Removing invasive trees/shrubs/vines

[GFL]

We have trees-of-heaven (ailanthus), wild roses (multifloria), bitter sweet, wisteria and cats claw. We need an implement to remove the growth and the roots. I believe a root grapple may be a good.

I would appreciate and comments and/or suggestions.

We want to purchase a tractor and the implements.

Thanks,
Gary

 

[wedge40]

Not sure what the root structure is of the plants you mentioned, but root grapple or if a vine or weed you could try the ratchet rake. I have a root grapple and use it on invasive honeysuckle. I've tried cutting and it just comes back bigger the next year.

Wedge

 

[1bush2hog]

Depending on the level of infestation, you may need more than a mechanical means to rid your property of these invasives. If you have oriental bittersweet and wisteria in the tree tops be careful trying to pull these out with a FEL. They can be hiding dead limbs that can dislodge and fall on you or your equipment

Do some research on herbicides and treatment practices that are more effective on these invasives Cutting vines at the base of the tree and treating the cut end with herbicide will take care of the bittersweet and wisteria. What is left in the tree will rot and fall out on its own. Whatever you do don't mow or cut this stuff. It will return with a vengeance

Tree of Heaven will require a basil bark treatment to remove it. While a foliar application will usually take care of the multiflora rose. Mixture rates, application process and timing are all critical and different for each invasive

Be patient as eradication may take several years of follow up treatments

Good luck

 

[Jerry/MT]

We have trees-of-heaven (ailanthus), wild roses (multifloria), bitter sweet, wisteria and cats claw. We need an implement to remove the growth and the roots. I believe a root grapple may be a good.

I would appreciate and comments and/or suggestions.

We want to purchase a tractor and the implements.

Thanks,
Gary

Rent a small crawler with clearing forks on the blade and blade then down and out. Treat any regrowth with Crossbow or an appropriate herbicide approved for use on those plants.

 

[radioman]

ratchet rake. straps onto your FEL. :thumbsup:

 

[murphy1244]

We have trees-of-heaven (ailanthus), wild roses (multifloria), bitter sweet, wisteria and cats claw. We need an implement to remove the growth and the roots. I believe a root grapple may be a good.

I would appreciate and comments and/or suggestions.

We want to purchase a tractor and the implements.

Thanks,
Gary

Do not just cut down tree of heaven. You must slice it and treat with pathfinder etc. If you just cut it down you will have a whole lot of runners giving you lots of new trees.

 

[jeff9366]

It takes an awfully powerful tractor to make use of a root grapple, which is a heavy implement.

Root grapples work better on skid loaders / track loaders which are designed to PUSH than on tractors, which are designed primarily to PULL.

A root grapple should be able to penetrate the dirt 18" and drag out roots at that depth. This requires a lot of power.

A Ratchet Rake does a great job of tearing out brush and other vegetation near the surface. For $299 it is a high value attachment. My Kubota B3300SU has 33 horsepower and that is enough to work my 52" RR satisfactorily.

I generally make a pass or two with my King Kutter Rotary Cutter, wait a week or two, then pull against whatever sprouts with the Ratchet Rake.

I may Ratchet Rake a second time after another week or spot kill with Glycophosphate. A lot depends on the weather.

Wild roses are tough. Only have a few in my area. I dig the corms out with a shovel. They are generally less than 18" underground but generally too deep to be pulled out by the Ratchet Rake. Glycophosphate will kill wild roses but it takes 3-5 applications. I find it simpler to use the shovel to remove the corms.

 

[smstonypoint]

Wild roses are tough. Only have a few in my area. I dig the corms out with a shovel. They are generally less than 18" underground but generally too deep to be pulled out by the Ratchet Rake. Glycophosphate will kill wild roses but it takes 3-5 applications. I find it simpler to use the shovel to remove the corms.

Crossbow(triclopyr & 2,4-D) has done a good job on multiflora roses for me.

Steve

 

[Oaktree]

Not familiar with the plants the OP mentioned, but I have an acre or so of some sort of low-bush sumac (not sure what it is exactly, but the leaves look like sumac). I just bush-hogged it, and keep the area mowed regularly. Seems to have kept the worst of it under control. Unfortunatley some of the area is kind of swampy so I can't mow that as often as I'd like.

A neighbor has had some luck with Roundup on this stuff, for me it didn't really help much.

 

[MtHam]

In our area we have an invasive bush known as Scotch Broom that like other similar plants must be pulled up by the roots, or it will just grow back, stronger than ever. A great tool for dealing with this is the Weed Wrench.

