man. #the plot thickens~

[sageinthegarden]

A new snapshot from https://sagesacre.com/2021/03/12/garden-hack-the-easy-way-to-get-rid-of-small-trees/

Garden Hack: The easy way to get rid of small trees

Here’s an easy, no dig method for removing small trees from your garden

A rogue palm tree that needs removal

No matter where you live, you’ve undoubtedly run across a tree that “volunteered” itself to grow in an inconvenient location in your garden. While the species vary (here in the west it’s a combination of native oaks and willows and non-native eucalyptus, palms and pepper trees), the problem is the same — trees that easily seed just about anywhere.

A lot of times a new tree might be just fine (who doesn’t like a good, sturdy oak?), but other times they’re pests that lift sidewalks, invade sewer lines, crowd out other plants, and even create life threatening hazards (the eucalyptus is basically a roman candle in a wildfire).

If you catch a seedling early it’s easy enough to remove, but if you let it go a while that seedling becomes a sapling and it gets problematic. Chop it to the ground and it will regrow from side shoots that are even tougher than the original plant. Try and dig it out and you can end up trenching half your yard and still not get the whole root system — assuming digging is even an option. Volunteer trees have a tendency to grow along fences, cracks in hardscape, on steep slopes and other hard-to-reach places.

Fortunately, I’ve got a pretty cool garden hack that removes unwanted saplings completely and permanently without digging, chopping, using chemicals, hiring the kid next door, or any special equipment whatsoever — all features that make this solution a winner in this lazy (but inventive) yardsman’s book. Here’s how to do it:

What you need:

Basic supplies – an empty coffee can and some charcoal

Empty coffee can with both ends removed

Charcoal briquettes (enough to fill the coffee can)

A large clay pot, metal bucket/pan or similar fireproof container to transport hot coals

Garden shears, pruners, or small saw

Trowel or similar small shovel

A few rocks, pieces of broken pottery or similar fireproof material

Instructions

Remove all the branches and root suckers from the tree with your shears and /or saw. Then cut the trunk down to about 1 inch (2.5 CM) above the soil line.

Palm with the fronds removed

Using your trowel, make a shallow trench in the soil the size of your coffee can all the way around the trunk stump.

Place a few rocks or pieces of broken pottery in the trench around the stump. You don’t need a whole lot, just enough to keep the coffee can about ½-inch (1.25 cm) off the ground. Then place an open end of the coffee can on the rocks/pottery and center the tree stump in the opening. Make sure the can is balanced so it doesn’t tip and there’s plenty of air gap between the soil and the bottom of the can.

Coffee can over the palm’s trunk

Use your barbeque, a charcoal starter or something similar to get about a half a dozen pieces of charcoal burning. Once the coals are hot, transfer them to your clay pot / bucket or pan and take them over to your can and stump setup.

Dump the burning charcoal into the coffee can making sure the coals are spread evenly all the way around the stump. Let them sit for a few minutes to make sure they’re burning nice and hot. The air gap at the bottom of the can should act like a chimney, pulling air from below to keep the coals burning. Once you’re sure the coals are burning well, fill the can to the top with the remainder of your (non-burning) charcoal.

The coffee can loaded with hot coals

Now wait. Over the next several hours the charcoal will burn from the bottom up basically turning the stump itself into charcoal. The ash will settle over the stump and it will continue to smolder until there’s nothing left to burn. I generally like to wait 24 hours just to make sure that everything is completely cool.

Coals burned down to ash

Once it’s all finished and the can is cool to the touch, you can remove it. You can remove the ash pile and what remains of the stump too, or simply bury it in place like I do.

What remains of the palm tree 24 hours later

Tada! No more tree!

It really doesn’t get any simpler or easier than this. Next time you’ve got a tree you need to remove, try it out.

Watch the tree removal video

#charcoal #easy tree removal #garden #garden hack #hack #tree clearing #weed control

[floramama]

Making a Tree Guild

For the past year I've been working on turning our family house's lawn garden into a self sustained permaculture garden. The physical work and energy that goes into tending lawn is incredible. In addition it needs a lot of water to keep it green all the time!

It's hard work to get rid of lawn at once. So I started making circles around the fruit trees and planting perennials.

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Ağaç Birliği Oluşturmak

Bir seneye yakın bir süredir aile eviminizin çim bahçesini kendi kendine yeten bir permakültür bahçesine çevirmeye uğraşıyorum.

Çim bakımına harcanan fiziksel güç ve enerji inanılmaz dercede fazla! Üstüne üstlük çimi her daim yeşil tutmak için fazlasıyla su harcamak gerekiyor.

Çimden birdenbire kurtulmak çok zor olduğu için ben de meyve ağaçlarının etrafında günden güne genişleyen daireler açarak çok yıllık bitkiler ekmeye başladım.

1.COMFREY // Karakafes Otu

I heard about the benefits of comfrey a lot while reading about permaculture,but there was no way I can find it here. While I was walking around I found a native comfrey which is Symphytum orientalis. The only difference from the officinale one is that this one has white flowers and has no medicinal uses. I uprooted a couple of them from the sidewalk and planted them around the trees. Now and then I tear the leaves to make a mulch full of minerals. Also when they flower in April bees love them!

////

Karakafes otunun faydalarını permakültür kitaplarında çokça kez okumuştum.Ama bizim buralarda onu bulmak oldukça zordu.Gelin görün ki çevrede yürüyüş yaparken yol kenarında yerel bir karakafes otu gördüm (symphytum orientale). Officinale'den yani kitaplarda bahsedilenden tek farkı çiçeklerinin beyaz olması ve herhangi bir tıbbi kullanımının olmaması. Hemen kaldırım kenarından bir iki tanesini söktüm ve ağaçların etrafına diktim. Arada bir yapraklarını kopartıp, mineral dolu bir malç olarak toprağın üzerine bırakıyorum. Bir de Nisan'da çiçek açtıklarında arılar coşuyor!

