I garden in Frenchay, Hello neighbour.
Our neighbours have moles (other side of a road) and MIL offered the spurge remedy which they tried and it failed dismally. Our new plot has lots of the stuff growing. We bought the land from them and I think they must have discarded the old plants there in disgust at the dismal failure and they are sprouting like mad.
Thank you everyone who has warned about the allergy risk. I'll make sure I'm careful when I weed them out.

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"trin" wrote in message
...

My mother-in-law says if you have spurge growing you won't get moles.
Something I am unable to prove as we don't have any moles.

I think we should call it elephant spurge!

I'd love to have moles ;-(

Mary


--
trin


Is that to go with the warts on your nose you old witch:-)
Sorry momentary lapse got you mixed up with The Life and Loves of a
She-Devil. Mary fisher (Pat Hodge) was the pretty one.

Although we don't have a tv I do know what you're talking about, the lack of
original jokes about the programme and my name became boring after a very
short time. I wouldn't want to look like Patricia Hodge though, 'wet' always
comes to mind when I think of her.

Mary

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:48:32 +0000, trin
wrote:

My mother-in-law says if you have spurge growing you won't get moles.
Something I am unable to prove as we don't have any moles.

This has come up before. I was told it would deter moles, and at that
time I had moles on my allotment, and the caper-spurge was self
seeding. The moles just went round it!
Then I heard on GQT that it was as a remedy for moles on the skin
which gave it it's name, "mole plant". It seems logical that it's sap
might have been used this way.
If you disagree, as someone did before, take it up with GQT!
Incidentally, I have no moles on the allotment now, but no
caper-spurge either!

Perhaps warts were meant, rather than moles? Several plant saps have been
used to 'cure' warts.

Mary

Pam in Bristol

"Kate Morgan" wrote in message
...


It can leave a nasty burn on the skin if you get the sap on you and
don't
wash it off right away.

So I understand from various websites - having learned the name.

To date it hasn't had any effect on either of us but we haven't cut it so
haven't been in contact with the sap. It seems pretty tough :-)

Every time I see this plant mentioned I tell peeps to be careful, I
have had two bad reactions to the sap and still have the scars to prove
it

We spent the weekend in Scotland, during High Midge Season. I have bumps
everywhere. Scotald is a beautiful place, the people are lovely, the
standard of life is high (in my opinion0 but I couldn't live there and be
permanently scarred :-(

Mary

kate

"JennyC" wrote in message
...

"fenwoman" wrote
It can leave a nasty burn on the skin if you get the sap on you and don't
wash it off right away.

I don't seem to react to it at, but found this at
http://www.the-tree.org.uk/Enchanted...aperspurge.htm


As so often Mrs. Grieve has some interesting information for us on this
plant, including The use of Spurge Laurel by beggars to produce sores:
"Has a milky juice of an acrid nature. Its seeds yield an abundance of
fine clear oil called oil of Euphorbia; this is obtained by expression or
by the action of alcohol or ether, and is colourless, inodorous, and
almost insipid; it rapidly becomes rancid, and acquires a dangerous
acrimony. The oil is a very violent poison, producing violent purgation
and having an irritating effect upon the mucous membrane of the intestinal
canal, and especially on the larger intestines; the oil resembles croton
oil. In doses of 5 drops it is said to be less acrid and irritating than
croton oil; it must be recently extracted. The seeds to the number of
twelve or fifteen are used by country people in France as a purgative.
The root of the plant is equally purgative and emetic; the leaves are
vesicant and are used by beggars to produce ulcers by which to excite
pity; the juice is depilatory; the seeds contain aesculin in the free
state."

That's fascinating! Thank you,

Mary

Jenny

"DavePoole Torquay" wrote in message
oups.com...
Sacha wrote:



I rather like it, especially in its early phases when it appears as a
40-60 cms. high stem with its leaves arranged in opposite pairs;
criss-cross fashion.

Yes, it's amazing!

When I first came here, such soil as there was consisted of a thin
scrape of dust, lumps of ancient mortar and stones overlying mudstone.
All that grew were Valerian, Caper Spurge and a few clumps of Sedum
dendroideum 'Prealtum' (a shrubby succulent from Mexico that is an
'escaped' pot plant in coastal regions of S. Devon). The spurge
disappeared immediately soil conditions were improved and made more
acidic - unable to compete with more lush and interesting stuff. It
seems to do best where the soil is dry and somewhat alkaline, but is
easily hoed out if you don't want it.

Hmm. I noticed a seedling in my (new) asparagus bed, I wonder if that means
I should 'improve' the bed? My aim to live for the next four years is so
that I can eat my own asparagus!

Mary

Mary Fisher wrote:
We spent the weekend in Scotland, during High Midge Season. I have
bumps everywhere. Scotald is a beautiful place, the people are
lovely, the standard of life is high (in my opinion0 but I couldn't
live there and be permanently scarred :-(


Too late now but Avon Skin So Soft can work miracles. Midges really don't
like it.

Either that or lots of garlic - but that can put of things other than
midges.

