Earlier this year we had a lot of heavy rains and some minor flooding caused by the apartment complex being built to the south of the subdivision. I decided I was going to take my yard back from the weeds this year. My brother takes care of most of the mowng but every couple of months I do a slow cut and swep the clippings to get some of the weed seed out.
A lot of the yard is Buffalo and it is looking strong. It is highly drought resistant and chokes out a lot of the weeds. Over the years I have let the patches go to seed and then blown the clippings outward to help it spread. Had an idea today that I don't know if it will work or not. Set the walk behind high and bag the clippings and seed pods, then spread them over areas that still need it. Figure it's worth a shot.
The last month or so I have been working to clean up the north side of the property from a couple of dead Hackberry trees that the brances and bark were falling off of. Finally got the area cleaned up from the one up front last week so I can mow out there. Another woodworker answered a CL ad and cut that one down and hauled a lot of it off for the spalted wood. The rest of it went to a bonfire.
I try to keep a buffer zone cut along my property line and the open field on that side to reduce the spread of weeds and reduce the chance of not seeing a snake out there. Mostly rattlers but we get an occasional coral.
I got most of the dead fall from the other tree burned off today and got the branches cut down so I can fell it without hitting the power lines. It's going to take a few nights to rake up the bark and smaller and move it to my burn area. Hopefully I will have that done and get the last of the burning done next Sunday.
Some of the larger branches I will resaw on the band saw. Going to talk to a guy with a sawmill about making a deal to get the trunk sawed into boards. I
need 16 boards 6/4 about 3' long and 7"-8" wide to make legs for my pool table. The rest is his to saw and sell along with a branch that I already have sitting on blocks.
Next, and last, area to clean up is outside the back fence along the RR tracks. I have started cutting the area with a brush blade on my weed eater. I will chop it all down and burn it off after it dries for a week or so, then round up that area so I don't have to mess with it. All should work out if I can get 2 more weeks without a burn ban being put in place.
Then I maybe I can get out and see what the inside of the Playpen looks like! It hasn't been opened in several weeks except to get the key to the Outhouse to use the compressor.
A lot of the yard is Buffalo and it is looking strong. It is highly drought resistant and chokes out a lot of the weeds. Over the years I have let the patches go to seed and then blown the clippings outward to help it spread. Had an idea today that I don't know if it will work or not. Set the walk behind high and bag the clippings and seed pods, then spread them over areas that still need it. Figure it's worth a shot.
The last month or so I have been working to clean up the north side of the property from a couple of dead Hackberry trees that the brances and bark were falling off of. Finally got the area cleaned up from the one up front last week so I can mow out there. Another woodworker answered a CL ad and cut that one down and hauled a lot of it off for the spalted wood. The rest of it went to a bonfire.
I try to keep a buffer zone cut along my property line and the open field on that side to reduce the spread of weeds and reduce the chance of not seeing a snake out there. Mostly rattlers but we get an occasional coral.
I got most of the dead fall from the other tree burned off today and got the branches cut down so I can fell it without hitting the power lines. It's going to take a few nights to rake up the bark and smaller and move it to my burn area. Hopefully I will have that done and get the last of the burning done next Sunday.
Some of the larger branches I will resaw on the band saw. Going to talk to a guy with a sawmill about making a deal to get the trunk sawed into boards. I
need 16 boards 6/4 about 3' long and 7"-8" wide to make legs for my pool table. The rest is his to saw and sell along with a branch that I already have sitting on blocks.
Next, and last, area to clean up is outside the back fence along the RR tracks. I have started cutting the area with a brush blade on my weed eater. I will chop it all down and burn it off after it dries for a week or so, then round up that area so I don't have to mess with it. All should work out if I can get 2 more weeks without a burn ban being put in place.
Then I maybe I can get out and see what the inside of the Playpen looks like! It hasn't been opened in several weeks except to get the key to the Outhouse to use the compressor.