2. ARTICHOKE // ENGİNAR

While I was living in Ayvalık right across Mitilini, I got very familiar with artichokes as they're being grown so much around the area. They are a living mulch with their large leaves that keep the soil moist and a wonderfully beneficial vegetable. They give out suckers (in Turkish they're called bastards) which can be planted elsewhere in the garden.Once you have 1 plant you can have many more!

///

Ayvalık'ta yaşarken enginarı bitki olarak tanıma fırsatım olmuştu. Her bahçede mutlaka birkaç tane olurdu. Enginar kocaman yapraklarıyla toprağı nemli tutar, kuruyan yapraklarından malç yapılır, hem toprağa hem de insana faydalı güzel mi güzel bir bitki! Bir de yanlarından çıkan sürgünler (piç deriz biz) sökülüp bahçenin başka yerlerine ekilebilir. Yani, eve geldim bir tane , bahçeye ektim bin tane diyebiliriz!

3.DAFFODILS // NERGİS

Daffodils are flowers that are grown from bulbs. They hold moisture and prevent nutrients from washing away with rains .I found some bulbs online, but it took nearly a month for it to get here because of covid-19. But they were still in shape and I planted them right away in February. It took a little while to see the shoots and I had to protect them from our jumping kittens but they made it through and bloomed so wonderfully! They cheered up me and the bees in the gloomy cold days.

////////////////////////////////

Nergisler soğanlı bitki türlerindendir. Topraktaki nemi tutar ve besinlerin yağmurlarla topraktan akmasını önlerler. Nergis soğanlarını internetten ısmarlamıştım ama covid'den dolayı gelmesi 1 ayı buldu.Neyse ki hala ekilebilir durumdaydılar ve Şubat'ta soğanları kayısı ağacının etrafına ektim. İlk sürgünlerin çıkması biraz uzun sürdü ve onları hoplayıp zıplayan yavru kedilerimizden korumak için çeşitli numaralar bulmam gerekti ama sonunda çiçekler açtı! Karanlık soğuk Mart günlerinde çiçekler beni ve arıları çok mutlu ettiler!

4.CALENDULA // AYNISEFA

Another of my favorite plants!( I have a litttle blog post dedicated to its benefits,you can read it here) . It attracts beneficial insects and deters pests. It's a self seeding plant and new seedlings come up all the time.So I just move the seedlings wherever I want. The best part is that they bloom nearly all year long!

///////

En sevdiğim bitkilerden bir tanesi! Kendisinden burada bahsetmiştim. Yararlı böcekleri kendine çekip zararlıları uzaklaştıran bir çiçek. Aynısefa kendi kendini tohumladığı için devamlı etrafta yeni filizler çıkıyor, ben de onları bahçenin muhtelif yerlerine taşıyıp dikiyorum. İşin en güzel tarafı da neredeyse senenin tamamında çiçek açması!

5.WILDFLOWERS // YABANİ ÇİÇEKLER

Once I cultivated the soil underneath the trees, all kinds of native flowers came up. They're bees’ favorites, add color and joy to otherwise boring lawn, some of them are ground covers that spread prolifically and they need no special attention: they can take care of themselves!

///////

Ağaçların etrrafındaki çimi kaldırdığım ve toprağı çapaladığım için birer birer yerel çiçekler ortaya çıktı. Arılar bu işe çok sevindi! Çim varken monoton görünen bahçeye renk ve neşe geldi. Çiçeklerden bazıları yer örtücüler, yayıldıkça yayılıyorlar (çim alanını azaltmak için ideal bir özellik) ve kendi kendilerine yetip özel bir ilgiye ihtiyaç duymuyorlar!

Lamium Purpureum (dead nettle) // Ballıbaba

Dead nettle was the star of the wildflowers! It was everywhere and I was so joyful to see all kinds of bees -especially bumblebees- buzzing around in cold March days. It's an edible plant with lots of healing properties.

///

Işte bahçedeki yabani çiçeklerin yıldızı ballıbaba! Bir anda heryerde çıktı,büyüdü ve çiçek açtı! Çeşit çeşit arıları vızır vızır çiçeklerinde gezinirken görmek soğuk Mart günlerinde neşeme neşe kattı! Ballıbaba yenebilir bir bitki ve saymakla bitmeyen tıbbi özellikleri var.

Cardamine hirsuta (Bittercress) // Acıtere

With its curly little leaves and tiny white flowers it was growing all around! It's edible and very pretty. It has a funny way of dispersing its seeds. Once the seedpods are dry, as soon as you touch them the seeds fly all over the place! At first I thought they were tiny little insects that were jumping around,but no! They were the jumping seeds!

///////

Acıtere kıvır kıvır yaprakları ve minik beyaz çiçekleriyle bahçenin her yanında belirdi! Yenebilir yaprakları olan şirin bir bitki. Tohumlarını çok komik bir yolla saçıyor. Tohum keseleri kuruyup iyice olgunlaştığında, dokunur dokunmaz tohumlar dört bir yana uçmaya başlıyor! İlk başta ne olduğunu anlamadım ,acaba ufak böcekler mi zıplıyor dedim ama hayır! Zıplayan tohumlardı bunlar! Böylelikle bahçedeki yerini garantiye almış oldu acıterecik.

Veronica persica (speedwell) // Mavişotu, cırcamuk

It almost took over the lawn.It's a creeping plant,a great ground cover and has tiny blue flowers which bees love! I just learned from juliasedibleweeds.com that Gypsies use this plant as a blood purifier. It also heals eyesores,removes excess mucus,soothes internal tissues,treats asthma,coughs..wow!

//////

Bu bitki neredeyse çimi ele geçirdi. Yayılıcı, minik mavi çiçekleri olan güzel bir bitki. Çiçekleri çok küçük olmasına rağmen arılar onu çok seviyor. Bu blog'tan öğrendiğime göre çingeneler mavişotunu kan temizleyici olarak kullanıyorlarmış.Üstelik göz enfeksiyonlarına iyi gelmesinin yanı sıra balgam söktürücü, doku iyileştirici, astımı ve öksürükleri dindirici etkileri varmış...vay be!

