Pulling privet

It is difficult to imagine that when we moved here just over 20 years ago, I didn't even know that privet existed.  There were some odd looking "trees" on our new property but I had no idea that they were just huge weeds.

Within the first year, we hired a friend to cut down the big privets but sadly, they grew right back, AND sprouted lots of baby privets. 

Over time, my battle with the privet has taken many forms.  In the last couple of years, I have dedicated one day each winter to pull and prune the privet that grows in the ditches bordering our yard.  Eliminating the larger, seed-producing shrubs has significantly reduced the number of random sprouts appearing in my gardens and yard.

Yard privet--the roots are deep and the stems are thick.

However, there are several patches of thick privet growth taking over our "lawn."  My husband keeps them mowed but the privet seems to enjoy the "pruning" and has developed such thick stems that walking barefoot in those spaces is like stepping on sharp spikes. 

I have finally acknowledged that pulling the privet in our yard must be added to my "to-do" list of projects.  Today seemed like a good day--the soil is moist from our abundant rain,  my garden projects are more or less
caught up, and it is a relatively cool day for July.  I worked for four hours and pulled up 3 1/2 five gallon pails of privet in the worst section of the yard.   The "pulling the privet" project has begun!