Installed a Couple of Mulch Parking Spaces
On 01/15/2023 (4 hours), we finished removing the last branch from a maple tree close to the road using a rope chain saw. We also started removing several trees that were too close to the road. We would like to thank the Ohio Department of Transportation for cutting down some trees, prior to our arrival on 02/12/2023 (4 hours), that appeared to be dead or dying and were close to the road. We then cut the trees into smaller sections that could be moved out of the way. We also started to create an edging for the parking area using the cut logs. We prepared part of the lot close to the road for planting on 03/25/2023 (4 hours) by removing existing vegetation exposing the soil. We then spread white Dutch clover seeds on the area that was prepared. White Dutch clover was selected so as to minimize the amount of mowing that will be required in this area. On 04/22/2023 (4 hours), we planted corn and switchgrass on half of the front left side of the parking area. In addition, we planted 4 Norway spruce seedlings on the back edge of the parking area. We planted corn and switchgrass on 05/13/2023 (4 hours) on half of the front left side of the parking area. In addition, we planted some sycamore seedlings and transplanted a white pine sapling. We also cut down a dead tree. We cut the waist high grass by hand with a weed whip and sickle on 06/10/2023 (6 hours). In addition, we arranged logs to form an edging in the parking area.
We cut some of the taller grass on 07/17/2023 and 07/18/2023 (8 hours each day) by hand with a weed whip and sickle. We also put cardboard down with mulch on top of it in some of the parking area to prevent weeds. We cut down 6 dead trees. We used a manual rope chain saw to cut the tops off of a couple of the trees so that they would not hit the utility wires when we cut down the trees. The rope chain saw did a good job at topping the trees. Although we did get the saw stuck at one point along with the throw bag. In order to get it unstuck, I had to climb the tree using tree steps that screw in. These worked very well since the tree did not have any lower limbs that I could use with my climbing rope. Once the chain was unstuck, we were able to finish cutting the top off of the tree from the ground. We finished cutting down the trees with a two-man hand saw. Four out of the six dead trees had a substantial amount of poison ivy growing on them. I was able to use a new machete that I purchased to quickly cut off the poison ivy from the trees.
We cut the grass in the parking area with a weed whip and scythe from 08/13/2023 through 08/19/2023 (2 hours each day). In addition, some trees that had fallen were cut up and used as edging. The first parking space was created to the right of the gravel driveway by laying down some landscape fabric and then placing mulch on top of it. On 09/23/2023 (4 hours) we cut down 5 dead trees. Four of the trees we were able to cut down quickly using a two-man saw and an axe. The fifth dead tree took us longer to cut down. It was leaning towards the road and was tall enough to hit the road if we cut it at the base. We tried cutting it over halfway up using a rope chainsaw. However, the rope chainsaw got stuck. Ultimately, one of us had to climb the tree using tree screw steps and a harness. The upper cut was started with a battery powered mini chainsaw. However, it was only able to get so far in before it kept getting stuck. It also frequently shutdown due to overheating. We would wait a few minutes and then it would work again. This was a dead elm tree with a diameter of only about 6 inches. However, the wood was really hard and tough to cut. We finally had to finish the upper cut with a handsaw. Once the upper cut was made, we were able to use the two-man saw to cut the tree at its base. In addition, we cut down 7 stumps that were remaining from prior trees that were cut down using the two-man saw. We were trying to cut the stumps as close to the ground as possible.
We cut the grass on 10/15/2023 (4 hours) for the last time this season using a scythe and weed whip. In addition, we laid down another 3-foot-wide row of landscape fabric and mulch in the parking area. We also installed small sections of landscape fabric and mulch spaced 8 feet apart in a row for eastern white pine frost seeding to be done next month. We also weeded the planting bed in preparation for frost seeding black chokeberry next month. On 11/11/2023 (6 hours) we cleared, down to the soil, approximately 150 feet of mostly grass between our log edging using a machete. We planted black chokeberry (aronia melanocarpa) seeds approximately 6 inches apart. The morning temperature was around freezing. This fall sowing is in hopes that the seeds will germinate next spring. We selected black chokeberry since it is native to Ohio. This row of black chokeberry is intended to be a privacy hedge. In addition, we planted a row of northern eastern white pine (pinus strobus) seeds. Three seeds were planted in the center of each of 11 mulched circle areas approximately 8 feet apart. The hope is that these seeds will germinate in the spring. Northern eastern white pine was selected since it is native to this part of Ohio. This row of white pine trees is intended to be a privacy screen. We also added another row of mulch to the parking area. In addition, we cleared an area of brush by hand using loppers, hedge shears, and a machete. The area that we cleared was next to a big tree that had recently fallen along the edge of the property. We plan to leave the fallen tree in place since it forms a nice property border. We cleared the brush on the right side of the creek on 12/16/2023 (5 hours) by hand using loppers, hedge shears, and a machete. Some of what was cleared will be part of the parking area to the right of the driveway. The other part of what was cleared will be used for part of the course. While clearing the brush, we discovered an island that is surrounded by the creek. The island will be a nice location for one of the miniature golf holes.