St.John's Wort (hypericum perforatum ) // Sarı Kantaron

I see it here and there and I keep it in protection. It's one of my favorite plants! I use its flowers for making an infused oil that I use for making salves. It heals burns and scrapes with incredible speed,like magic! Also an infused tea made of its flowers is an anti-depressant.It cheers you up without even noticing it!

When it's not flowering it develops roots and gives out shoots all round, which makes it a great ground cover.

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Bahçenin orasında burasında sarı kantaron bitkisini görüyorum ve hemen koruma altına alıyorum. En sevdiğim bitkilerden birisidir kendisi! Çiçeklerini zeytinyağında bekletip, o yağdan merhem yapıyorum.Yanıkları,kesikleri inanılmaz,sihirli bir hızla iyileştiriyor! Çiçeklerinden demlenen çay da depresyona çok iyi geliyor.Farkına bile varmadan bir bakmışsınız ki yerinizde dans etmeye başlamışsınız!

Bu bitki çiçek açmadığı zaman gücünü köklerine ve etrafa yayılmaya veriyor, bu da çim alanını azaltmak için güzel bir özellik.

Muscari armeniacum (grape hyacinth) // Arap sümbülü

In winter I noticed dark green allium like shoots coming up around the borders of the garden and I let them grow to see what will come out of them. At the end of March small flowers came up and there it was: grape hyacinth! It's such a delicate flower and YES it was also a native plant!

It's wonderful to see how many beautiful and beneficial plants lay underneath the boring lawn!

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Kışın bahçenin kenar kısımlarında çıkan,koyu yeşil soğansı filizler dikkatimi çekti.Bıraktım büyüsünler ki çiçek açınca ne olduklarını anlayayım. Mart sonunda minik mor çiçekleri açtı ve anladım ki bu arap sümbülüymüş! O kadar kibar bir bitki ki...ve EVET o da yerel bir tür!

Çimin altında yatan onlarca güzel ve yararlı bitkiyle karşılaşmak harika bir his!

#permaculture #permaculturegarden #sustainable #sustainable living #perennial plants #artichoke #comfrey #daffodils #garden #sustainable gardening #tree guild #lamium purpureum #bittercress #weeds #medicinal herbs #groundcover plants #st john's wort #hypericum perforatum #veronica persica #growing #plants #Symphytum orientale #permakültür #sürdürülebilir bahçe #sürdürülebilirlik #ağaç birliği #tıbbi bitkiler #yabani bitkiler #permakültür bahçesi #ağaç birlikteliği

[growingsucculents]

Hi, are you good with plants..or avocado plants. My keeps getting these white fly carves in the bottom of them pot. I managed to get rid of them once with drying out the soil and i kept chasing the pot a few times a day to wash out the carves. But now i see they are back, because I just watered it. I dont know what to do. I debate that i should just throw it out, but i dont want that. That was my first avocado three. any tips on how i can save it?

They say i’m good with plants 👀 never grew an avocado plant but that doesn’t really matter! You can remove most pests on plants by using a mixture of dish doap and water and then spraying the plant + repeat a few days until all insects are gone. Also if you have a spray bottle you can turn the cap and adjust pressure and they’ll die simply bcs of the pressure of the water blasting against them 😬.

#ask #about plant problems #pests

[beloved-31-proverbs-women]

Recently, I began prepping our garden area to transfer our indoor plants to the outside garden bed. While tending to our plants, turning over the dirt, getting the soil prepped and ready, removing weeds, rocks, and bad roots, I began to see wonder in it all. As we tend to our garden soil, our Father in Heaven tends to the soil of our hearts. He sifts through the soil in order to remove the pests we do not see. He tills the dirt over to bring to the surface unwanted seeds (thoughts, attitudes, sin, etc) in order to expose them to the light and get rid of them so that space can be made for what actually belongs. Consider this: If our Maker doesn't tend to the unwanted roots and the pests in our soil, how, then, can we grow? How can we thrive? Yes, it hurts when He removes people from our lives. It’s painful when He turns the dirt over and brings to the surface what you once hid and ignored. It’s ugly and hard having to face the unwanted pests lingering around the roots. But sister, this is how it begins and must begin! You can’t grow anything by simply throwing seeds on the surface of the dirt. It needs to be turned over with the removal of rocks, bugs, dead roots, etc. The work must be done. God is the great Gardener. He prunes all He needs in order to refine us and fill our hearts with what matters. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2, ESV). When God tends to your soil and it’s in a way you are not wanting to face, know this: He isn’t doing it to be a mean Father. He is far from that. He is doing it to make you more like Him. He is doing it because He loves you! Sister, I urge you to make room for the roots that matter; the roots that are holy, healthy, and lasting; the roots that are the very foundation we need. Next time you feel Him pressing in you, press back in. He is with you all the way. Amen 🙏🏼

[gardening0]

Growing Larkspur Flower-How to Grow and Care for Larkspur, growing conditions & Popular Larkspur Types.

Larkspur Flower- Delphinium is a genus of about 300 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus.

If you’ve tried to grow delphiniums without success, you might want to try larkspur flowers instead. All members of the genus Delphinium are toxic to humans and livestock. The common name larkspur is shared between perennial Delphinium species and annual species of the genus Consolida

This plant is the member of the Delphinium family and is available in more than 60 varieties. Its varieties range in height from one to seven feet. The best part about these plants is that its flowers bloom in the early spring while various flowers are weeks away.

Growing larkspur flowers (Consolida sp.) provides tall, early season color in the spring landscape. Once you learn how to grow larkspur, you will likely include them in the garden year after year.

Larkspur is a classic cottage garden staple that produces great cut flowers. With airy stalks of blue blossoms, this plant adds a gracefulness to any garden and looks good in masses or mixed with other perennials and annuals.

