This WAS the aim before we started work on the vines... BUT....
First I ask you to accept my apologies...have been very slack with this blog!!
[and even slacker with the pruning]
This gives you an idea of how neglected the vines were and what an undertaking it was to tackle them. We have had to call a halt with the pruning... the sap started to rise after the couple of warm days and the last time I did some pruning I ended up feeling so guilty because the vine dripped sap for days.
This is taken from the back door looking towards the railway line.
As you can see we have brought down all the vines reaching skyward and everything smaller than my index finger has been removed. Next year hopefully it won't be such a big job and I will be able to cut it back even harder.
You can now see the chicken wire above the fence and see right across the railway line. Some of the blackberry canes weaving their way up through the vines were mega and caused mega damage to the poor hands if you grabbed hold of the wrong canes!!
Will take another photo soon so you can believe me... I haven't been BS'ing...
I was aghast when I realised that I haven't posted for a whole MONTH!!
I was coming down with the flu last time I was working out here... I complained to Gail all day about how exhausted I was and all the aches and pains I was suffering from. Spent all day lurching from resting post to resting post ... I thought it was just because I had been out two nights running. [that is a LOT for someone who doesn't like going out after dark in winter!]
I am so glad that Gail didn't catch it from me.
Lachie and I are still coughing and taking for ever to get over it!! Very nasty infection.
Beanie - the work you and Gail (and Judy) have done is amazing. I, too, have been really sticking to my garden to get it done before my trip to see you. You guys have inspired me and this is really helping me push through. Last year I was a total slug and so I have had to take on what I failed to get done last year. Thanks to Mike's help with the watering system, I am getting everything checked off my list.
ReplyDeleteThe veggie garden wasn't going to get done this year in time for planting and can be put together in the early spring/late winter when the ground is moister.
Even though we have snow in the winter, we do get a "false spring" around January/February where I will have weeks to get the post holes dug, fencing up and raised beds constructed. We really can't plant until late April - mid May because of late freezes. Several of the years (since we moved here) there has been snow on Memorial Day (last weekend in May).
Keep up the good work my sweet friend!
...and I will do the same here. We should be able to really kick back on our holiday knowing that we got our yards taken care of!