So much for getting landscaping done this year. Okay, at least I had indicated that it would likely take me 2-3 years - and that was starting this year, since 2008 with all it's issues doesn't count!
At least I am finally getting started. I cut the wisteria back last fall as far as I could with heavy-duty pruning sheers. This spring, after cutting back all the new growth coming out of the stumps that were left (3' to 4' each) a couple of times, I sawed the stumps off as close to grown level as possible. There are nine of them - three across my back patio & six along the wooden fence that is on one side of my front courtyard. Some were 8"-10" in diameter.
The other major projects this year - outside of normal weeding, etc. - have been trying to limb up some trees. There's a huge Austree ("swamp willow") out my back area, between me & the neighbor to my south. The HOA is in the process of taking the 30-somthing of these that were planted in "commons" areas in the development down and replacing them. I would like to do the same with this one. They only have an expected life of about 15 years and they are 10-12 years old. Hence, they are losing lots of limbs (they are dying). In addition, the roots run along the surface of the ground and go everywhere - which can tears up your patio or foundation! Unfortunately, my neighbor loves it. So, I keep trying to get the limbs that are over my house cut down. I've gone "three rounds" with it. After cutting them down, I have to cut them up into small enough pieces for the trash service to pick up (no more than 2.5'-3' sections, bundled) - and cut up and bag all the smaller pieces and leaves. THAT is what takes the time. And now I am down to a couple of larger limbs that I need help to get down safely. (Note that I am doing all this with a hand limbing saw. :)
There is also a fruit tree of some sort (I haven't figured it out) in the center of my courtyard that got a good limbing on my last "work day." I would actually like to take it down & plant something else. I was multi-trunked; but one of the three had been sawed off to ground level before I bought this place. I assume an ice storm got it - that's the usual culprit in such cases. So, it's already only 2/3rds of a tree. Then, this year, there were a LOT of dead branches on it. So, I cut all of those down (and cut them up for the trash - that's just "so much fun!"). And there is a pear tree between me and my neighbor to the north that I keep trimmed (the new growth "suckers" mostly). It has a couple of branches that I would take down if it were mine, so that the mowers don't have to duck to mow - but I haven't cleared that with my neighbor yet. She was grateful that was doing the other - and that I helped her trim her wisteria back last year. I did that partially because it was "over the fence" and on my side. She said she wants her's taken out as well, but didn't want me to trim it back as severely as I did mine - so it's all overgrown again. (She is in her late 70s & is quite interesting. She's a strong believer & is a former KS state representative & KS state senator.)
Okay, back to the wisteria. One reason for planting wisteria is its resilience. You just about can't kill it! So, I regularly go back and break or cut off the shoots coming up around the stumps. I have been told that drilling holes in them & pouring RoundUp concentrate will kill them. I was going to try that today, but it rained (hard!) this morning & I didn't want to pull the power cord for the drill across the wet ground! So, that job is left for another day.
I did spend 4+ hours cutting back the wisteria shoots, pulling weeds in all the beds, (finally!) putting mulch around a couple of trees, and pulling up ivy ... and more ivy ... and more ivy.
For those who have never visited my new home, there is a bed that runs between my house and the front sidewalk as you approach my front door. It's about 30' long and about 2' wide. The previous owners had attached three huge trellises (probably at least 4' wide & nearly the height of the house) to the side of the house and planted ivy in the bed to grow up them. The portion of the bed closest to the front door (and under the covering of the porch area) has ivy all the way up that trellis. In fact, the main base of ivy there is as thick as the wisteria stumps. (I didn't even know it would do that!) There's one other area of one of the other two trellises that has some ivy that they had growing up a pole. (That is also a "stump" at the base.) There are three shrubs in the portion of the bed that is uncovered. But ivy was everywhere through the bed.
I pulled ... and pulled ... and pulled. I filled 3.5 of the large, outdoor trash bags. And there's still ivy in that bed! I think I got most of it, except for what is coming directly from the two main stumps. We'll see how much of it I just "broke off" instead of getting the root when it starts growing back. :( I left trying to dig out the stumps out for another day. I cut back what was growing on the one trellis to get everything except what is coming from that one source and was above my head.
That wasn't exactly the project I had in mind for today, but at least it does look much better out there. I intend to also remove the three shrubs that are in it - as well as most (if not all) of those around the courtyard, inside & out. I plan to plant roses in the portion of that bed that is exposed to the sun. But, I'm having a hard time finding any of them (or anything else I want) left this late in the year.
Oh, I guess I should explain why I have kept delaying on getting started (besides time, of course). I need to paint my concrete wall. I was waiting to redo the landscaping until that is done, since part of what needs to be redone is both sides of that wall. However, before I paint it, there's a portion of it that needs repair. Actually, there are three "sections" to "my" wall. One is mine, exclusively. I share each of the other two with a neighbor - one on one side & one on the other. (Don't ask me why they built them that way!) Part of the "shared" wall needs repair. I keep waiting on my neighbors to make decisions about what to do with those & get them done before painting. And waiting on painting to redo the landscaping. So ... that's (at least part of) the reason for the delay.
And I thought I was moving here to get out of yardwork ... :(
“Listen to Me,” says the Lord
1 year ago