FREE TREES (Formerly, "Tis WEED Season")

[Big_Boy_4005]

With my apologies to those of you who are allergy sufferers, weed season is here.

Mother Nature's "store" is just full of wonderful dried plant material, which is just waiting to be picked and used as scenic material on our layouts. It is very realistic, and very inexpensive, the secret is to look for it.

I'm not very good at identifying plant species, but I do know yarrow when I see it. I just happen to have some in my foundation plantings around my home, and harvest a new crop each spring. In the past however, I have found it in large patches along the side of the road.

There are a lot of different plants that have been used by model railroaders over the years. A trip to your local meadow, or roadside ditch will turn up all kinds of interesting plants, and may even give you modeling ideas in the process.

Look at branch structures, and try to imagine what they might look like covered with ground foam or poly fiber or both. Some plants lend themselves better to different scales. Others can be combined on a larger trunk for a completely different effect.

Don't limit yourself to thinking only of trees, sumac and other brushy growth can be found along side the railroad's right of way.

This is a great way to get outside, and still work on your railroad!!!![swg]

[Anonymous]

Watch out for poison ivy, my friend is healing up already from a little weekend gardening.

[Eriediamond]

Great post there, big-boy. I do envey you people in the nothern climates, except in the winter months. I do miss the picnic table in the back yard and eating outdoors as we did on the farm in my youth, but live here in the south now with that summer heat to put up with. Also this warm spring weather brings out the snakes down here, the kind that will hurt ya. [:O][:O] Kind of puts the damper on my forageing in the weeds for train stuff. Have fun and enjoy your spring weather there. Ken

[Big_Boy_4005]

I didn't think that poison ivy was out this early, but I live fairly far north, and not much of anything has really started growing yet.

Yes, it is always a good idea to wear socks and long pants when weed hunting. In addition to poion ivy, there are all manner of sharp thorney and brambley things out there among the good stuff. So, be careful, and have fun.[:)]

Ken, we had a fairly hard winter up here this year, much more so than at least the last 5. I know this, because I am still paying my plowing service that does my driveway. Thank God that's over.[;)]

Gee, I guess I'm kind of spoiled here without all of the hazards found in other parts of the country. The bottom line has to be identify your own local hazards, and avoid them.[:p]

[Roadtrp]

I haven't used weed for about 20 years now -- it does bad things to your motivation. [xx(]

Oops!! I guess that's not the kind you are talking about... [:P]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Nope, that kind of weed is often found in parking lots anyway[swg]

Roadtrp: You have email!! (When you get home after the game, GO TWINS!!)[;)]

[Roadtrp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005


Roadtrp: You have email!! (When you get home after the game, GO TWINS!!)[;)]

Thanks! [:)] I wish I could have given you my work e-mail address too, but my employer frowns on personal use of company e-mail.

[Anonymous]

Hmm...weeds are just that and I'd prefer not to have them in my yard, much less on my layout. I can see it now, plant the weeds on the layout come back the next day and the entire layout is weed ridden and i'll be spraying for wewds on the layout as well as the yard!.

BTW, this years winter was severly mild, as was the last five for us and i live in northern Illinois where it's suppose to be the worst. we had a total of about 8 inches all winter, 6 on the same day, so we'll be having another drought season again. I can hear the Corn farmers already complaining about the lack of snow this year, and so as the last five years, corn prices will rise as the crops get smaller to compensate for the lack of water available and the cost of pumping water in. Maybe the good folks of Minnisota can fill a few thousand tanker cars full of our precious water and bring it down for our great farmers to use.

Jay

[FJ and G]

sounds like a bunch of wimps to me; afraid of spiders, snakes, poison ivy, ticks, bee stings; you'd never have made it as a savage or cave man; you'd get eaten by a bear.

[Anonymous]

I hate Midwest Weeds too spicky

DOGGY

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

happen to have some in my foundation plantings around my home, and harvest a new crop each spring. In the past however, I have found it in large patches along the side of the road.

Last time you decided to lurk along the side of the Railroad and look what happened! Are we going to here more of your roadside misadventures due to the Cultivating of weed? [:D]

Any how I'm always looking for good weeds, what kills me is the nickel bag of Lichen the LHS are selling for $7+. It grows all over the rocks in Nova scotia and can be coloured and kept pliable with the use of dye and glycerin.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Doggy

I hate Midwest Weeds too spicky

DOGGY

No kidding! I (or I should say my parents) have a garden and weeds are nothing but a big PAIN! Especially dandelions and crabgrass, their roots are a foot deep and harder than heck to kill...although you'd have to be crazy to use THOSE on a layout![:D] MR had an article about using some kind of a weed to make oak trees.

[Anonymous]

If I plant weeds on my layout does anyone know who might sell the "little people" to do the gardening? [:D]

Elliot, I agree that this is a good time of year to look for weeds keeping in mind the branch structure and what it will look like when finished.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Dave, I'm changing the title of this topic to FREE TREES, let's see if the member's attitude changes too.[swg]

Hey Guys, did you know that there is no such plant as a weed??? Weeds are any unwanted plant. If you were trying to grow dandelions, and Kentucky blue grass came up, that grass would be a weed. It all depends on your perspective. Sounds a little like the Addams family.[:p][;)]

[sparkingbolt]

I live in central Oregon. Contrary to popular belief, Much of this state, east of the Cascade mountains is rather dry. We don't get the seasonal weeds as much as other areas, but we do get some some. BUT! we have "Sage Brush", kind of a generic term for all the bru***hat is everywhere here. (actual sage brush does exist here, but not everywhere you look.)

If you trek out into a local lava flow, solid lava rock, you can find some bru***hat has been influenced by the Bonsai Tree effect. the tiny twigs are of a very fine nature that makes for some of the best rugged trees I've ever seen. these can pass as dead trees as is or you can *** foliage. either way, the bark is perfect.

The majority of the bru***hat grows in the loose soil is a little too spindly. That's my weed story. Dan

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by sparkingbolt

If you trek out into a local lava flow, solid lava rock, you can find some bru***hat has been influenced by the Bonsai Tree effect.

Ah lucky you, you can gather real lava rocks, cru***hem up and have really good ballast cheaply [|)]

Jay