On Thursday I was out at the Little trees by 8AM to finish all the weeding. My helper friend would be here at 11:30AM and I wanted to be done by then.
I got all set up with sleds spread along the weedy areas. I started on the west side and worked down to the driveway side and then back up the east side, to the poison ivy (behind blue sled, all weedy).
Oak with 2 witch hazels
I finished just before 11AM, so I went inside, got everything ready for tossing clothes in the washer and getting a shower. Then I brought washing stuff outside and hooked up a hose to the hot water faucet outside. I got a trowel, anvil cutters, and sled. I had changed into clothes to toss in the washer. I’d wash my garden clogs too. I was ready to pull poison ivy!
I got the area in the Little trees done when my helper friend arrived. I set him to mulching while I went and got the poison ivy off the signature oak tree. Then I washed up all the equipment and went inside, stripped off all the clothes and put them right in the washer. I’d worn heavy rubber gloves and those went in too.
Then a double dish soap shower with hair washed and that was as good as it gets. Now I wait to see if I break out in itchy bumps…
When I got back outside, the neighbor came to visit. The driveway is so pretty with the golden leaves showering down. It had been foggy and cool all morning but the sun came out around noon.
When she left, I spread amendment on the rest of the Little tree area and my helper continued moving mulch.
This was what we were able to do on Thursday, 2 truckloads. I can’t use the Kubota for the rest, I dig up too much dirt. We may use it to transport raked and shoveled mulch to the truck, if that seems easier than shoveling into the high bed of the truck.
I think there’s 1 truckload left up there and this is the area we need to cover. It’s big enough for at least 3 loads, so it won’t get done this year, unless I can find a deal on a small delivery of mulch.
My general helper arrived at 4PM and I had her make sure the mulch was pulled back from all the Little trees’ trunks. Then she washed the pumpkins on the porch, as the rain had not cleaned them off as I hoped. She also cleaned up the spilled wood chips by the Little trees.
I told her there were lots of excess vegetables in the gardens. She decided to harvest one of the basil rows and make pesto for herself on Friday. So she got that done. I’d harvested a split cabbage and was able to make a large coleslaw from the undamaged parts. I also got one of the 8 or so carrots that had survived to go in it.
On Friday we clean up the wood chips by the barn and get them down around the Little trees. The rain isn’t to start until noon and my helper friend will be here from 8AM - 11:30AM. We should be able to finish.