Weed Wrench Company
Weed Wrench Company
Weed Wrench woody plant puller is an all-steel professional grade tool made in the USA.

"Weed Wrench is a manually-operated, all-steel tool designed to remove woody plants by uprooting. Powerful jaws with an 18:1 gripping leverage are teamed with a 6:1 leverage for pulling even the toughest troublemakers. Weed Wrench was patented in 1987 and for 19 years it has been proven effective from coast to coast on a wide variety of woody plants. Weed Wrench is an efficient, safe, selective, permanent means of eliminating unwanted shrubs and sapling trees. With Weed Wrench, soil disturbance is minimal and desirable plants are unharmed. Persons of ordinary strength can use it effectively after only seconds of familiarization. And it's fun! An important part of Weed Wrench's success has been that most people find it fun to use."

 

[greasemonkeyok]

A great tool for dealing with this is the Weed Wrench.

:thumbsup:


Ditto on the Weed Wrench. The instructions tell you to use a rocking motion instead of one big power pull. It works very well if you use that technique.

 

[RaydaKub]

And it's fun! An important part of Weed Wrench's success has been that most people find it fun to use."

Looks very effective. But I doubt it can be as much fun as seat time.

 

[1bush2hog]

:thumbsup:


Ditto on the Weed Wrench. The instructions tell you to use a rocking motion instead of one big power pull. It works very well if you use that technique.

That might work great if you have a small scale to work on and you have no steep hills to lug 25lbs around. You will also create a nice seed bed for regen I"ll take spray. Thank you

 

[Mark Page]

Glycophosphate will knock most stuff but it won't kill it. The last time I bought it the Farm Supply store gave me a 1/2 gallon of liquid nitrogen. I mix 25% more glycol than recommended and 1/2 the amount of recommended glycol in liquid nitrogen. This como will kill everything for good. Beware around grass or trees you want to save.
If you've got an overgrown field your best bet is to bush hog it on a regular basis. I've turned an overgrown plot into halfway decent pasture.

 

[wrooster]

The last time I bought it the Farm Supply store gave me a 1/2 gallon of liquid nitrogen.

I think some folks may know what you mean -- but you didn't buy a 1/2 gallon of liquid N. :laughing:

Wrooster

 

[wrooster]

Do some research on herbicides and treatment practices that are more effective on these invasives Cutting vines at the base of the tree and treating the cut end with herbicide will take care of the bittersweet and wisteria. What is left in the tree will rot and fall out on its own. Whatever you do don't mow or cut this stuff. It will return with a vengeance

I agree with everything above. My experience with wisteria (both chinese and japanese) is that the ONLY 100% effective approach is to poison the root system. In fact, I have had 6" diameter wisteria up in cherry trees, strangling them. You can't pull these size vines out of tree. In fact I have hung a Mini-Ex from some of these hefty vines. :laughing:

In these cases I cut the vine about 2' up from the soil, soaked a folded up paper towel in 40% Gly, placed it over the cut end of the vine, and then used a rubber band to secure a plastic sandwich bag over the "stump". A month later, the vine and ALL of it's "offspring" are dead. It will take 3 years for the vines to dry out and rot out of the tree. But the tree will thank you.

Wrooster

 

[dwhite]

I have just applied Garlon 4 in diesel to my alanthus trees this spring. It works. Will have to treat again next spring for those we missed. My woods are overtaken by MF Rose and I am planning on going to war with them. Will apply glyphosate with backpack sprayers this summer and repeat yearly until gone. There is no machinery that could help me do this due to the inaccessibility.

 

[Mark Page]

I think some folks may know what you mean -- but you didn't buy a 1/2 gallon of liquid N. :laughing:

Wrooster

View attachment 270077


View attachment 270078

I always wondered about that. For nitrogen to exist as a liquid is must be kept very cold. I wonder now what he gave me.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Just a side story on chemical application. In my area we have blackberries and alder considered invasive. Spraying blackberries, or any ryzome type plant in the summer is wasting chemicals. The best time is fall when the berries start to shrivel. The plant is sucking sugars back to the ryzome for winter dormancy and if you spray then you kill the root. 2 nd best time is in the spring when new leaves are starting. and third is as you are cutting if in the summer, and I mean applying within a couple of minutes of the cut. Also be prepared to reapply for many years...

 

[1bush2hog]

Here's a link to some pretty good info on invasives: TNC Global Invasive Species Team page