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Fall Yard Clean Up

Marshall Fleming Fall Yard Clean Up
Marshall Fleming Fall Yard Clean Up

Okay, I am the first to admit it; my family does not follow all the advice we have given at Behnke’s on when and what to cut back, prune, etc.

My husband and his father seem to enjoy this time of the year. Fall is when they go and whack back everything. At least it looks like everything. Since I am not the one who does the mowing or weed-eating on our property, my point of view does not hold much weight. But, I will say, “WAIT! The birds will love those seeds in the dried-up coneflowers.” My husband’s reply is “they have plenty to eat,” which they do since he just hung up our bird feeders.

Yesterday, I noticed my father-in-law, Marshall, driving by on his Kubota tractor filled with cut branches of my Smoke Bush. Out I went to see what was going on, and I had to laugh as they were attacking one of our huge grasses that had gone to seed. Marshall bought this nifty cordless battery-operated Milwaukee pole saw a while ago to help with the never-ending pruning of branches all over our properties. That grass did not stand a chance. My husband was happy since he usually does this by hand. I did save the grass in the photo by suggesting we could wait a few more weeks and enjoy it.

That led to the discussion of the pussy willow you can see in the photo. This plant (tree) won’t stop growing. It hides my view of my grandchildren playing next door, so I whacked it back with some loppers last Spring. Darn if it didn’t triple in size. My husband suggested cutting it down further. And cut it, they did. ALL THE WAY DOWN. Oh, it will come back, they said. Hmm, I guess we will find out next year.

At least now I can see where I can plant some more daffodils. Just don’t tell my husband!

Stephanie Fleming was raised at Behnke’s Nurseries in Beltsville. Her Mom, Sonja, was one of Albert & Rose Behnke’s four children. She was weeding from the moment she could walk and hiding as soon as she was old enough to run, so many weeds, so little time. Although she quickly learned how to pull out a perennial and get taken off of weed pulling duty.

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