Dirt Moving How should I clear this brush?

[Bdavide]

Hey guys, the back acre of my land is covered in thick brush rendering the whole area useless. Id like to clear it all out leaving just the trees. Not too concerned with leveling, it will house a few animal enclosures and fenced roaming areas. Ive tried maintaining it with a bladed brush cutter, but im left with a mess of tangled (mostly blackberry) roots. And it grows back incredibly fast! I think I need a more powerful approach, hoping to get some guidance onto which would work best. Mini excavator, skid steer or mulcher? Plan to rent one for a few days or week, not plan on pulling any stumps either, just work around them.

Here are a few pictures of the land. What it looks like unmaintained with and without summer growth, then after clearing with my brush cutter (and the useless mess it creates.) any advice would be awesome! Much appreciated, cheers!

-Brad

 

[Diggin It]

The only way I tamed my blackberries was to mow and keep mowing. Mine were close to 6 feet tall in many places. I couldn't even see over them let alone walk through them. Attacked them with the field and brush mower. Made several passes over and over again to mulch them to nothing. Had to burn some piles of the brush that was left. Once all that was done, I started mowing the area regularly and it's now more lawn that wild.

Once you get it cleared, you may have to spray a few times during the year to control their comeback.

 

[STERLING351]

With out berries here I usually spray them with generic roundup wait a few days for them to begin to change color and brush hog them and sometimes run a disc over them too. It has worked good for me.

 

[Thomas]

What would be cost differents between... Mini excavator, skid steer or mulcher? Plan to rent one for a few days or week... compare to having dozer do the work?

 

[msmith]

some 24D and brush hog

 

[Captain Dirty]

Hey guys, the back acre of my land is covered in thick brush rendering the whole area useless. . . . And it grows back incredibly fast! I think I need a more powerful approach, hoping to get some guidance onto which would work best.

Mow, Mow, Mow! The root systems of the saplings and brush store energy that goes into new shoots. Until or unless you deprive the roots of more energy (provided by the new shoots) they will grow back, and fast. The perpetual mowing argues against renting (unless you rent/contract a dozer to grub the roots). OTOH, 1 acre is not a lot of land to justify a full size brush hog. Google "Earth Tools" and explore two-wheeled tractors. These are small and maneuverable to work around the stumps you are willing to leave. If you do go that route spend the money to get AG quality not stamped steel "home-owner" quality.

Alternatively, you could bring in goats, but that brings a different set of problems.

 

[jaxs]

Alternatively, you could bring in goats, but that brings a different set of problems.

Goats would be my choice if you can afford goatproof fence. You mentioned animal shelters and roaming area,what kind of animals? If you don't want to own goats,a neighbor will likely jump at the opertunity to graze his on the lot until it's cleared.

 

[Diggin It]

I understand goats love blackberry vine salad. Honeysuckle too if you have that.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Mowing is the answer here too. For us mowing three or four times each summer turns the area into weedy grass in a couple years.

gg

 

[WranglerX]

Even though environmental people don't like it, spray with 2x mixture of 40% Glyphosate, if you don't kill it first it will always come back.... I cleared about 1/2 acre of poison oak with 40% Glyphosate, if it will kill poison oak it will probably kill the blackberry... Once dead, then brush it any way practical....

Dale

 

[Oldoak]

My first choice would be a skid steer with a forestry mulcher attachment. Second choice would be a brush hog followed by spraying with generic Roundup as new growth appears. It's a lot less spraying and easier to kill new growth as it sprouts up rather than spaying old growth bushes and saplings.

Or repeated mowing as some suggest. But it definitely takes much longer to kill by just mowing alone. If anyone has poison oak or poison ivy, I wouldn't get anywhere near it with a mower if a person is as sensitive to it as I was.

 

[jeff9366]

Mowing is good for controlling brush but will create more sun for Blackberries.

