Yes! We have no bananas!

Banana Tree Removal
One of the "not on the fun list" things that has been keeping me busy is the removal of a bunch of banana... trees! Dad had gotten 3 banana tree saplings a couple of years ago and planted them in the backyard. I was actually excited about the prospect of growing bananas in the backyard until certain things came to my attention.

1. They grow like weeds (they spread out, other saplings grow from the original).
2. It was the plantain-type bananas, they have to be cooked.
3. They NEED a lot of water to produce fruit.
   

Dad planted one of the saplings a little too close to one of the fences shared by the neighbor and the wall is now leaning to the point of "uh-oh". The point of "uh-oh" have been known to turn into "^#$*&^%$*%"!!!! So, I'm digging up banana trees! I say banana trees because from that one sapling, I am now dealing with multiple trees (see #1 above). Here are more facts about banana trees.

1. They are like Yucca trees. If you didn't know, they have a high water content.
2. They do not die easily! See #1!
3. You can't take a chain saw to them. They are fibruous and see #1!
4. You can't take an axe to them. Axes are too think, they bounce off after the initial cut because see #1 & #3!
5. You have to use a machete! Fortunately, I had one of those! No self respecting Pilipino will not have one or four in the tool shed!
6. Their root system are tenacious! They hold on and they spread!

So, with these facts in mind my tools are:

1. machete
2. shovel
3. pick axe
4. gloves (which get slippery if you handle the banana trunks soaked with its water content)
5. My aching back!

But it isn't going to win!

The start. At the corner!

Diggin in and the first root!

This one has a lot of roots!

8 down! Don't know how many more!