Keeping the shrubs and bushes under control · · PAGE 10.

August 10, 2014: I did additional trimming late yesterday and it revealed grass was still growing under this short palm tree.  I also cut more of the large Philodendron on the south side of the growth area seen here.   This photo was taken while standing near "The Big Tree" that was the main subject of page 7.

From my vantage point of the photo above, I looked up higher at the tree canopy and realized there is a palm tree growing here.  It is covered with climbing vines which I learned are from the Philodendron or similar species.  Only the top of the palm tree is visible mixed in with the upper limbs of the live oak trees.

Here is the trunk of the short Tree Philodendron showing how it has shed the leaf stalks that I cut off in my first encounter with these aggressive plants as seen in the last two photos on page 7, and all of pages 9 and 10.

This photo taken this morning shows a dead trunk at the right edge of the picture and some other vine-type species of Philodendron that has grown up the dead trunk and is becoming ground cover in between the now larger trimmed plants.

This photo shows the clutter of other plants trying to survive in the middle of the Philodendron plants.  The vine-wrapped tall palm tree trunk is behind the short palm tree near the camera.

Here is that fiberglass cable TV pedestal I mentioned in yesterday's posting.   It is about 10 feet from the north edge of the patch of Philodendron plants.   The pedestal straddles the property line with the lot next door, near the rear of the property.  All the cables going in and out of this pedestal are buried under ground along the back easement right-of-way.  The subscriber drop cables are also underground going to each home.

After taking all those pictures above, I went out around 11 AM this morning to do more pruning.  I emptied the garbage can on wheels I use for yard waste, which started a new pile on the concrete top of the storm sewer at the curb.  I started walking down the sidewalk intending to go to the back yard to work on the "patch" where I found the palm tree seen in the second photo at the top of this page.  I was walking past the mailbox and saw some short fallen dead limbs from the tree in the front yard.  I put them in the garbage can and looked at the Philodendron plants in the front of the house.  At that point I began clearing the lower limbs as I did out back.  Here are the results of the trimming at the front of the house in the next three photos.  The first load is in the garbage can and most of the trimming is done.

I made three trips with the garbage can to the pile at the storm sewer by the curb.  At this point I was finished trimming before taking a break.  My new leather gloves are folded, and as you can see, I am taking a picture or two before going inside to cool off, get some ice water, and lunch.

I also trimmed back the hibiscus bush and found traces of previous pruning of it from a time before we moved here.  There was a cool breeze blowing from the west as I stood in the shade.  It is 12:55 PM as I publish the update and photos on this page. and it is time for lunch.  Depending on the temperature and breeze in the shade out back, I could get started at the patch out back to open it up.  Who knows what I will find in there?  Here is the "after" photo at the front of the house revealing many ferns that were under the Philodendrons. 

It was around 3 PM when I went outside.  The local online weather was saying it was 95 degrees.  It was really hot when I walked out to the driveway where I had left the black garbage can, my pruning shears, and my grabber.  I put on my gloves, grabbed my camera and the garbage can and started around the house to the "patch."  By the time I got there, the cool breeze blew into the neighborhood from a thunderstorm a few miles to the west.  I went to work and took this photo of the garbage can loaded up at the end of my pruning.  The short palm tree now has shorter stumps sticking out from the trunk.  It was at about this time I heard a large "thump" nearby.

When I walked around to the north side of the patch, I found this limb about 8-feet long and covered with Spanish moss.  I was glad I was on the other side of the patch when it came down and broke into two pieces as it hit the ground.  I finished filling my black garbage can with everything else and took it to the curb.  I came back later to get this thing.  I looked up after taking this photo to see the rest of the dead limb that is still about 20 feet long and has plenty of moss on it.

This is the last area I trimmed today at the south side of the patch.  You can see two tree trunks of the Philodendron plants showing how these plants propagated a few years ago.

Here is the west side of the patch looking north from near the tall palm tree.   I have to clear the dry dead brush from the ground during my next work session, whenever that happens.

Joe lives next door near "The Big Tree" and came over to offer his help.  I would not let him since he did not have gloves on and this stuff is nasty, especially the palm stems and fronds.  We had a good conversation as I unloaded the garbage can onto the pile.  He is the oldest son in that family that recently moved her from New Jersey.  When I had emptied the can he offered to help anytime,  I told him I appreciated that offer and thanked him.  At that point he left and I took the can to the patch to bring the fallen limb and the Spanish moss to the pile at the curb.

Proof now that the day's work is completed with only a few sprinkles of rain drops from the thunder storm that went to some other place.  I am publishing the updates to this page at 6:25 PM.