dwnbndtrn
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Cattails/Punks
I remember when I was little we'd go down the shore and near where we stayed a lot of cattails, or as we called them punks, grew. Our parents would cut them and we'd burn them as an insect repellent. I think that we dried them out first but I'm not sure. Does anyone know anything about this?
Since we've had a wet spring and relatively cool, but sunny summer, they are growing like crazy in some areas. I pulled over on the side of the road today on my way home from work and picked a few. The kids have never seen them so they don't know about them. I have the ones I picked sitting outside to dry but don't know for how long I need to do it.
I'm thinking our friends here that have outdoor/farm backgrounds may be able to help. Di, Lara... anyone else...
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12/Aug/09, 1:50 am
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spacebuggy
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Re: Cattails/Punks
I don't know about insect repellant (great idea), but I've heard of people eating cattails!
---
"Man-eating lilacs have no teeth, Robin. It's a process of ingestion through their tentacles."
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12/Aug/09, 3:14 am
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kittykat1
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Re: Cattails/Punks
I never knew what they were (we have them in certain area's in Denver, mainly further west) until one time while at a park with a lake nearby, I commented on them to a friend and wondered what they were. My friend was familiar with the south and called them cattails. I thought they were kind of pretty in a way, unique.
I also discovered something very different in my own backyard recently, mushrooms growing! It must be because of the very damp summer we have had this year, as normally we don't see mushrooms growing in our backyards in the summertime! Denver has broken a record for the amount of rainfall this summer.
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12/Aug/09, 3:16 am
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kittykat1
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Re: Cattails/Punks
Since we've had a wet spring and relatively cool, but sunny summer, they are growing like crazy in some areas.
Hmmmmm...perhaps that is the perfect climate for them to grow.
Whereabouts do you live?
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12/Aug/09, 3:19 am
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kittykat1
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Re: Cattails/Punks
They kind of look like a wiener on a stick. 
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12/Aug/09, 3:21 am
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dwnbndtrn
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Re: Cattails/Punks
quote:
kittykat1 wrote:
Since we've had a wet spring and relatively cool, but sunny summer, they are growing like crazy in some areas.
Hmmmmm...perhaps that is the perfect climate for them to grow.
Whereabouts do you live?
I think the wet spring and tons of sun has a lot to do with it. I pass several corn fields on the way to and from work and you should see the size of the corn stalks. I swear that some of them are about 10 feet tall. Maybe this is common in other areas but I've never seen them like that before.
As far as my location, I'm about 25 miles north of Philadelphia. I work in New Jersey and drive through some pretty rural areas. There are open fields, corn fields, horse farms...
The cattails I see are in low lying areas right next to the road. I'm guessing that rain water collects there and doesn't drain all that well. I think they thrive in that type of conditions. The ones I picked today were in a very wet spot with visible standing water, and we haven't had rain since early Sunday morning. We've had very hot sunny days since the rain and there aren't any areas that are still that wet.
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12/Aug/09, 6:03 am
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dwnbndtrn
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Re: Cattails/Punks
quote:
spacebuggy wrote:
I don't know about insect repellant (great idea), but I've heard of people eating cattails!
I remember the smell of them when you burn them, it's awesome. I guess the best description would be somewhat like incense.
I was looking on the internet about how to dry them so I can burn them but found more information about eating them. I had never heard of that. In the fall the cattail turns fluffy, almost down-like, which I think are seeds, kind of like dandelions.
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12/Aug/09, 6:13 am
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kittykat1
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Re: Cattails/Punks
quote:
dwnbndtrn wrote:
I think the wet spring and tons of sun has a lot to do with it. I pass several corn fields on the way to and from work and you should see the size of the corn stalks. I swear that some of them are about 10 feet tall. Maybe this is common in other areas but I've never seen them like that before.
As far as my location, I'm about 25 miles north of Philadelphia. I work in New Jersey and drive through some pretty rural areas. There are open fields, corn fields, horse farms...
The cattails I see are in low lying areas right next to the road. I'm guessing that rain water collects there and doesn't drain all that well. I think they thrive in that type of conditions. The ones I picked today were in a very wet spot with visible standing water, and we haven't had rain since early Sunday morning. We've had very hot sunny days since the rain and there aren't any areas that are still that wet.
What a beautiful commute you have, I must say. I would think that would be a calming drive, to and from work. Though it could work against you and with that I mean, if the drive is too serene or calming, it might cause drowsiness at the wheel.
Many rural areas can be so beautiful in different parts of the country, though the ones that come fresh to my mind are the eastern plains of Colorado and that's not so beautiful, not really. Like living in Kansas, flat and nothing there. I lived on the eastern plains of Colorado for 12 years and I hated it. Bone dry and tumbleweeds everywhere. I remember trying to "dodge" the huge tumbleweeds on the roads while making my commute into Denver. Ugh.
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12/Aug/09, 6:27 am
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kittykat1
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Re: Cattails/Punks
Are cattails considered weeds?
Does anyone here know what 'bind weed' is, do you have this problem with your lawn? I hate this bastard weed with a passion!! I am constantly pulling the little [email protected]#$ out of my lawn and flower beds!
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12/Aug/09, 6:33 am
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dwnbndtrn
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Re: Cattails/Punks
quote:
kittykat1 wrote:
What a beautiful commute you have, I must say. I would think that would be a calming drive, to and from work. Though it could work against you and with that I mean, if the drive is too serene or calming, it might cause drowsiness at the wheel.
It is beautiful and you're right about the drowsiness. There are too many times I feel that way on the way home.
I see so many different types of animal life during the year. Deer are quite abundant and the fall can be dangerous with them crossing the road. I narrowly missed hitting a fox during the spring this year. I haven't seen them too much lately but in the spring and early summer there are a ton of turkey vultures flying about. I've seen 20 or more of them flying at different times. I think they hand in that area looking for roadkill.
One time a couple of years ago I was driving home and saw a hawk flying low near the road. It swooped low over an open field and was flying about ten feet off the ground on the other side of the road from me. It cruised next to me for almost a half a mile. It was a beautiful sight.
I also cross over the Delaware river on my ride. I love opening the widows to get the crosswind through the car. It's especially good during the winter. There are times the the river is covered in fog and crossing the bridge is surreal. You can barely see the car in front of you but as soon as you get off the bridge, it's perfectly clear.
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12/Aug/09, 6:47 am
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