I have recently acquired a little 3 acre farmlet in central Wisconsin. Currently we are farming nothing but a small flock of chickens, but we’d like to replace the massive grassy lawn with native flowers and a small orchard.
The property is ringed by a narrow strip of trees and shrubs, and I have been able to identify a thick infestation of European buckthorn choking out the understory. I am beginning the process of eliminating the buckthorn with hopes of replacing it with some native or at least more useful plants by cutting down all of the seed-bearing individuals.
My conundrum is this: I would like to take advantage of the large amount of wood I am getting from limbing up the berried buckthorn (and some seeded boxelder) by running it through an electric chipper. I figure I can use the chips to make mulch for native flower beds I want to put in next year. However, I am wary of chipping up branches with bunches of ripe berries on them for fear that I will simply be spreading those seeds to my potential mulched up beds.
Any suggestions on what to do? Are my concerns unfounded? I am open to other ideas or methods, though my resources are limited (e.g. I would like to eventually like trying making biochar from the stuff, but lack the time and the inclination to set up a proper burning apparatus for it right now).
