Progress- May 2017

Progress, as defined by mulch!!
One bag at a time....
Trucks will come at some point!

PEST HATE CEDAR!!!  But native plants LOVE IT!!

This project started a little less than a month ago and there is an incremental amount of progress- I did say from the beginning this wouldn’t be a quick project!  Even so it is nice to tally the progress monthly to see what was accomplished.  Here it is for May 2017!!!

	May Contribution	Total to Date
Yard Waste Bins of “Weeds” Removed	8	8
Bags of “Weeds” Removed	15	15
Invasives Identified	2	2
Area Cleared	224 sqf	224 sqf
Area Mulched	160 sqf	160 sqf
Natives Identified	0	0
Plants Reintroduced	0	0

First yard waste bins.  We were always so excited with empty bins they were usually full by 10 am on Saturday.  A couple of times we had to really pace ourselves because we knew there was some pruning and weeding needed in the cultivated zone!

The bags of weeds (big reusable grocery bags) were what I removed as I did my morning walks surveying the hill.  These bags pretty much filled an additional 3 yard waste containers, but for accuracy I gave them their own category.

Russian Thistle and Brazilian Peppertree
My first two INVASIVES sentenced to "Impending Eradication" in May 2017

Invasives….  Well I have a RUNNING list, but I thought I would focus on the ones I have identified to the blog so two… Brazilian Peppertrees and Tumbleweeds (Russian Thistle).  Both of these were sentenced to impending eradication…  both still exist on the hill, but were responsible for large proportion of the yard waste bins.  The Peppertrees are cut back a little more every weekend, all still have roots in ground, except for a couple really little ones I yanked.  One major area of Russian thistle was cleared, but there are four areas where this has taken over….  One down, three to go!!

This 64 sqf spot is a start.  At least 5 yard waste bins were devoted to this area

That leads to area cleared.  An intense focus is being placed on the areas we plan on planting this fall and next spring. Basically, we will be retaking the hill from the borders inward.  Seemed like a good plan to create a boundary.  I am happy to say by the sidewalk there is an 8’ x 8’ cleared area where Russian Thistle used to take over.  It doesn’t seem like much, but it was about 5 yard waste bins just in that area between the weeds, ice plant (weed in disguise), and trimming the Peppertrees….  We plan on clearing the swath by the sidewalk over the next few months and mulching it by the truckload when it is clear…  There is NO water on the hill there and Summer is upon us, so we think weeds repopulating this area pre-mulch will be minimal.  YEAH 64 sqf down….  1936 sqf to go in that swath alone!!  We will get there.

The DMZ "De-morning gloried zone"

Yes, more pops up weekly,,,,,

The other area we cleared, and have already mulched is what I like to call the DMZ.  The “de-morning gloried zone” a 20’ x 2’ “border” with the westerly besterly neighbors in the world.  This zone is in ACTIVE weed control.  It will probably be a war, not a battle in this zone.  At this point the zone is about 2 feet wide by 20 feet long.  The zone does get some water from just the runoff from the cultivated zone.  The fact there is some water here is the reason we started with the mulch already, and mulch makes me happy.  We want to focus on weed control in the area through the summer in the HIGH HOPES that once we plant this area the natives will have less competition from the previous residents, largely morning glory and Bermuda grass and a mish mosh of other things.  

Mulch is a thing of beauty.  It just FEELS LIKE PROGRESS!

Building off the DMZ, we decided as a sign of good faith to everyone who passes by the ecological catastrophe via, car, truck, bike, foot, stroller, and paw daily, we mulched a 6’ by 20’ swath at the top of the hill.  This swath will slowly be extended during the summer removing mostly Bermuda grass and a few assorted weeds.  This area will be planted next fall and spring as well. 

Natives identified, sadly NONE….  Well there are two plants I am watching with high hopes, but due to lack of distinguishing features (the features that distinguish them from their cousins which are HIGHLY invasive) I am staying silent until I know more.  The one I am pretty hopeful on so I added some mulch around it and may have watered a few times.  Let hope I don’t regret this in the future.  The other plant is currently dormant.  I have HIGHER HOPES on this guy, but more coming in the future. 

Obviously I have not gotten around to planting…..  It is the wrong season for that.

I am happy with the progress so far!!!