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Winter Weeding

17 years ago

Went out to do some vine cutting, etc. today. Once again, I noticed that many invasives are much easier to find when so much of the other plant life is dormant or dead due to winter temps. I also used a shears instead of a pair of loppers the whole time. I have already cut all of the really thick vines so now I can use the shears instead of the loppers. I also am often able to cut several vines (or other plants) at once with the shears which makes me get more done for my efforts. I also hacked back a lot of invasive shrubs just to reduce the amount of mass they have. Unfortunately, I found a big privet shrub with berries on it that I never noticed before. I'll get it next time. Happy weeding!

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Comments (4)

Lynda Waldrep
17 years ago
I love to go out if it is over 40 degrees and not too wet. Pulling honeysuckle is one of my favorite "exercises." I have eliminated most of the thickets of briars and vines, but I still have lots of privet to work on...and liriope that is now showing up in the woods. Does anyone know if the critters ever eat it or if it provides anything positive other than holding the soil? It is widely used around here, and I even planted it (got it as a gift when all I had was red mud!)..all before my eyes were "opened" to the invasive problem. I even thought privet was pretty years ago!! People still buy it, of course.
waplummer
17 years ago
I pulled several plants of garlic mustard.
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joepyeweed
17 years ago
I like to pull garlic mustard in the winter...
bob64
Original Author
17 years ago
I chopped back the big privet shrub I mentioned. I will finish it off later. Also did some snow shovelling this weekend. 'Tis the season. I pulled some garlic mustard out of a flower bed about a month ago. I am losing the battle with garlic mustard elsewhere. During the fall I also pulled up what must be a few hundred pounds of english ivy. It tends to pull up easily as long as the ground is not frozen.

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