primitive whines about tall grass growing on his riverfront property

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=268x2132

Oh my.

What the affluent primitives won't whine about, when most in the world don't even have a square inch of riverfront property.

tularetom  (1000+ posts)       Thu Nov-13-08 05:45 PM
Original message
 
Arundo Donax - anybody else have experience with it

Around here they refer to it as "bamboo" but it is really a giant reed or grass. It grows in profusion along the banks of creeks or canals or in wet areas. It's very difficult to eradicate.

We had it growing along 400' of the bank of a seasonal creek that runs through our property. I've mowed it down several times to no avail it always comes back. About three years ago the flood control people came through and burned it out. In the process they killed about a dozen oaks that are protected in most California counties. They also trashed the creek bank and we had about three acres flooded for the first time ever last year. Well now it's back. It provides some excellent dove habitat but other than that it's worthless.

Any DU'ers ever have to deal with this stuff. I'd be receptive to any advice on how to get rid of it permanently.

The above post also includes a photograph of some doofus standing in some tall grass.

Richard D  (1000+ posts)         Thu Nov-13-08 06:11 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. It's really difficult to get rid of. 

have to dig it out by all the roots. Even a small tuber will start it up again.

Strong herbacides might, but it'll also kill all the fish and poison the water.

ConcernedCanuk  (1000+ posts)      Thu Nov-13-08 06:31 PM
Response to Original message
 
2. MARKET IT - some places even PLANT the stuff - think biomass/fuel

Arundo produces an average of 25 tons of high quality fiber per acre twice annually. One of Its most significant uses will be to produce chips for the manufacture of high-grade biofuel pellets or dried chips. Highly significant also is the importance of a crop with a greater than 20 to 25 year growing cycle without annual replanting, and the ability to exclude many costly fertilizers and weed killers which are also an environmental concern, that will return agriculture to a more profitable basis than many crops.

Arundo is an ideal biofuel (8,000 BTU’s/lb) that produces methanol from gas diffusion as a byproduct in manufacturing cellulose. The option to gasify this product is to produce independently a valuable energy product.It is possible to utilize new high efficiency gasification systems to convert Arundo into a multitude of different energy sources, such as syngas, standard steam turbine electrical generation, ethanol and bio-diesel.

More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arundo_donax

Hey, it's FREE - no fertilizer, no planting - harvest and market it or use it yourself

I suggest reading that whole link above

Think dandelions - some of us curse and weed and cut them to no avail,

others make WINE.

I have a wee hanging thing in my truck my mother gave me decades ago

goes sumthing like this

after which a photograph of a poster saying WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE, which is damned good advice for primitives ungrateful for what life has given them, including riverfront real-estate

Think about it . . .

MineralMan  (79 posts)       Thu Nov-13-08 08:36 PM
Response to Original message
 
3. Woodwind Reeds are made from Arundo Donax. Sadly, there's no shortage of the raw material, and most reeds are made from cane grown in France.

There was a guy a few years ago experimenting with domestic stock for oboe, english horn, and bassoon reeds, but I forget his name. I quit playing oboe many years ago.

Bottom line is that domestic stuff doesn't have a marketplace, and the drying and curing process is pretty involved.

Enough Roundup will eradicate it in time, and with multiple applications, but that's not a good option, either.

[Peter3_1]

It is not native. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arundo_donax  as you can read. SEEMS TO ME THAT CONTROLING IT MIGHT BE DONE BY CUTTING IT BEFORE IT GOES TO SEED. Eventually, the roots will lose vigor and die. In the interim, seems like a good flood control growth and fuel source.

[TheSarge]

I'd be receptive to any advice on how to get rid of it permanently.

You could always hire some of those homeless people your fellow primitives are carping about on another thread.

 

[Chris_]

You could always hire some of those homeless people your fellow primitives are carping about on another thread.

 

Homeless people are to be seen and not hired.  [/DUmp mode]

[franksolich]

Homeless people are to be seen and not hired.  [/DUmp mode]

Apparently neither are union-card-carrying plumbers, electricians, carpenters, &c., &c., &c.

It's one of the fundamental hypocrisies of Democrats, liberals, and primitives.

[lastparker]

Here on the east coast, doing anything to the plants would violate a zillion moonbat-inpisred wetlands laws.

[franksolich]

Here on the east coast, doing anything to the plants would violate a zillion moonbat-inpisred wetlands laws.

Probably.

But I'm still curious why the primitive's griping.

He's got this riverfront property, which is much more than what many other primitives, and humanity in general, have.

So the primitive should be grateful, rather than griping.

The sheer sullen ingratitude of the primitives sometimes shocks one.

[lastparker]

The sheer sullen ingratitude of the primitives sometimes shocks one.

Every day, frank, every day.

[Peter3_1]

Here on the east coast, we have "phragmites" an alien wetlands weed that is a problem . For years the envirowacks were opposed to removing it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phragmites

Now, the NATIVE phragmites are not the European one, anymore than an English Sparrow is a Meadow Lark, and the Euro. chokes out the native grasses, reeds, cat tails, etc. FINALLY the eoviros have been convinced, the euro needs to go and be replaced by the native versions.

It took DECADES.

[mamacags]

They just need to plant some kudzu to accent it.

[TheSarge]

They just need to plant some kudzu to accent it.

Another Libtard gift to the South that keeps on giving.

[delilahmused]

I'm surprised the DUmmies haven't suggested a more "organic" and "natural" solution. I purchased some beautiful ducks and geese who spend a good part of each day munching on this grass and other creek side nuisance plants. Once they're a few months old they waddle down to the pond/creek (mine wander back and forth during the day) and dine on grasses, snails, and whatever else they eat down there. The bonus, of course, is the Christmas goose is available on site.

Cindie

[mamacags]

It has been said that a couple of hungry goats can even keep kudzu down.  Maybe they should look into that?

[AllosaursRus]

Here on the east coast, we have "phragmites" an alien wetlands weed that is a problem . For years the envirowacks were opposed to removing it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phragmites

Now, the NATIVE phragmites are not the European one, anymore than an English Sparrow is a Meadow Lark, and the Euro. chokes out the native grasses, reeds, cat tails, etc. FINALLY the eoviros have been convinced, the euro needs to go and be replaced by the native versions.

It took DECADES.

I know whatcha mean! Out here it's "milfoil". Nasty chit that clogs wetland bays and shorline.

[LC EFA]

Richard D  (1000+ posts)         Thu Nov-13-08 06:11 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. It's really difficult to get rid of.

have to dig it out by all the roots. Even a small tuber will start it up again.

Strong herbacides might, but it'll also kill all the fish and poison the water.

I'm loathe to admit it but the primitive is correct here.

I had a form of bamboo in my yard, which from what I read is about as virulent as this stuff. Properly applied Round-up killed the few inches around the cut you poured it on.  Fire just encouraged it. Had to dig out all the runners by hand and dump them offsite.

There was enough there when the job was done to pile a 6'*7' pickup bed about 3 feet high, and to totally rearrange the geography of a sizable part of my lawn.

[Rebel]

I'm loathe to admit it but the primitive is correct here.

I had a form of bamboo in my yard, which from what I read is about as virulent as this stuff. Properly applied Round-up killed the few inches around the cut you poured it on.  Fire just encouraged it. Had to dig out all the runners by hand and dump them offsite.

There was enough there when the job was done to pile a 6'*7' pickup bed about 3 feet high, and to totally rearrange the geography of a sizable part of my lawn.

Aw bullshit. They use it as a border at the Augusta National Golf Course, home to the Masters. All it takes if a fully-staffed grounds crew and probably about 100K per year. Damn man, it ain't that hard.