I’ve cleaned Multi-flora Rose out of many areas at Blue Jay Barrens and am now taking the fight to the MFR strongholds. This area is a drainage way between two fields that has grown up in trees and was cleared of MFR last year. In the distance, you can see one of the brush piles that was started when I cleared the field. I try to drag the cut bushes and stack them on the pile.
This is where I quit working last year. There are a few little bushes that regrew because of poor spraying conditions. A little ways ahead is what it looked like before I started clearing.
Water runs along several shallow channels that were formed years ago as the farmer abandoned a series of dead furrows at the edge of the field. I maintain a trail on the central ridge between the channels. Having the trail beneath the trees makes it much easier to keep clear.
Small bushes like this are easy to cut. I could either mow this little shrub or give it a couple of quick snips with the loppers. Control of MFR would be simple if this was the worst I had to deal with.
Here’s where things get interesting. I can’t get the mower into this area because of the fallen trees. The rose canes exceed my height and are woven together like one of those Web of Life diagrams. The only way to cut them is to go in by hand. I’ve lost a lot of blood in ventures like this.
The heart of rose country. The only thing that motivates me to wade into this mess is the anticipation of seeing what native species return to claim the space. I’m sure the results will be wonderful.
I’ve cleaned Multi-flora Rose out of many areas at Blue Jay Barrens and am now taking the fight to the MFR strongholds. This area is a drainage way between two fields that has grown up in trees and was cleared of MFR last year. In the distance, you can see one of the brush piles that was started when I cleared the field. I try to drag the cut bushes and stack them on the pile.
This is where I quit working last year. There are a few little bushes that regrew because of poor spraying conditions. A little ways ahead is what it looked like before I started clearing.
Water runs along several shallow channels that were formed years ago as the farmer abandoned a series of dead furrows at the edge of the field. I maintain a trail on the central ridge between the channels. Having the trail beneath the trees makes it much easier to keep clear.
Small bushes like this are easy to cut. I could either mow this little shrub or give it a couple of quick snips with the loppers. Control of MFR would be simple if this was the worst I had to deal with.
Here’s where things get interesting. I can’t get the mower into this area because of the fallen trees. The rose canes exceed my height and are woven together like one of those Web of Life diagrams. The only way to cut them is to go in by hand. I’ve lost a lot of blood in ventures like this.
The heart of rose country. The only thing that motivates me to wade into this mess is the anticipation of seeing what native species return to claim the space. I’m sure the results will be wonderful.
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