Eliminating the vinca that surrounded the back and side of our home was the first thing I did when we moved in 15 years ago and turned out to be easier than I’d been led to believe. I covered the beds with black plastic (there weren’t flowers anyway), I think for a full season. Tricky part was draining the rain to prevent mosquitoes. Subsequent years I just made sure to dig up any shoots I found. There were more in the early years but it was never more than maybe a dozen.
We're fortunate that the vinca is contained by sidewalk/road/driveway. It's slowly taking over a bed of rosebushes and raspberry canes, so I do need to rip it out eventually. For now I'm just clearing space around the bushes.
We have a dome over the top and a squirrel baffle on the pole. The pole is in the middle of the yard as far as possible from anything squirrels could jump from. Our neighbor's maple overhangs our (small) backyard, so finding that position was tricky and at first all the pictures we got were squirrel bottoms, but adding the dome solved that problem. They can leap from the tree onto the dome but can't under it onto the feeder.
Eliminating the vinca that surrounded the back and side of our home was the first thing I did when we moved in 15 years ago and turned out to be easier than I’d been led to believe. I covered the beds with black plastic (there weren’t flowers anyway), I think for a full season. Tricky part was draining the rain to prevent mosquitoes. Subsequent years I just made sure to dig up any shoots I found. There were more in the early years but it was never more than maybe a dozen.
We're fortunate that the vinca is contained by sidewalk/road/driveway. It's slowly taking over a bed of rosebushes and raspberry canes, so I do need to rip it out eventually. For now I'm just clearing space around the bushes.
Oh Lissa. I love this! Hearing about your yard transformation is so exciting and so you. Makes me miss you all the more.
Sarah!!! I miss you to pieces!
Late to this convo, but HOW DO YOU KEEP THE SQUIRRELS OUT OF THE BIRD FEEDER? (A chance to change another life! :) )
We have a dome over the top and a squirrel baffle on the pole. The pole is in the middle of the yard as far as possible from anything squirrels could jump from. Our neighbor's maple overhangs our (small) backyard, so finding that position was tricky and at first all the pictures we got were squirrel bottoms, but adding the dome solved that problem. They can leap from the tree onto the dome but can't under it onto the feeder.
The scrub jays, on the other hand... 😄
Ah, smart.
Squirrel bottoms....😂