Larkspur vs. Delphinium :

A very close relative of larkspur, delphinium looks almost identical in many aspects, but a few differences set these two plants apart. Delphinium tends to be a perennial species, whereas larkspur is an annual. Foliage of larkspur is finer textured than delphinium. When it comes to blooms, delphinium flowers are densely born on spikes while individual blossoms tend to be much larger than larkspur. With those few exceptions, general plant care and maintenance is basically the same.

How to grow Larkspur Flower : 

Most annual larkspur plants are grown from seeds, though planting larkspur seeds can be challenging. When planting larkspur seeds, they must have a cold period before germination. larkspur can thrive in a wide soil pH range, but anything between 5.7 and 7.0 is ideal. These plants aren’t fussy, but they prefer moderately rich, moderately loose, well-draining soil.

Unlike their delphinium cousins, larkspur are hardy plants that don’t need heavy staking from the beginning. They’re actually pretty easy to care for after they’ve sprouted and grown a few true leaves.

The seeds will not germinate in temperatures that go above 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  Darkness is required for germination. Seeds do not germinate well when soil temperatures are above 55°F (13°C). Does best where summers are cool.

They’re actually pretty easy to care for after they’ve sprouted and grown a few true leaves.If you do find that the stalks need support, drive a wooden stake down into the soil three inches behind the flower stalk and affix the stalk to the stake with a piece of stretch tie.

Optimal growing conditions for Larkspur Flower :

They can tolerate most soils, but if you want the best results, go for light, well-draining soil. If your area has heavy soils, you can amend them with compost or manure. Larkspur plants grow well in full sun, as long as the soil is slightly moist. They need less moisture than delphiniums, but they don’t bloom well in hot and dry conditions.

Water your plant in the summer if rainfall is under 1 inch per week.If you want to mix and match a few flowers in your garden, you can plant larkspur with other native and cottage flowers. Why not add a few coreopsis, daisies, lavender, black-eyed Susans, or coneflowers?

Top 10 Popular Larkspur Types-

·         Black Knight Larkspur (Delphinium 'Black Knight')

·         Galahad Larkspur (Delphinium 'Galahad')

·         Astolat Larkspur (Delphinium Astolat Group)

·         Guardian Lavender Larkspur (Delphinium elatum 'Guardian Lavender')

·         Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne)

·         Blue Mirror Larkspur (Delphinium 'Blue Mirror')

·         Cassius Larkspur (Delphinium 'Cassius')

·         Summer Skies Larkspur (Delphinium 'Summer Skies')

·         Golden Larkspur (Delphinium luteum)

·         Red Lark Larkspur (Delphinium 'Red Lark')

Insects and Diseases that affect Delphinium Flowers :

Larkspurs are prone to fungal diseases most notably Sclerotium rot which yellows leaves and wilts plant. It is also affected by mildew. Diseased plants should be removed immediately in order to avoid the disease from spreading.

Insects hardly affect Larkspur. Organic or chemical insect repellents have proved to be highly effective against most pests.

Managing Pests And Disease : 

Unlike its cousin, delphinium, larkspur are reliably pest and disease resistant. As far as pests go, your biggest foes will be aphids and slugs.

If you see clusters of aphids sucking the life from your Consolida buds or stalks, spray them with a neem oil-based insecticide, like this one from Arbico Organics.

The next day, spray the carcasses off with a blast of water from the hose. Reapply the neem oil every few days, or anytime you see a sign of a living aphid.

Slugs and snails chew holes in the leaves but generally leave flowers alone.

To get rid of the squishy pests, spread Sluggo Maxx, available from Arbico Organics, around the plants. I love this stuff because it’s safe to use around pets.

Learn more about managing slugs and snails in this guide.

All parts of Consolida plants are toxic to humans and animals alike when ingested, so deer, rabbits, moose, and other critters avoid them.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest or a similarly rainy clime, watch out for various fungal diseases that can develop, like powdery mildew, root rot, and crown rot.

Powdery mildew leaves white moldy spots all over the leaves.

To treat an infection, spray the plant with a copper fungicide product, like this one from Arbico Organics.

Uses : 

The juice of the flowers, particularly D. consolida, mixed with alum, gives a blue ink. All plant parts are poisonous in large doses, especially the seeds, that contain up to 1.4% of alkaloids.

Toxicity of Larkspur Flower : 

All parts of these plants are considered toxic to humans, especially the younger parts, causing severe digestive discomfort if ingested, and skin irritation. Larkspur, especially tall larkspur, is a significant cause of cattle poisoning on rangelands in the western United States. Larkspur is more common in high-elevation areas, and many ranchers delay moving cattle onto such ranges until late summer when the toxicity of the plants is reduced. Death is through cardiotoxic and neuromuscular blocking effects, and can occur within a few hours of ingestion. All parts of the plant contain various diterpenoid alkaloids, typified by methyllycaconitine, and are very poisonous.

#Larkspur Flower #How to Grow Larkspur Flower #growing conditions Larkspur Flower

[clansayeed]

Bound by Destiny ― Chapter 20: The Revelations

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny ⥽

Nadya Al Jamil (MC) has been struggling from the day she moved to Manhattan, but her new job as assistant to the mysterious CEO of Raines Corp was supposed to turn her luck around. Until she finds herself caught in the middle of a war involving the Council of Vampires who secretly run the city. An evil from the birth of Vampire-kind stirs beneath, feeding on the conflict, and finds Nadya bound to a destiny she never asked for.

Bound by Destiny and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing dramatic retelling project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off, Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

*Let me know if you would like to be added to the Destiny tag list!

⥼ Chapter Summary ⥽

The danger is far from over. Tired of laying low Nadya and the others go on the offensive. Nadya, Adrian, and Kamilah go to the Musea Sanguis to confront the Trinity about the trial.

[READ IT ON AO3]

Adrian wants to be the one to take the risk but Kamilah forbids it. And when he goes to do it behind her back anyway she gets to it first.

“I wish you would just trust me sometimes, Kamilah. I know which members of my Clan will keep my secret.”

“It was a greater risk on your part. It’s done — leave it at that.”

