Our park is heavily wooded, with acres of pathways and adjoining forest. It requires many man-hours to remove all the fallen leaves before our mulching begins, and it turns into a lot of exercise this time of year. I have to strap on a backpack blower weighing about 25 pounds. I hike around the park, up and down hills, even where guests don’t go. I squat down to clear leaves from under trees, hedges, and structures. In total, the equivalent of nearly eight tractor-trailer loads of leaf debris are sent to a recycling facility, while an equal amount are dispersed on property. And in the process, hours of exercise are logged.
Winter is also a good time to monitor any vines climbing the trees. Vines, as you may know, are not good for a tree’s health, so consider taking care of this problem if it’s happening in your yard. But beware, leafless poison ivy may be lurking. You may also have invasive plants such as English ivy, Virginia creeper, or Wisteria climbing where it shouldn’t be climbing. Just think of it as more aerobic exercise as you reach for those unruly vines.
Winter also means maintenance pruning of hydrangeas, which means you’ll be bending, kneeling and turning to examine the results. It’s a good workout and the plants will look fresh for the spring.
We’re staying busy getting ready for spring, and we’ll look forward to seeing you in March to check all our hard work.