It would be helpful to know your location. Blackberries in Florida or Georgia are a much different case from Blackberries in the Pacific Northwest.

I favor the herbicide Crossbow or Rural King's equivalent 'Crossroad'. Crossbow/Crossroad is 34.4% 2,4-D enhanced with 16.5% Triclopyr herbicide, with Blackberries specifically as a target. 2,4-D in general is for Broadleaf Weeds, which is Blackberries.

All 2,4-D herbicides are most effective when the target weeds are growing vigorously. This means Spring or Fall in most areas. The soil should be moist. Ideally, apply herbicide 24 hours before a soaking rain. Soaking rain carries some Crossbow from the leaves down to the roots.

Using Crossbow/Crossroad over ungrazed pasture in a one gallon sprayer in North Florida I have had 50% Blackberry kill after one application and almost 100% kill after a second application a month later. Pasture grass yellows a bit but recovers.

Read the herbicide directions, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. Do not create home brew herbicide mixtures.

Bathe and wash clothes as soon as practical after spraying.



Crossbow is a non-selective post-emergent herbicide that targets woody plants and brush such as blackberries and poison oak, as well as annual and perennial broadleaves, while leaving grasses unharmed. Crossbow achieves excellent control of woody plants and brush and can be applied by all types of sprayers, from hand-held models to tractor-mounted spray rigs. Except for lactating dairy animals there are no grazing restrictions following the application of Crossbow Herbicide. Crossbow is rainfast within two hours after application.

This is Not to be applied to home lawns.
Note: Due to New California State restrictions, this Can Not be Sold in California.

 

[4570Man]

What would be cost differents between... Mini excavator, skid steer or mulcher? Plan to rent one for a few days or week... compare to having dozer do the work?

Probably about the same to rent a skid steer or mini. The mulcher is probably double or 3 times as high assuming you can even get one.

 

[Tractorable]

How about getting a ratchet rake and ripping it out by the roots?

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Forestry mulcher...

 

[bcp]

The only way I tamed my blackberries was to mow and keep mowing.

Mowing is the answer here too. For us mowing three or four times each summer turns the area into weedy grass in a couple years.

gg

Or repeated mowing as some suggest. But it definitely takes much longer to kill by just mowing alone.

Don't forget to sing the mowing song as you work.

Mow, mow, mow your brush
Gently near the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
It will look a dream



Bruce

 

[MESSMAKER]

Mowing is the answer here too. For us mowing three or four times each summer turns the area into weedy grass in a couple years.

gg

Yep. Couple mowings and the grass will take over

 

[Bdavide]

Thanks for all the good guidance. Problem is, mowing isn't really an option for me. Pictures may not do justice but the ground is so covered in debris it would be a nightmare to mow through (take a look at the middle photo for reference). I don't own a rider but imagine that's what you all are referring to, given the condition of the ground, you guys think a rider can handle that type of terrain? And what type of sapling diameter can a powerful rider take on, like in the 20-22hp range.

Answering some of the other questions, my location is New Hampshire, cold season is long and I'm JUST starting to get early signs of buds on trees.

Cost. Mini excavator and skid steer are about the same at around $300 a day and $1,100 a week. To this point I've just assumed all the sublevel roots need to be ripped up to control the growth.

 

[Bdavide]

What would be cost differents between... Mini excavator, skid steer or mulcher? Plan to rent one for a few days or week... compare to having dozer do the work?

Excavator and skid steer rentals will run me about $300 a day or $1,000 a week. I consulted a landscaping company who quoted me around $1,000 a day, with a whole day needed to clear large stumps so his big claw could run straight through. Then 2 days to clear and pile debris. Rental route $800-$1,000, contract it out $2,800-$3,200... womp womp

 

[jeff9366]

My location is New Hampshire. Cold season is long. I'm JUST starting to get early signs of buds on trees.

Enter your New Hampshire location in your T-B-N PROFILE, so your location shows with every post you author.