It wasn’t easy.  After many hours, sore muscles and falls, the cotoneaster is at least tamed.

Above is a picture of about halfway through the clearing.  It shows some of the biggest roots that had been growing for years.

Now the brush has to be dragged to the burn pile.                                   

I tried to paint each exposed root end with brush killer.  If that works it would be wonderful, but cotoneaster is a persistent vine.  So it’s only been tamed, not eradicated.  At least the rhododendron and blueberries are breathing a little easier now.

The brush is ready to burn when it dries out, and a hay mulch is spread on the roots.  How good it feels to have that job done!