Well, since last week I found a really easy way to make a difference.
Instead of hauling away bags of rubble, take to the dump or put in the
trash maybe just a bucketful of those tiny green, paired seeds, (several
thousands, perhaps?). With someone, or oneself, holding a bucket or
trash bag underneath, use one hand to gently strip off berries. With
thumb and other fingers, start at base of twig and sweep to tip,
squeezing hard enough to take off berries, and leaving lots of the
leaves. It's easy, quick, and I guess I got about 1,000 berries in about
20 minutes! That's lots of ripening red berries avoided, and birds
can't "plant" lots of next year's crop.
It's a great family/friends project and though there's a huge
proliferation out there, every bit helps. Cutting it down? Wait 'til the
fall and then brush over the stumps with weed-killer, recommended
dilution. Not sure what it looks like? There's a piece in the Waitsfield
Post Office, and you may recognize it in your backyard! Do help out our
native species, forests. This is a serious matter, and thanks for
anything we can do.
Judy Larson DiMario
Fayston
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