Time to Trim - Day 1

 Rick maintains that if all the people left Florida, the area would return to a jungle within 12 months.  We have been gone from Gladys for nine months, and by looking at the state of our vegetation, I would have to agree with him.  A few more months away, and we would have a good start on our own little jungle.

We had already spent a little time on Wednesday taking care of the front gardens.  I had a bag of debris just from trimming the trees in the front, from pulling a few weeds, and from getting things in order there. Today, since the weather started in the sunny 70s, we decided to tackle the back yard.

The first branches to come down belonged
to the neighbor's invasive Brazilian Pepper Tree.

Moving further back in the yard, Rick
worked on removing branches that would
impact our electrical lines.

Each year Rick has to take our long-handled trimmers and cut back the neighbor's trees that grow over the fence into our electrical lines.  This year was no exception.  This summer must have been a great growing season for trees despite the alternating drought and hurricane rains because those trees needed a LOT of trimming. We gathered at least five bundles of branches that I carried out to the curb for pick-up on Monday.

After much hard, overhead work, Rick
cleared the south fence line of branches.

This picture shows the corner garden
before I cut down the purple Ti plant.
Note the difference in the Ti plants
in the picture above this one.

I had cut the gardenia tree in the corner garden down to about three feet before we went home in March, and as the picture shows, it has grown above the fence.  I only had a little time today to work on that garden since Rick needed my help with trimming the oak tree on the opposite side of the lawn.  I was able to cut down the two tallest Ti plant stems so that it no longer towers over the fence or grows into the gardenia tree.  I will have to finish trimming that garden tomorrow.

Low-hanging branches were a hazard
to our lawn service crew.

Once again, Rick uses the long-handled saw
to trim branches away from the yard
and the roof of the house.

The oak tree had branches hanging so low that I am sure the woman who mows our lawn had to duck to get under them.  Rick almost killed himself trying to cut through one large branch by hand, but eventually that, too, fell.  That debris added another three bundles to branches that went to the curb.

The Areca palm needed a haircut!

Once that was finished, I moved on to the Areca palm in the other corner garden.  Each year I trim out dead branches and trim back the fronds so they do not touch the fence or go over the fence.  This year I had an entire bundle of branches to remove.  It badly needed a good trimming!

The after-trimming picture shows
how much I cut off.  It will continue to grow tall.

My final challenge was a heartbreaking one.  I have loved watching my red hibiscus plant grow and bloom, but a couple of years ago, it became infested with aphids.  Barbie, my neighbor, waters my flowers in the summer, and she treated it for aphids with limited success.  When I returned in the fall, I did the same.  This year, the leaves are turning yellow, and the whole plant was just woody and spindly.  

The hibiscus was tall but spindly, 
and the leaves were all dying.

Although it did have a couple blossoms on it, a closer examination showed me that each branch was just crawling with aphids.  I am done fighting them.  I don't know if they are more prevalent in that area because of the tree or of the shade, but I cut the hibiscus down to the ground.  On Monday, I will dig out the roots and try something new in its place. Or maybe I will just let that area blank for a year to make sure that the aphids have moved onward.

The area next to the shed looks bare
without the hibiscus bush.

Eight bundles of debris later, the yard
in back is once again habitable.  I have
yet to haul out the four black bags of
cuttings.  
The garbage men are going to love me!

The high and most difficult trimming is complete, so we both are happy about that.  I will start fresh in the morning to see if I can finish what needs to be done so we can sit on the lanai and enjoy our beautiful back yard.