ImpatientGardener
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Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 6:47 pm

Cleaning up trimmings from shrubs

Hi

I have two Euonymus fortunei shrubs that I need to trim. One thing that I don't like is having to pick up all the clippings from the lawn and boarder after I trim it. Is there a trick to cleaning it up fast?

john gault
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Location: Atlantic Beach, Fl. (USDA Hardiness Zone 9a)

I don't know what these shrubs look like, but maybe you can mulch under the shrubs and rake all the cuttings under the shrubs as part of the mulch.

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Euonymus often has aphids and scale infestation on them. If that is the case with yours and you need to remove them, what I would suggest is putting down tarp (can be old vinyl shower curtain, old sheets, etc. -- something tough enough to lift up the pile of clippings by the corners -- before clipping them.

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

That is a smart idea. If the branches are large, I just drag my can over and put them in and use loppers to cut them in smaller pieces so I an get more in the can. Most of my other trees don't grow that fast or I clip them more often so those I can generally use as mulch under the plants as long as the cutting are pest free. I don't have a lot of big plants so I rake as I go and bag the cuttings. The grass is already full of weeds so I just try to mow before the seeds set and just let everything lay as mulch. I have the most problems with the neighbors' plants invading my yard. They set seed everywhere and if I don't find them in time, they are hard to get rid of.

ImpatientGardener
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Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 6:47 pm

applestar wrote:Euonymus often has aphids and scale infestation on them. If that is the case with yours and you need to remove them, what I would suggest is putting down tarp (can be old vinyl shower curtain, old sheets, etc. -- something tough enough to lift up the pile of clippings by the corners -- before clipping them.
Good idea. That's what I have been doing with some landscape fabric. I didn't see anyone else in the neighbourhood doing this, so I wondered if I was doing it wrong. I didn't see any aphids, but the leaves are pretty tough to break down into the soil which is why I was cleaning them up.



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