Plant Removal
I swung a Mattock Pick yesterday to bust up the root ball of a plant I was trying to remove. It didn’t take me long to realize these old limbs aren’t what they used to be. Brute force is no longer my forte especially for extended periods. That’s a slightly sad feeling. But that’s okay, at least I’m still trying. I’m just going to manage it in bursts. Whack it once or twice, then dig a little. Sometimes patience pays off. Besides, what’s the hurry?
I’ve got until spring to get this done and this weekend’s weather might help, because it’s supposed to rain. The moisture should get deep enough that it will loosen the ground. At some point I’ll just have cut and pull. In my experience this isn’t a plant that will regenerate from the roots. So that’s a good thing. I’m just trying to give a little tree a bit more breathing room, and judging by the root ball, this plant eats up a lot of space and getting rid of it will help.
In the end, however, this might be about more than giving a tree a hand. I may just be tired of the plant in question and want to try something else. I am pretty good at rationalizing, and as explanations go, I think helping a tree is a good one. Besides, who’s going to argue with me? Since I’m on my own now, I no longer have to run my decisions by anyone. I miss that collaborative spirit, but this is my life and now I only have myself to blame for anything that happens. I guess these are the days of no excuses.