Week 11

Monday I worked with Kerrick out by the carousel which was closed today. First, we used hedge shears and trimmed back the Viburnum and Euonomous bushes in the area. Then, we had to rake out the debris and put it in the compost. After that, we edged out the beds by digging a very small trench on the edge. In this area, there has been a problem with the mulch coming out of the bed whenever it rains so the trench will help stop the mulch from exiting the flowerbed. After that, we mulched the flowerbeds around the carousel. Finally, we swept up the soil we had dug out for the trench on the edge and swept up the mulch which had fallen on the sidewalk. We also put some small rocks by the downspouts to allow for drainage and prevent soil erosion where the downspouts drained.

Tuesday morning I went out with Heather and Mindy and started weeding near the polar bear exhibit. Then, I was sent to weed whip the perimeter of the large exhibit to keep the weeds from growing towards the middle and inhibiting the electric fence. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding as I was actually supposed to go into the exhibit to weed whip. After break, Kerrick and I were sent in the small polar bear exhibit to do the same thing except that we used hedge trimmers instead of weed whips. We also pulled a certain weed that was not supposed to be in the exhibit and raked up the debris. At this time, the polar bears were in the large exhibit. Finally, we continued to weed the flowerbeds near the polar bear exhibit and ended the day by putting away tools.

Wednesday morning we started of f by mowing and weed whipping out front and down by the lily pond. Then, we were sent to the service drive and pruned back vines and branches away from the fence leading up to the overflow parking lot and on the sidewalk on the service drive between the cat building and the aquatics building. After that, we weeded the bed with the Diervilla shrubs near the bison exhibit and ended the day by starting to weed the large flowerbed by the frog pond.

Thursday we continued to weed the large flowerbed by the frog pond and mulched the bed. We also seeded and watered the area where the willow tree fell down in June. Friday morning we started off by weeding and mulching the grass wall by the lions and underneath the sumac behind the grass wall by the lion exhibit. Then, we went to Como town and took down a mulberry tree which was then delivered to the primate keepers as enrichment for the gorillas because they apparently like the taste. After that, Kerrick and I went up front with Scott. We started off by cutting the suckers off of the linden trees. Next, I cut dead limbs off of the pines and spruce trees while Kerrick worked on weeding. We then went down to gates ajar to water, weed, cut back Alternanthera that was growing over top of the Echiveria, and replaced Echiveria that had fallen out. Finally, we ended the day by doing some more weeding out front and picking up the debris pile near the enchanted garden.

The plant of the week is Morus alba White or Common Mulberry. The leaves are alternate, simple, polymorphic (undivided or lobed), serrate or dentate, ovate to broad-ovate, 2-7" long, up to 6" wide, rounded or cordate at the base with a petiole .5-1" long as can be seen in the picture below. The leaf shape is the easiest way to recognize mulberry. The stem is slender, yellowish green to brownish gray, smooth, more or less shining and is slightly sweetish if chewed which is probably why the gorillas like it. Mulberry gets to be 30-50' in height with a similar spread. It is hardy to zones (4)5-8(9). The habitat is usually extremely dense and often develops a "witches" broom which gives the tree a messy, unkempt appearance. Fall color ranges from green to yellow-green to yellow. The flowers are yellowish-green and bloom time is March-April. Multiple fruit of small, fleshy drupes that are white, pinkish, red or purplish violet appear in June to July. Diseases and insects that commonly affect mulberry include bacterial blight on leaves and shoots, leaf spots, cankers, powdery mildews, scales, two-spotted mites, and other pests. Finally, there is no landscape value according to a landscape architect. (Information from Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr)