Advice on clearing composted leaves

[EgregiousAardvark]

I was tempted to write a 'which tractor should I buy' post but I'll take a different tack and go with the application. I'm purchasing a small lot (Between half and 3/4 acre) that is >50% overgrown brush and leaves. Some spots have a foot or more of leaves and brush from years of neglect. I'd like to create more cleared space for the kids and improve what's already there. The attachment shows what a good chunk of the lot looks like.

What methods/implements would you folks recommend for clearing the brush/leaves down to bare soil? I've pondered a larger GT with a 3PH/ box scraper, but I may be going down the wrong path. Hopefully the GT would transition from clearing/landscaping to maintenance of a higher quality area. (Big hope, I know!)

E.A.

 

[dusty3030]

I use drip torch. Seriously, I don't know where you are but the best option is a controlled burn.

 

[Budweiser John]

With out a tractor you’re in for a good bit of manual labor.
In my opinion, beyond a necessary chain saw, a small utility tractor with a FEL and grapple attachment are in order.
Now the downside, that level of equipment will chew up about 40 to 50K and is a lot of money to invest for an acre or less.
Depending on your long range plans, I’de shop around for a local guy or landscape outfit experienced in land development and let them have at it.

B. John

 

[EgregiousAardvark]

Now the downside, that level of equipment will chew up about 40 to 50K and is a lot of money to invest for an acre or less.
Depending on your long range plans, I’de shop around for a local guy or landscape outfit experienced in land development and let them have at it.

B. John

That's fair. I was tempted to go with a solo approach to save money but it might be pound foolish rather than have it done by someone with a SCUT or skidder.

 

[two_bit_score]

That's fair. I was tempted to go with a solo approach to save money but it might be pound foolish rather than have it done by someone with a SCUT or skidder.

Do you live on the property or is it adjacent to a parcel you already have? Point is how convenient is it for you to work on clearing it out? Do you have other property to work/maintain?

 

[EgregiousAardvark]

Do you live on the property or is it adjacent to a parcel you already have? Point is how convenient is it for you to work on clearing it out? Do you have other property to work/maintain?

Is it property I'll be moving to this summer. The house is at the front of the property with a fairly small footprint. The project could be done over time if it makes sense and I will be my only project of the sort.

 

[two_bit_score]

Well the above advice is good but if you are living there and if you have time you could clear it quite a bit without a lot of equipment if you don’t expect it to look like a park in 30 days. Just depends on the level of clearing you want to do.

Of course, the option to hire some one to do a lot of the initial heavy clearing would be sound too.

Do you have burning restrictions where it’s located? I’m not thinking a controlled burn on the whole place at once but can you burn piles of leaves and brush from time to time?

 

[Shaneard]

Personally I would hire someone with a skidsteer to come in and clean it up. Shouldn't take them long (maybe 4-8 hours) and go from there. No since in buying a machine, a garden tractor won't touch it.

 

[MossRoad]

1/2 acre is not that large. It looks like vines and small saplings. I've done it by hand with a chainsaw, pruning hooks and a garden cart. Helps to have child labor, too. :laughing:

Or rent a small tracked excavator with a thumb for a weekend rental. It would make short work of that for less than $500 for the weekend.

Or, as others have said, see how much a local person with equipment would charge you.

Again, 1/2 acre is not that big.

 

[MossRoad]

Oh, we forgot to say welcome to TBN! :thumbsup:

 

[EgregiousAardvark]

Oh, we forgot to say welcome to TBN! :thumbsup:

Thanks

 

[EgregiousAardvark]

1/2 acre is not that large. It looks like vines and small saplings. I've done it by hand with a chainsaw, pruning hooks and a garden cart. Helps to have child labor, too. :laughing:

Or rent a small tracked excavator with a thumb for a weekend rental. It would make short work of that for less than $500 for the weekend.

Or, as others have said, see how much a local person with equipment would charge you.