The old phone vibrates in her hand. She glances at the first and only message it will ever receive before making quick work of snapping the SIM and tossing the battery and mobile in two different ponds.

“There’s a shred of luck in our favor,” she starts a brisk pace down the park path — doesn’t wait for Adrian and Nadya to catch up, “as they’re still in town.”

“Good — we can grab a taxi to their hotel. I don’t think we have to worry about one driver.”

“They aren’t at their hotel, Adrian. They’re at the Musea.”

Adrian mutters something under his breath Nadya can’t quite catch. But from context whatever it is it’s not a good thing. “So much for luck.”

“I’m inclined to agree. Despite his position in my Clan I’ve never found Jameson to be the most loyal.”

“He’s a good man, Kamilah. Maybe we can convince him that we’re only seeking justice.”

“I… I’m unsure of how he’ll respond.”

“Any chance we won’t run into him?”

“About as much chance as we would in the sunlight.”

The Musea Sanguis is a historian’s heaven and hell. Filled to the brim with artifacts and accounts from every period and civilization collected in one place not only for their study but also for their safekeeping. But unlike every other collection that would boast the same claims the one at the Musea is special in that it holds the mystical ‘truth’ everyone searches for.

Werewolf packs roaming the New World before Columbus ever stepped on her soil. Witches sealing deals with Marc Antony and Cleopatra. Vampire soldiers in every war and on every side. The Musea Sanguis told the tales forgotten and erased in the name of preserving the shadows and their secrets.

A necessary evil.

“So why would the Trinity come here now?”

Kamilah doesn’t answer; fixates on finding something hidden — a panel made to look like the white outer brickwork that slides aside to reveal a keypad.

Adrian shrugs. “Probably nostalgia; since the Ball brought them out of hiding. They’ve contributed to the Musea for centuries.”

“Wait — that doesn’t make sense.”

“The Musea is wherever the collection goes. New York is just its most recent home.”

Musea or not — Nadya had no idea she’d be able to cross ‘Break into a Secret Museum Within the Met’ off her bucket list. She’d have to add it first.

Kamilah punches in the final digit in a sequence and the maintenance door unlocks with a thunk of metal. The part of Nadya that was forced to endure the Heist of Monaco miniseries with Lily for thirteen hours straight knows this is too easy. Waits for something to jump out of the blackness when Kamilah opens the door and ushers them inside.

Or maybe life just isn’t a television minidrama.

The door closes behind them and darkness swallows them whole.

It’s beautiful, magnificent — ancient too but there are so many words she could use and Nadya quickly gives up trying to find them all because she’d need to go to another part of the gallery for a dictionary.

The temptation to stop and bask in the wonder of strange objects in glass cases is hard to ignore. Then she sees Adrian five steps ahead and rushes to catch up to his and Kamilah’s long strides.

There’ll be time to look at everything later. When everyone is safe.

“I can feel them,” Kamilah hisses; jerks her head towards an archway at the end of a turn, “quickly.”

The arch is rough and worn sandstone — as much an exhibit as anything under a podium or on a shelf. The exhibit’s wallpaper peels away from it; recoils from history it knows it ought not touch. If once there were engravings in the carved sides they’ve since faded with time.

Nadya lets herself indulge — brushes her fingertips along the porous surface as they pass.

“Peculiar, in fact, that as I stand before you and confess my intentions to rid myself of the pest Hydarnes, that a more loyal soldier would attempt to run me through for my wicked tongue. Yet there you stand; immobile.”

“Not immobile — Immortal. I know my place.”

“Ah, but that is the great lie. So called ‘Immortals’ walking among men… yet a blade would fell you as easily as it would a commoner.”

“Then you underestimate me, Augustine.”

“Perhaps I do, Valdemaras… Perhaps I do…”

“Nadya?”

She’s in two places at once. There’s the world in front of her; the stone pressing into her nails and feet rooted to the floor and Adrian and Kamilah turned back towards her with matching looks of confusion and worry.

Then there’s the archway; cut in sharp definition and painted vibrant to match the late King Cyrus’ famed conquests and with a familiar face glaring at her from across the room that both is and isn’t there.

She blinks rapidly — takes the choice away from her mind in where it wants to reside and forces it to focus on the here and now. To Adrian who is stopped before he can advance on her.

He looks down to Kamilah’s hand — confused.

“Let it be.” She doesn’t give him the chance to speak. But the look she gives Nadya is a knowing one. And isn’t that a big relief.

Kamilah releases him, gestures ahead. “They’re in the atrium beyond. Scout to see if Jameson is near. We won’t have long.”

Even when Nadya puts on her best ‘I’m not having strange visions I can’t explain and everything is fine’ face he doesn’t buy it.

“Are you…?”

“I’m okay. I promise.” Squeezing his hand. “Go.”

When he’s three bookshelves away Nadya goes to speak — finds herself silenced by Kamilah’s finger over her lips. They watch Adrian pass three more shelves and round a corner.

“What did you see?”

But it’s already fading — another in a long list of forgotten dreams. “It’s hazy…”

“Try Nadya, please.” And she doesn’t like the insistence in Kamilah’s voice only because it’s heartbreaking and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. “Breathe deep and try.”

She breathes. Breathes again, deep this time. Feels the gritty sand from the arch under her nails.

“It was… it was Valdas — or… his other name.”

“Valdemaras?”

Nadya nods. “Mm. Something about… I think I was him, again. I didn’t see him. Me. My face.”

But putting it into words is like painting without paint; or a brush or a canvas. She can mimic the motions and mouth words soundlessly but nothing is right.

“Come on. Adrian needs us.” She knows Kamilah and knows Kamilah won’t let it go. So she pushes the issue aside by evading the hand that moves her way and practically sprints to join Adrian around the corner. Leaves Kamilah behind only because looking back at her face is too much pain for her to focus on just then.

She comes to an abrupt stop when she turns and collides straight into Adrian’s back.

“Ow!” He doesn’t budge. More throbbing pain for her — hooray.