--
NK
Follow spamtrap instructions to reply

On 3/7/06 09:58, in article , "WRabbit"
wrote:

Mary Fisher wrote:
We spent the weekend in Scotland, during High Midge Season. I have
bumps everywhere. Scotald is a beautiful place, the people are
lovely, the standard of life is high (in my opinion0 but I couldn't
live there and be permanently scarred :-(


Too late now but Avon Skin So Soft can work miracles. Midges really don't
like it.

That stuff is brilliant. But the best I've ever used was bought in Turkey
and was just called "Off"! I don't think I've ever seen it in this country
but it might be sold under another name, I suppose.

Either that or lots of garlic - but that can put of things other than
midges.
Many vampires in Scotland?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"DavePoole Torquay" wrote in message
oups.com...
Sacha wrote:



I rather like it, especially in its early phases when it appears as a
40-60 cms. high stem with its leaves arranged in opposite pairs;
criss-cross fashion.

Yes, it's amazing!

When I first came here, such soil as there was consisted of a thin
scrape of dust, lumps of ancient mortar and stones overlying mudstone.
All that grew were Valerian, Caper Spurge and a few clumps of Sedum
dendroideum 'Prealtum' (a shrubby succulent from Mexico that is an
'escaped' pot plant in coastal regions of S. Devon). The spurge
disappeared immediately soil conditions were improved and made more
acidic - unable to compete with more lush and interesting stuff. It
seems to do best where the soil is dry and somewhat alkaline, but is
easily hoed out if you don't want it.

Hmm. I noticed a seedling in my (new) asparagus bed, I wonder if that
means I should 'improve' the bed? My aim to live for the next four years
is so that I can eat my own asparagus!

Mary
"The Weed" does not say no to a nice moist, rich well drained soil.
I have got approx 4 years to track down the exact location of the beds owned
by MF Leeds West Yorkshire. Roll on Google Earth v10:-)

"WRabbit" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:
We spent the weekend in Scotland, during High Midge Season. I have
bumps everywhere. Scotland is a beautiful place, the people are
lovely, the standard of life is high (in my opinion0 but I couldn't
live there and be permanently scarred :-(


Too late now but Avon Skin So Soft can work miracles. Midges really don't
like it.

We bought some repellant but only after we'd been bitten :-)

Either that or lots of garlic - but that can put of things other than
midges.

Oh we eat masses of garlic anyway. It's necessary to ward off vampires.

Mary

--
NK
Follow spamtrap instructions to reply

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...



Hmm. I noticed a seedling in my (new) asparagus bed, I wonder if that
means I should 'improve' the bed? My aim to live for the next four years
is so that I can eat my own asparagus!

Mary
"The Weed" does not say no to a nice moist, rich well drained soil.
I have got approx 4 years to track down the exact location of the beds
owned by MF Leeds West Yorkshire. Roll on Google Earth v10:-)

There's no secret!

Mail me if you're really interested and there's only one small asparagus bed
which is overplanted.

I exaggerated anyway, it should only be three years. It was four years when
I sowed seeds in 2005. My self-discipline isn't good, I wouldn't be
surprised if I couldn't resist cutting just one stalk in 2007. Two if you're
here. Three including Spouse.

sigh

Mary

said...
Several plant saps have been
used to 'cure' warts.

Do any of them work? My husband's been advised (don't know by whom) to
put dandelion sap on his wart. Whether or not he has, I know not.

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

"Sena" wrote in message
t...
said...
Several plant saps have been
used to 'cure' warts.

Do any of them work?

Over many years all sorts of charms have been successful it seems, medics
don't know why they work but they seem to. It could be coincidence of
course, warts do often go away by themselves.

My husband's been advised (don't know by whom) to
put dandelion sap on his wart. Whether or not he has, I know not.

Has it gone?

:-)

I don't know why warts are a problem, unless they grow differently of course
when they need attention.

I had one once on my arm, it's not there now. A grandson had a huge one on a
finger, it's not there now.

shrug

Mary

"Sena" wrote in message
t...
said...
Several plant saps have been
used to 'cure' warts.

Do any of them work? My husband's been advised (don't know by whom) to
put dandelion sap on his wart. Whether or not he has, I know not.

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

Yep many do work particularly Senna pods.
I think the dandelion sap is slightly alkaline--so it will burn a bit.
Alternatively you could try oven cleaner.

On 3/7/06 19:07, in article , "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)"
wrote:


"Sena" wrote in message
t...
said...
Several plant saps have been
used to 'cure' warts.

Do any of them work? My husband's been advised (don't know by whom) to
put dandelion sap on his wart. Whether or not he has, I know not.

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

Yep many do work particularly Senna pods.
I think the dandelion sap is slightly alkaline--so it will burn a bit.
Alternatively you could try oven cleaner.


My father outlaw used the rolled up, rubbed on, leaves or bark of the elder.
He was the most unlikely wart charmer you could begin to imagine. But a
groom at his grandfather's home had charmed Pa outlaw's wart when Pa was a
lad and then told him that he would always be able to do the same for
others. And indeed, he could. I don't think he ever had a failure.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)