Outdoor odds and ends

Haven't posted in a few days, but since it just turned spring thing have been a little slow. I'll try to post an update later this week on the progress of my seedlings. It was a busy weekend as I raked my yard and thatched the lawn to help in the lawn bouncing back. I tried to pick up as many leaves as possible, but Im actually going to let a few stay where they are so they can decompose into the yard or be mulched into the ground during the first cut.

One other project I worked on today was resetting the flagstone wall/flower bed I created 2 years ago. When I first created it, I had no idea how large my property was and made the mistake of just laying it out on where I and the realtor thought the property line was. However, I had a survey done and realized I had a few more feet of property...in Bergen County every inch is a welcome addition! So the stones are reset and I the ground is level so next weekend Ill probably lay some grass seed for my new lawn. One thing that I did discover today was my long time nemesis, Japanese knotweed. Japanese knotweed is a terrible terrible plant, and if I ever find the person who planted it on my property or surrounding neighbor's, I will make them some roots so they can deal with the pain this plant creates.

To offer a brief description Japanese knotweed is sometimes called the godzilla plant or false bamboo. It looks like bamboo, but its not...its much worse. Apparently it was brought to america in the 19th century as an ornamental, but no one realized the harm it would do. You may see it along the roadside along streams, thick stands of cane like structures that offer zero redeeming qualities. I didn't realize I had the plant because when I first moved in, it was the spring and it was not up yet, but when I realized what I had I knew the war was on.

See Japanese knotweed is not one battle and its over. No, its a long protracted war and whoever gives up first is the loser. You can cut it down, it will grow back. You can spray it with weed killer, it grows back. Try digging it up...only it needs less than 1/2 in" of root to create a new plant, and the roots go deep....so you see what I'm up against. I actually employed a multi pronged approach. Year one, hacked down the stands, bagged them for disposable so they wouldn't contaminate a landfill. Next, took a pick axe and axe to the older root structures to dig them out of the ground. As new shoots came up, I hit them with Round Up. I also employed a technique I read online where it was suggested I tarp over the area and eventually the plant dies....DO NOT DO THIS. I did this for over a year, when I pulled the tarp back at the end of last summer...the plant was growing in completing darkness. Granted it looked pathetic, but it was growing. I proceeded to dig out what roots I could, threw everything out and used weed killer. One approach that I may have had positive results with was cutting the canes and pouring weed killer directly into the canes. This gets to the roots quicker, which is what you want to do. I understand I may be doing this for a few more years, but I hope this will also become a tool to educate as there are not a lot of resources out there that discuss this topic. As more shoots come up, Ill take photos and post...and the ones I saw today? Those were dug up and disposed of.