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There are only two things that grow in the shadow of Himalayan balsam here: more Himalayan balsam and stinging nettles. Fortunately, the sting is really just a minor prickle and a bit of itching and the juicy inside of the balsam stem will wipe away much of the sting. What doesn't grow well...

It's all over the show here too, taking over the rivers. That 7m range on the seed pods allows it to cross them and spread upstream quite quickly too. I'm thinking of launching my own local war on it next spring, before it flowers. A cautionary note about composting: pulled up whole and left...

I found this dreaded weed growing in the Carpathians recently and decided to have a nibble. Having chewed up most of several plants and spat out the fibres, I think I can clarify something about the flavour: the hollow stems are sweet lettuce. The knots between straight sections are bitter...