BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I keep meaning to put a pair of pruners in my bag and cut back the Queen Ann's Lace or whatever it is that has encroached onto the sidewalk on Joncaire Street headed down toward panther hollow. Always on autopilot in the morning though and I forget.

I think most folks would be thankful, esp. if you are just trimming back weeds and stray branches on shrubby type plants. If it's a tree and you are cutting a limb, you want to take some care to protect the tree. Here's a Guide from the USDA

I say go for it! See what you can do about the bugs too.

Good call, I actually made a similar plea for the Junction Hollow Trail a week or so ago. There are overgrown branches and plant and earth debris washed out from I'm assuming the inordinate amount of rain we've been getting lately.

I know I did my part a month or so ago when I whacked numerous Japanese Knotweed plants back away from the entrance to the Jail Trail at Bates Street.

I would recommend cutting the offending branches way far back, so they don't come back in like two weeks

those gnat swarms are brutal. ugh.

The overgrowth next to the science center is bad. It chokes off 50% of the path right at a turn. Pretty soon, I'm going to have to adjust my commute to use surface streets through there. It's getting to the point where it's no longer safe. Whom can I contact about this? I think the offending bush is on the SC's property. Would that the be SC or 311?

Depends on the problem. Pruning shears should be good for weedy growth, but not so good for woody. Just be sensible about how you stow them on your bike ("running with scissors" and all that).

I just happened to be out hacking vegetation on the Duck Hollow trail this afternoon (its lack of maintenance had been bugging me for a while). I took along a pair of bypass pruners and a small folding pruning saw. These were enough to deal with most of the problems on the trail (like sharp branches at eye level). The saw managed limbs up to about 3" diameter.

If anyone is so inclined, the walkways along the under/over passes on the south side of Glenwood Bridge could use some some shearing work; mostly tall weeds.

By the way, I counted about 3 riders per hour while I was there. People, this is one of the nicest rides in the city. Get out there.

An editorial comment: while I don't mind doing some free-lance maintenance now and then, I don't understand why these trails aren't being taken care of. Who's responsible for this getting this work done? Who do we complain to? Grr.

Oh, man, Joncaire Street pruning would be much appreciated. If only I could attach spinning blades to my wheels like some manic, two-wheeled gladiator. Actually, that might help in traffic, too.

@Alhir, the Duck Hollow trail is city owned but I don't know how much maintaining they do. There is a trail cleanup held there each year as part of ORSANCO River Sweep. It's actually this Saturday (6/19) from 9-12.

I took a ride sunday morning with my lopping shears and pruning shears and was able to clean up a dozen or so of the worst offending trees and bushes along the trail from the point to Washington's crossing. There are a couple bushes that require either a machete or gas powered trimmer to address. I have the sneaking suspicion my wife disposed of my machete a decade or so ago, as my bush whacking days appeared to be over. On my ride in this AM I notice a few more minor candidates for the blade.

I think I will just keep the pruning shears in my bag and stop every now and then for a trim...

re the river trail on the northside: I sent the 311 hotline an email about the trail on Friday and this morning, on the way in, they were cutting the grass and had another tractor with a motorized attachment trimming the overhanging limbs.

The huge shrub behind the science center is a real problem because of the heavy foot traffic and also because of the dirt -- and when it rains, mud -- covering the trail in that spot. I followed up with another email to the 311 system this morning.

I'm topping this old thread for 2011, and I may top others of the same ilk. I guess I have a couple of related questions.

A) Where are the biggest problem areas for knotweed and other overgrowth?

If I were to carry some weed-whacking equipment with me, what would I carry and how would I best carry it? I figure for starters just having a big sharp knife and a machete with me, maybe a small pair of pruning shears.

C) Is there an organization, other than calling 3-1-1, which helps keep track of these areas? I'm thinking staircases, trails, sidewalks, and not just the city either.

D) Knotweed in particular, does anyone have a good way to attack this early in the season before it's six feet high and the patch 50 feet in diameter?

I found that the best way to deal with knot weed (I had some 10k sq feet in my back yard) was to grab the stalks down by the base and just pull the knot out of the ground. Then you keep running it over with a lawnmower for 10 years and it should keep it down.

@Stu - 3-1-1 or Friends of the Riverfront.

-1 on the lawnmower method, according to this and other websites.

@ejwme, I think you were the one who mentioned to me a very good method, just to have a barrel in the yard with a lid, pull them out whole, and let them rot in the barrel. The important thing is to avoid spreading pieces, including cut or mowed pieces, as every chunk will re-root.

the city has started spraying knotweed with cinnamon oil. apparently this is the miracle cure we have all been searching for.

eat it. knotweed is good for urban foraging this time of year. pick stalks 6-10 inches or so. taller/older ones are not tender enough.

tastes like rhubarb- here's an article with a recipe: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_189525.html

I'm just going to rig some chainsaws to my handlebars to take care of all the brush on the jail trail. If you see me coming, duck. Actually, no, probably try peddling in the opposite direction.

Careful, you may give Bumper Bike Guy, (Aaron M.), an idea...