When the ringing in her ears stops Nadya catches a honey-sweet voice in laughter. It echoes off the domed ceiling and travels around the room like a malevolent breeze.

“There she is. Where Adrian Raines goes one can be sure his human toy follows close behind. But she isn’t all there is, is she? No… I can feel a familiar one close. Kamilah — surely you aren’t so naive as to try hiding. You’re better than that… or maybe you aren’t.”

But Kamilah isn’t hiding. She comes up right behind Nadya and coaxes Adrian forward with a hand at his back.

Isseya’s laughter continues from where she lounges on an old velveteen chaise; one of many such places to sit scattered around the vast and sparsely-filled room.

In fact as Nadya looks around there’s nothing to take up the decorative marble floor at all. The attraction lies instead in a dozen paintings hung on the walls. Each given a wide berth from the other.

Even with her glasses she can’t see the details of some at the far end of the gallery — but she doesn’t have to see them. She can hear them just fine.

Hear their voices, whispers, screams and cries of lust and loss rise and fall in tides. Hear to her left the clatter of steel and whinnying cry of warhorses as their hoofs pound a skull to dust. Hear to her right the rustle of thick curtained veils and the damp squelching of a dagger in the back.

Just as Kamilah comes beside her Nadya’s legs give way — stopped from collapsing to the ground only by the grace of Kamilah’s supernatural speed.

She claps her hands over her ears and opens her mouth in a silent scream. Feels tears sting her eyes and Adrian’s hands join in holding her up.

Their mouths are moving; her protectors trying in vain to find the source of her agony. She can’t hear a word over them.

“It seems you were right again, my love.”

Like someone’s found the dial in her mind the voices and their noises dim until they’re dull and in the background; a movie on in another room.

With bleary tear-filled vision Nadya looks up, up — focuses on the figure with his back turned to them. His attention unable to be ripped away from the painting as tall as he and a head more.

“How much did we bet?” asks Valdas in a calm echo. He turns and begins a leisurely stroll towards Isseya’s seat.

“Thirty-seven.”

“Shame — but I knew I couldn’t be wrong. I’ll be benevolent this time; you can pick my prizes when we return home.”

It takes everything inside her, which isn’t much left at this point, but Nadya musters up enough of her own voice to speak.

“Wh—What’s… hap-peni—ing… to m-mme…?”

The god-like vampire gives them a fanged grin. Isn’t fazed by anything so weak and unimportant as the snarls Kamilah and Adrian throw his way.

“Something wonderful.”

There’s a change in Adrian — she feels it first, is too slow to react — watches him rush the Trinity in a blur. “Whatever you’re doing to her, st—”

Valdas throws Adrian across the room effortlessly; waves his hand as if swatting a fly.

The younger vampire’s body collides into a stone pillar with a crunch. He falls to the ground limp but conscious. Struggles to stand.

“Adrian stop.” A shudder overtakes her as the voices crescendo again but Kamilah’s ready this time; holds her tight. “We did not come here to fight you, Domine. This is needless torture!”

Isseya snarls. “Is that sympathy, Kamilah? From you of all vampires? It’s disgusting.”

“She is an innocent.”

“She is beloved by that cur,” Isseya throws a gesture as Adrian struggles to stand, “and nothing he does is innocent.”

Her words fall flat as her lover rests his hand on her shoulder. “Isseya — calm yourself. Look in her eyes. She doesn’t know what she holds in her grasp.”

In silence something dawns on the wicked woman’s face — it falls into pity and scorn. “That’s her own fault.”

“I don’t disagree.”

Enough. It’s too much. Make it stop! “Make it-t stop, Kamilah, please…”

“Valdas!”

Whether he’s hesitating because he relishes her pain or because the idea of doing anything for Kamilah disgusts him — it doesn’t matter. Every passing second the voices and sounds clash and collide together and scalding pain stings at her temples.

Then a blink. That’s all it takes for the ancient vampire to cross the room and cup her cheeks in his large palms. She remembers now; recognizes the same face from the backs of her eyelids through the archway. The same features unchanged but now hardened by eternity.

“No!” Adrian cries. Nearly collapses in his haste to separate them but Isseya yanks him back by the throat with an almost feral grin. “Let go of — get away from her! Kamilah! Kamilah do something!”

She does. Looks into Valdas’ red eyes and sees something there Nadya can’t understand.

She doesn’t pull Nadya away from his grasp. Lets it be.

“Kamilah!”

“Trust me, Adrian, please!” And she asks the same thing of Nadya in silence.

Trust me. Please, trust me.

She does. Even when it feels like the noises around her are splitting her skull into fragments she does. When Valdas places two fingers on each temple she does.

There’s a vaguely familiar tugging in her gut — then nothing at all. No noise, no pain, no air on her face or sweat on her brow. There is blackness and a void and the feeling of blood pounding in her temples and roots growing out from the tips of her fingers and toes…

… then it’s gone.

Valdas stays close — she can smell the spice of his clothes. And something deeper than that… two thousand sheer veils hovering between them that she can brush away with a mere thought.

She can see the hall with her eyes closed; feel Kamilah and the leaden weight of her years and Adrian’s, too, the same but different in a way that can’t be defined. Nadya feels all the organs in her body yearning towards a brightness she can only call ‘devotion’ at the other end of the room.

So much blood, so bright…

But around her—around them—the world is empty. Dark and dim; filled with nothing but feathers that arrive on one wind and vanish on the next. The fragility of human life crumbling to a fine powder underneath their touch.

The moon was once bright but no longer holds the same appeal. In a world without cities or smog or the fake light of mankind there was once a forest bathed in the light of the endless stars. And in that forest there was a lover.

But that lover is gone now.

Right?

Nadya inhales and begins to plummet back down — flew up to the moon but wasn’t close enough to touch. Eternity rushes back within her, roots withered and dried and rotting away from her stems. The forest too gone in a single second.

When she opens her eyes the noises are silent. The hall is just a hall — startlingly empty for the crowd and clutter of the shelves they passed.

