Yep, there was initially (back in '85) a couple of cut acres of grass here -- and the first couple of years I cut it with a push lawn mower. Then I planted a natural prairie and a few hundred tree seedlings from the DNR. And I know why people cut the grass -- if you don't, you will have a forest, and you might want a cleared area around your house. Just stop cutting, and those Native Invasives (trees) will take over! Of course, even if you have a prairie, I still need to either burn it, or bush mow it every few years or else it too will turn into a forest -- the forest will take over the prairie, not vice-versa!
And, I used to get 100's of ticks and 1000's of chigger bites, but never even one any more, and no chemicals, no DEETS. Insect Shield (Permethrin-treated) Clothing really does work. See my posting: https://timellison.substack.com/p/my-missionary-work
And, yes, I do have to admit, after cutting the grass, it sure does look nice!
I consider pines to be junk trees, and they are not native to this area. I like Oak, Beech, Hickory (nice hardwoods) and dogwoods and red buds, etc.; and if you want tall trees in your forest really quickly, plant some tulip poplars. You used to be able to buy "nature packs", about 120 seedlings with about 10 different species of trees for something like 18$ (back around 1985). I see that they still sell them:https://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/tree-seedling-nurseries/instructions/
You can literally plant 100 in a day: just put a spade into the ground, push it to make a gap, put in the dormant seedling, and smush it back together with your boot! (and I would pour some water in there from the bucket I used to carry around the dormant seedlings). Pretty much every single one grew.
And, at one point this land had been a Christmas Tree farm, so I have quite a few more pines than the average natural Southern Indiana Forest.
And, I'm hiring a logger to come in and cut a lot of these pines for me (should have done it years ago when it would have been trivial) because they are completely shading my PV array.
Hey, be GREEN, cut down a forest today!
AND yes, I have some very nice Cedars and White Pines -- which I love -- and a few of these beauties will survive the slaughter ...
Hey Hoosier Yeti --
Yep, there was initially (back in '85) a couple of cut acres of grass here -- and the first couple of years I cut it with a push lawn mower. Then I planted a natural prairie and a few hundred tree seedlings from the DNR. And I know why people cut the grass -- if you don't, you will have a forest, and you might want a cleared area around your house. Just stop cutting, and those Native Invasives (trees) will take over! Of course, even if you have a prairie, I still need to either burn it, or bush mow it every few years or else it too will turn into a forest -- the forest will take over the prairie, not vice-versa!
And, I used to get 100's of ticks and 1000's of chigger bites, but never even one any more, and no chemicals, no DEETS. Insect Shield (Permethrin-treated) Clothing really does work. See my posting: https://timellison.substack.com/p/my-missionary-work
And, yes, I do have to admit, after cutting the grass, it sure does look nice!
I consider pines to be junk trees, and they are not native to this area. I like Oak, Beech, Hickory (nice hardwoods) and dogwoods and red buds, etc.; and if you want tall trees in your forest really quickly, plant some tulip poplars. You used to be able to buy "nature packs", about 120 seedlings with about 10 different species of trees for something like 18$ (back around 1985). I see that they still sell them:https://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/tree-seedling-nurseries/instructions/
You can literally plant 100 in a day: just put a spade into the ground, push it to make a gap, put in the dormant seedling, and smush it back together with your boot! (and I would pour some water in there from the bucket I used to carry around the dormant seedlings). Pretty much every single one grew.
TimE.
Well, I too live in a Cedar Sided house !
And I have some huge pines, and cedars.
And, at one point this land had been a Christmas Tree farm, so I have quite a few more pines than the average natural Southern Indiana Forest.
And, I'm hiring a logger to come in and cut a lot of these pines for me (should have done it years ago when it would have been trivial) because they are completely shading my PV array.
Hey, be GREEN, cut down a forest today!
AND yes, I have some very nice Cedars and White Pines -- which I love -- and a few of these beauties will survive the slaughter ...