I got all my chainsaw massacres finished yesterday, all fingers and toes still there, no damaged extension cords and by the end of it, I think I had gotten better at calculating the cutting angles.
I also have a huge heap of 4 o'clock plant stems and leaves to make compost with.
An even huger heap of cut Syringa branches and trunks
There was method in my madness of piling all the branches there: under all that is a very large stand of prickly pear. The lack of light in this weather will encourage rotting, especially of parts that were damaged by the tree-felling. I like the idea of a two-for-the-price-of-one task and once the wood is dry, I will burn it there.
Which brings me to the next tasks:
This large spread of prickly pears will have to be chopped up with a machete and the leaves placed under plastic to rot. It's a relatively easy job
Sisal is difficult unless you have a hedge trimmer, which I don't, and this clump is going to need a stem-injection of herbicide in all the large plants. The smaller offsets can be dug out and also placed under plastic to rot. In the background there is Canary bush, which needs chopping out
diagonally behind that is a clump of bamboo. These plants are so tough, the culms are literally growing on the rocks
Seen enough? But wait, there's more!
Century aloe has formed an impenetrable thicket around the edges. This is relatively easy to slice the leaves off with a machete. Then the large plants will also get a stem-injection of herbicide. The little offsets need to be dug out and left to rot
Then there's also the Lantana outside the gate which I have started cutting back but I will apply herbicide to the new growth in winter.
Sigh.... At least the cooler weather is conducive to getting things done.