Saturday, June 22, 2013

My okole is broken. I have not worked this hard since the big greenhouse clean-out of 2011.

Before the clear cut. To the right of the greenhouse are the snowberries.

The snowberries were really pretty in the winter.

In our house, when you work really hard, and everything hurts, we say 'my okole is broken'. Okole is backside or butt in Hawaiian. Today my okole is broken. I came home from the store early so that I could get into the garden and enjoy the sun and heat. I have an area of the yard I have left wild for the birds etc. it was all snowberries. I put in three plants about 15 years ago, and they have taken over a large part of the back yard. They were working their way to the blueberry walk through runners.  I cut them away from the greenhouse last year, and have tried to reign them in so they didn't take over. I failed. So, I got my long handled loppers, the new ratchet loppers that I posted about last week, pruners and gloves and just started hacking. I forgot my camera at the store, so I'm going to go out tomorrow with my ipad or phone to take pictures. It is a dramatic change. It took me about four hours of non stop work. I also borrowed Lance and Judy's ladder and climbed up and used the ratchet loppers to cut a lot of branches out of the birch. I feel very sore...but oh so satisfied. 


I have no idea what I am going to do with this newly found part of my yard. It is right by the 'hedge' so too shady to grow anything. I'll probably spend a year or two battling the snowberry runners, but I think I will just bark mulch it and maybe set pots of something there. 

This pile is much bigger than its looks here. Those branches you see are up to ten feet long. The pile is about six feet high and 12 feet across. It's one of two piles. 




This greedy gardener has been wanting to put in a second greenhouse. Hmmmm.




7 comments:

Unknown said...

We have snow berries growing naturally in our out back. They are quite lovely but can be a problem in the cultivated areas of your garden. Hope you recover! Lynne from Sensible Gardening

Erin said...

The next phase will be vinegar spray. It worked for buttercups and dandelions....so I am confident it'll work. I don't know how long it will take though. :-)

Unknown said...

the shady are would be good for growing summer lettuce! And maybe peas, swiss chard etc... if your greenhouse is getting enough light, those plants would probably grow well back there... surround with some hosta's along the hedge... could be quite pretty :)

Erin said...

Sounds absolutely beautiful. Thank you for the ideas!!

Mark Willis said...

Why not try growing some ferns in that space? There are many types of woodland fern that like dry shady conditions?

Erin said...

Funny you should say that. If you closely at my pictures, you can see a tuft of green. That is a fern I put back there about 20 years ago. It was completely surrounded by the berries. I could believe it when I uncovered it. I left it right there. It deserves a break. I hav another in a pot...I think I'll put it back there too. :)

Joan said...

Busy girl! I've been away for almost 3 weeks and am afraid of what I'll find waiting for me at home.