Saturday, September 5, 2015

More Clean up in the Yard

We had a productive morning.  I am trying desperately to get the yard in good shape so my BIL won't talk about me when they visit this month!

I loaded the trailer with all the saplings I cut from the east yard a few days ago then headed to the garden with the chainsaw.
I had let several peach seedlings grow up from the compost pile inside the garden proper and they had to go!  The last storm broke several limbs. 

I had a new blade on the small electric saw and it worked beautifully.

Here is the view toward the garden before work  began:



Note the pile of limbs I lopped off out of my way first.  They were hanging over the fence.  The trees are that group in the middle of the picture.

There were about five trees growing close together.
And now they are gone:



I still have a large split tree mid-garden that will go next.

I am happy to see that the east end of the garden now gets full sun!  I topped a few pepper plants with the peach limbs but have enough peppers not to care.

This shot is a bit closer.  I wanted to show the clear end of the gas tank that was a tangle of tree-size perilla, lambs quarter and elm saplings.  I eliminated all that mess and found three treasures that the possum has missed.





This half dead evergreen on the smoke house will go next.....I will have to rig up something because a rampant clematis climbs all over it each spring.



This rose of sharon (a seedling) is looking very good now that the Japanese Beetles have gone below ground.



I am in for the day.  Lunch will be a soup of leftovers.....

Chickens are laying well.  6 girls/6 eggs some days.  They are still small pullet eggs but will soon increase in size.

10 comments:

  1. Looking great.

    I have been tackling the extra trees and more around here.

    Have a blessed weekend.

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    1. My problem is I can hardly bear to cut a living plant......then many years later I am forced to cut down trees and giant plants! You would think by now I would have learned my lesson.

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  2. Hi! Visiting via Connie via Gail and saw you on her side bar. Wow what a lot of work! I love Rose of Sharon! Nancy

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. I have a few more varieties of rose of sharon and I love them too.

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  3. Oh my gosh Glenda ~ You use a chain saw. They scare me, not that I've used one but my husband did. I was always glad when he was done using it.

    You've done a LOT of work, amazing me with all that you do, inspiring me too, to keep at my little place here.

    Have a nice day and week ~ FlowerLady

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  4. Is that pink Rose of Sharon from the seed from my bush? Seems like I remember sending you seed, but maybe not so long ago that the bush would be that big!

    I can tell you're feeling much better.

    You could fasten a cattle panel to the side of that building like Hubs did for my Alabama Crimson honeysuckle and also for the Maypop. I've been happy with them. He put blocks of wood on the wall and then mounted the cattle panel on the blocks so it wouldn't be so close to the wall. That leaves plenty of room for the vine to twine around and required very little "training" from me for it to climb.

    Hubs and I have a friend who points out the weeds, flotsam and jetsam whenever he comes over. I'm sure he talks about what a mess our garden is in to other people, but I don't care. He lives in town and has a bitty yard, and so has no perspective on what it takes to manicure a space any bigger than a postage stamp. We eat home-grown vegetables, and he has to buy his, so there ya go.

    Are those Long Island Cheese? I want to try them next year.

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    1. I think it is a seedling from my others. They all self seed like crazy except for the white Diana.

      Don't buy seeds of LIC, I will send you some. They are expensive and not available everywhere. This one has gone crazy and I am busy pinching tips hoping lots can get ripe before a freeze. The good thing is, squash bugs don't seem to bother them.

      Great idea for the cattle panel. I have another place with two clematis that need something more and have several available panels.

      Yes, my yard can tell I am feeling better too. It is so good to actually feel like doing something.

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  5. Wow, lookit you go, gal. Are you using a reciprocating saw? I used one cutting out all the roots from the prennials in the ring bed. Worked like a champ although going through dirt dulled them pretty quickly. You've really opened up the area and I'm sure the extra sunshine will help next year's veg garden. Are you just cutting down or also digging up from the beds? People who point out weeds etc are annoying, especially when WE can see the beauty and improvements. Oh well, eventually they leave. :-D How are the cows? Getting lots of milk from the girls? Don't overdo.

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    1. Kris, I am using a 14 inch electric chain saw and another larger regular gas Stihl chainsaw. I even use them to cut a swathe of woody weeds such as lamb's quarter down. I use them like a hedge trimmer.....cuts faster.

      I am just cutting now. I will paint the cut stumps of saplings with diesel fuel to stop regrowth (usually works for me) No hand digging yet. I do have some plants I want to move to the front ditch when fall rains hit.

      Max is now milking Willow for me and he seems to enjoy it so I am leaving it be. God love him! We milk Jewel now and then but both like Willow's milk better. Crazy, I know!

      I overdid a bit yesterday with the saw and lower back complained but am fine this morning. Just did a little trimming and watered one cucumber vine that had survived the jungle and two roses.

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  6. Glenda,
    You're on a roll girl. Lot's of work accomplished. I have plenty to get done here myself.
    Right now I have no motivation, been working down in Texas on my parents estate. When I return home, I'm beat.
    This morning, I walked our property and realized I have tree's which have taken off like crazy and need cutting back. Time for the motivation factor to kick back in, lol.....

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