Again, 1/2 acre is not that big.

Oh no argument from me. I'm under no delusions of grandeur of homesteading with a BX. But I will ultimately need a riding mower, and I'd love to find if there's a way to suit both needs. From the thread, it sounds like it's more reasonable to hire it out.

 

[Diggin It]

What is your end goal? What do you plan to do with that area?


I'd probably cut and shred or burn the bigger stuff, then till the leaves and smaller stuff into the ground which would help prepare the soil for planting grass or a garden.

 

[Diggin It]

I'm under no delusions of grandeur of homesteading with a BX. But I will ultimately need a riding mower, and I'd love to find if there's a way to suit both needs.

SCUTs of varying colors can have mid mount mowers that work quite well.

 

[EgregiousAardvark]

What is your end goal? What do you plan to do with that area?


I'd probably cut and shred or burn the bigger stuff, then till the leaves and smaller stuff into the ground which would help prepare the soil for planting grass or a garden.

I foresee brush clearing and leaf schredding at first, then over time build it into grassy area. No park like intentions, just something that's more usable. Maybe gardening tho, which is why a GT piqued my interest. Nothing crazy..a few hundred square feet. (which again may be overkill).

 

[lilranch2001]

In the last three years I have cleaned up 8 acres of similar woods that now look like park land.
Mostly I have used manual labor with a chain saw, and when I get the brush and timber cleaned I go in with my commercial grade eXmark Lazer Z and clean up everything that is left.
I did have about 100 huge burn piles though.
Neighbors and friends got a lot of free fire wood that was mostly already seasoned.
Its good excersize and now I can enjoy my woods much more than when it was full of downed logs, briars and brambles!

 

[EgregiousAardvark]

In the last three years I have cleaned up 8 acres of similar woods that now look like park land.
Mostly I have used manual labor with a chain saw, and when I get the brush and timber cleaned I go in with my commercial grade eXmark Lazer Z and clean up everything that is left.
I did have about 100 huge burn piles though.
Neighbors and friends got a lot of free fire wood that was mostly already seasoned.
Its good excersize and now I can enjoy my woods much more than when it was full of downed logs, briars and brambles!

Sounds like I'm in for some hard work and sweat equity with a worthwhile outcome. Thanks!

 

[mark02tj]

If you want to buy something for that project, take a look at an older Gravely walk-behind with a 30" brush hog deck. I've used one for years on that kind of stuff and it works great. You can probably buy what you need for $750-1000.

If you don't want to buy something and you don't want something like an excavator back there, look into renting a "Billy Goat" from Home Depot. Here's a video...

Not sure where you're at or what kind of undergrowth that it, but you'll probably want to use some Round-up on the little stumps that will be left over when you're done mowing. For honeysuckle (in OH, PA, KY, IN) you'll want to mow the honeysuckle down and then hit it with a fairly high concentrate of Round-up within about 30 minutes of cutting it down - before it has a chance to really heal itself.

 

[two_bit_score]

Paint the fresh cut stumps with full strength 2,4D and they will never sprout back.

 

[CalG]

That photo in the OP is what my back yard was when we moved in some years back. Well, ours was a bit "thicker", hiding some cross laid hemlocks that the previous owners had dropped and left ;-) (Just talking about the 2 acre homestead)

Dragging the big rotten stuff to a burn pile was a start. The Fordson worked for her diner. back then.
The biggest improvement to "park like" status was when I picked up the pto powered chipper shredder. I just park it in the midst of the mess with an eye to where the chips will accumulate, and "clean up" the are around. Sticks and small trees (3 inch and under) go through the chipper. Bigger than that is for the wood stove. The leaves small sticks go down the hopper and get run through the shredder. Mulch is always welcome in our gardens and flower beds, and if left where it piles, makes great compost by and by.

I've got the largest McKissick Chip/Shred. There are others. I've also got 3 tractors with pto output. 15 25 and 50 hp.