A rough thumb strokes her cheekbone and brings her back to herself. Causes Nadya to look up into Valdas’ golden eyes. She struggles to catch her breath.

Kamilah strokes her hair — tries and fails to keep the worry from her voice.

“Nadya — are you all right?”

She replies with a nod. Can’t — or maybe just doesn’t want to — tear her eyes away from the man before her.

“You’re so alone…” So many voices have tried to make a home in her head that Nadya doesn’t recognize her own right away. “You cling to what’s left but beyond her there’s… there’s nothing.”

Nadya reaches up and mirrors Valdas’ touch with gentle hands. “You’d rather wither as a corpse than live as a man. They’re the same thing to you; both empty and tired.”

“To know completion only to lose it was to be ripped in two.” Valdas says.

“But… having half of yourself must be better than nothing at all.”

“Such a way of thinking is mortal and beyond me. I wish it weren’t.”

“Eternity doesn’t settle for anything less.”

Her own words surprise her. That’s not Nadya’s way of thinking — it’s so pessimistic. But then again it’s not really her way of thinking now is it?

Valdas confirms the thought with an appraising look.

“Indeed…” His touch slides down her face — she’s seen what those hands can do; their violence. Yet he cradles her gently. “What I would not give for even a moment of your power.”

Power. It breaks the spell they’re under. Makes Nadya push herself away and back into Kamilah’s waiting protection.

She doesn’t have any power.

Hard eyes glance to where Adrian struggles desperately against Isseya’s impossible hold. The look she gives Valdas is pleading. Earnest.

The man waves his hand — silent permission given — and Adrian is at her side.

“What—did he—Nadya—I—”

She lets him know she’s okay with a touch. But that’s not what they came here to do. That’s not what they’re risking everything for. She’s risking everything for him and not the other way around.

“Why did you lie to the Council?” There’s no room for doubt; no room to oppose her. She knows — he knows that she knows.

She just wish she knew how she knew. And the confusion of it makes her skull want to crack open like an egg.

When Valdas doesn’t answer she tries his lover; “Why did you lie and say you weren’t with Adrian? You knew it would condemn him to death. What do you have against him?”

“Turn your accusatory eye elsewhere, little girl,” Isseya snarls, “perhaps to those you so vehemently protect. The best liars hide in plain sight.”

Adrian tenses. “How did I lie? Whatever Vega’s told you about the Ferals —”

“You think we care about a meager infestation?” Valdas barks a laugh; returns to Isseya’s side with a protective arm around her waist. “We’ve seen the likes of worse and weathered them still.”

“So this isn’t about the Council?”

“We couldn’t care less about you, them, or the problems you make for yourselves.”

“We’ve seen it all before.” agrees Isseya.

But Adrian’s struggling — refuses to let it go. “What you heard at the trial was lies; all of it. Vega fabricated it to point the finger at me. I… I don’t know why. I wish I knew why. But if you tell me why he made you lie then maybe I can figure it out.”

Adrian’s focus is on Valdas like he’s the one who makes all the decisions. But Nadya knows better — watches behind him as a peculiar expression melts onto the priestess’ features. She knows that look.

If it wasn’t for Adrian’s healing blood she’d probably still have bruises from that look.

“Wait —” it dawns on her slowly, “— were you there to testify for or against Adrian in the first place?”

Smart girl, says the glint in Valdas’ eyes.

“We were called to speak on behalf of the accused — on Adrian’s behalf. And when certain mysteries came to light we decided it was best to extend the same courtesy to him that was given to us.”

Adrian struggles to make sense of it. “What does that even mean? When did I lie to you? What—what courtesy?”

But it’s like the more questions he asks the more their silent rage builds. There’s a rope being pulled between them and every confused outcry Adrian gives is another slash of the knife. She doesn’t want to see what will happen when it finally snaps.

If she wasn’t still consumed with the raw feeling Valdas left inside of her — some parting gift, jerk — Nadya knows she’d be able to focus. But her insides are sandpaper and every breath, movement, thought makes them grate together.

Her only solace is that Nadya knows what that feeling is like. Felt it on her own level deep inside when she saw Lily losing her grip on the edge of her life. And again when she turned back against her better judgment to watch her friends leap into a Feral mob to keep her safe.

And again when Adrian was sentenced to death.

Eternity doesn’t settle.

The burning in her body is grief without an outlet.

How dare he. Innocent faces hide deceitful minds. How dare he. Our lifetimes are haunted by ghosts we dare not give names to — yet this is more. He is more. But dare we hope again after all this time?

Is it better to hope for a spec of eternity than to grieve for the entirety of it?

“I remember him fondly, Domine, though I would not dare to say my memory is worth more than yours. Strange, though, that Adrian would know nothing of you, your infamy, or your grief.

“And to weigh the bulk of his innocence on a creature that could very well be Cynbel’s reflection… We all saw it — even Kamilah felt haunted by his presence. You did the right thing Valdemaras. You did the right thing to he who would rather see you and your love continue to mourn than help you hope.”

Okay, so, whatever he did to her Nadya very much wants taken back — only because she’s not asleep and not hallucinating and both of those would be preferable to standing where she feels safest in the world yet somehow can’t escape the villainous drawl of Adam Vega.

Even if it answers a lot of unasked questions.

God, please let her be right about this.

“It wasn’t Adrian who lied to you. It was Vega.”

Adrian frowns. “Nadya, what are you talking about?”

“Just what I was going to ask…” growls Valdas in warning. She can feel the rumble of his voice deep in her own breast.

So Nadya turns her words — and attention — to Isseya. The uncontrollable hurricane. The coin of fate.

“Isseya, please. Think about it. You were so angry that night, right? I made you think about him — the one you lost — and you wanted to —”

“I wanted to rip you limb from limb and feed your organs in little pieces to the pond fish.”

Artful. And shudder-worthy. “E-Exactly. So I can’t even imagine what it must have felt like to sit in that trial and see Cadence. He looked just like him.”

“You saw it too…?” She asks in an almost broken whisper. Digs her nails deep into the meat of her lover’s upper arm; makes blood run down in thin strands that begin to drip-drip-drip on the white floor.

Nadya nods. “I did. And if I did then you can be sure Vega did with me. And I think he realized he could use your grief against you and for himself.”

Kamilah stays silent behind her. She doesn’t need to speak — Nadya knows; finally understands what her ominous warning was meant to serve as at Cadence and Katherine’s departure.

There’s a sliver of doubt, now — something hasty and makeshift to mend the fragile rope between them.

Isseya clings to her partner. “I told you, I told you…”

“I know, my love, but —”

“But that,” Nadya interrupts — and keeps going fast before he decides to do something irrational like snap her neck for her insolence, “right there. At the Ball you guys didn’t care who heard you but all of a sudden you were lying in front of the tribunal. You’re better than that — you said so yourself, Valdas.

“You don’t care what happens; to Adrian or to the Council. So why deny it so quickly? What do you gain from lying?”

The man grits his teeth. “If there is a point you ought to reach it. Quickly.”

Her heart begins to race. “Vega talked to you after the Ball didn’t he? He asked you about the questions you asked Cadence and then brought up all those painful memories of your lover, Cynbel.”

“Vega was an old acquaintance.”

“Pretty convenient timing though, huh?”

“He knows better than such insolence. We are —”

“No one cares who you are anymore!” And as the only one in the room with a pulse she really hates how hers keeps skipping every other beat. It’s just not fair. “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you guys but the world moved on even if you didn’t. Nobody cares about the Trinity when there aren’t even three of you.

“Look at the facts, Valdas, please. Vega triggered your grief and — and used your hope, Isseya — to make you think Adrian was lying to you.”

“It… makes a modicum of sense.”

Kamilah steps out from behind her. Pensive thoughts and connected dots race through her mind. “If, through some means, Vega knew the man Adrian would call as his witness — knew the resemblance he bore — then it would be easy to reaffirm your doubts once the trial went in his direction.”

“And how would a youth like Vega know we would choose to deny your Adrian’s claims?” Valdas scoffs.

“Because he has moved on with the world, and knows we will always stay true to one thing.” Isseya relinquishes her bloody grip and coaxes her lover to meet her eyes.

“The rest of the world may burn but we will remain through the ages.”

Nadya, Kamilah, and Adrian watch the couple now enveloped in each other; gentle touches to eternal skin and one kiss in the wake of thousands — maybe even millions.

Adrian tries to advance — moves aside the hand she reaches out in warning — and moves slow and purposeful. Aware of the bloodshed just beneath the surface in front of them.

His sincerity makes his voice break. “I know what it’s like to love someone — and to lose them. How it never really goes away and… and how we have all these years to keep feeling the hurt. If I had even an inkling that your partner was still alive I would have done everything in my power to help you reunite.”

“See? Adrian isn’t capable of what Vega claims. He’s, well,” Kamilah looks him up and down, “he’s too damn soft, frankly.”

Isseya is the first to pull away. Keeps herself in the safety of Valdas’ embrace while scrutinizing Adrian and his words.

“I see none of the Godmaker’s ambition in you. Adam was always prone to bold and fantastical claims but that… that was a lie and he knew it.”

The Godmaker. Nadya doesn’t want to know. One problem at a time.

And speaking of problems — time is going to become one if they don’t start hurrying. She can’t let herself drown in the strangeness of what’s happening.

So here she goes. “The fact of the matter is Vega used you both. He used your loyalty to each other and I’d even say he used the memory of your partner to get what he wanted out of you and out of the Council.

“It’s despicable, and wrong, and downright evil. But he’s a career politician so I can’t even pretend I’m surprised…” Nadya shakes her head to get her thoughts back on track. “So please help us get back at him. Help us clear Adrian’s name and figure out who the real person at fault is.”

The couple exchange looks — Nadya’s actually sweating waiting for an answer. Then Kamilah makes… a surprisingly good point.

“If mortal altruism is not enough to spur you forward, then consider the state of your reputation should Adam succeed through manipulating you.”

That makes up their minds. If Nadya’s a little disappointed in them for it she doesn’t let it show. Something’s better than nothing.

At first glance it looks like Valdas’ focus is elsewhere — perhaps in the symbolic distance. Then Nadya follows his eyes across the hall to a painting alone in the far corner. Tucked away as if to be forgotten on purpose.

A dull throbbing starts in her temples. Not the same roaring pain from before but similar. The longer she looks the stronger it gets.

She doesn’t know how she knows; she simply does. Can hear it in the back of her mind the same way she’s heard everything else this night.

“What are the chances that this scrap of canvas will survive? Especially if you insist we leave it behind?”

“Do you not wish to see what will become of it, my dear? To see if it — like us — persists the ages?”

“A grand experiment for a later date. I have a meeting with Parliament at dusk.”

“Parliament will not rot from the inside after one day, Holy One. Stay with us. I beseech you.”

“You know how to tempt me so.”

“I may have an inkling after all these years.”

“And for the years yet to come.”

That’s why they came here. Nadya’s certain. Knows that if she runs across the room she’ll see two familiar faces and the one from the painting at Marcel’s castle. The Trinity.

Another familiar face, too. It lingers in the doorway at the far end of the room; silent, stoic.

She lets herself take in the gaunt features for what feels like the first time. Notes every inch of greying flesh and black veins pulsing out of throbbing temples disfigured with bumps like horns. Stares at lips peeled back and bitten off in the frenzy of hunger; the sharp and almost pristine tip of every fanged tooth.

The yellowing illness around bulging eyes. Pupils narrowed into slits. The way they tremble and struggle to hold her transfixed in their horror and, strangely, their splendor too.

She opens her mouth to speak. Breaks the spell they were held under.

The Feral lets out an unearthly howl and rushes in for the kill.

#bloodbound #kamilah sayeed #kamilah x mc #adrian raines #playchoices #bloodbound mc #mc: nadya al jamil #oc: isseya #oc: valdas #oblv: bound by destiny #oblv: new chapter #; my fics