Anyone ever had to clear thorny Locust trees?

[oosik]

My memory has been jogged. Back 30+ years ago we burned wood. There was an old homestead that had several Black Locust. It was about three miles north - on the county road. Got permission to cut and clear these few trees. I DO NOT remember this as being any sort of "thorny" project.

I DO remember this two chord or so of locust as being much better fire wood than the pine we had been burning.

 

[henerythe8th]

Yes. VERY satisfying to watch these little sob's burn.
I'll add a few pics. 1st pic is the bean pod on a thorny branch. 2nd is a Grubber (if you
don't have many locusts). Buy the larger model.
3rd and 4th pics show thorn trunks etc. If you have these trees you will always have a burn pile.
Also these dang trees are parasitic. They will sprout up inside or next to another
tree and it makes them really hard to target because of the root systems.

Damn, you must have better luck than I with the grubber!
Bent it badly with the very first tree.
Back it went!

 

[homey53]

Maybe the Redheaded stepchild.... Glad I don't have to deal with that!!! Honey Locust is bad enough... I use Roundup or Garlon 4 Ultra to kill what pops up after I mow it down.

What little hair I have left is red (or was once), and I resemble that remark. LOL

 

[GeneSimm7]

Burn it down where it stands.

 

[oosik]

Yes - I resemble that remark also. As a young child my hair was carrot orange. Now - what little I have left - dark brown. My beard - Snow White.

Strange isn't it.

 

[Treedoc]

Water locust thorny trees! I am concerned about getting flats on the Mahinda 5010 tractor while clipping the pasture. Or my truck while riding through! Now and far into the future, but not sure how much the latter is a concern. It's because of what we always called Water Locust trees, incredibly thorny monsters. These things have thousands of thorns several inches long that are like nails, like super big hypodermic needles. If you've never seen one, check the image at the bottom. Growing up on the farm, we had to bushhog the pastures and we'd get flats from these thorns. So, what to do. How do you get rid of these? I could hire a forestry mulcher that has tracks and he could certainly do it. But how long would you need to not drive in that spot!

A couple of years ago in this same pasture, we cut some in the open pasture with a chainsaw and polesaw and carefully stacked every single limb and made brush piles. I am now going to burn those and hope every thorn burns! But I now need to clear a heavily infested spot, dozens of trees to reclaim that part of the pasture. What is the best method is the question. And also how long these thorns can remain a pest. Like, many years before they rot?

These trees are beautiful trees otherwise and make a great conversation topic; I would like to save a couple of the more picturesque ones but I worry about them shedding a limb here and there and... flats. The trees also makes great firewood but dealing with the massive thorn clusters, yikes. I suppose that these trees are cousins of the honey locust tree. I wish they were just black locust or the thornless honey locust variety.

If you're not opposed to using herbicides, that would be your best control. The easiest and generally the best long-term control is by using a "cut stump" and/or "basal bark" treatment....

Cut Stump Herbicide Treatment

This video is designed to give the basics of applying herbicide to the stump of a cut tree, shrub, or woody vine to prevent resprouting.

extension.psu.edu

 

[MissouriMax]

Water locust thorny trees! I am concerned about getting flats on the Mahinda 5010 tractor while clipping the pasture. Or my truck while riding through! Now and far into the future, but not sure how much the latter is a concern. It's because of what we always called Water Locust trees, incredibly thorny monsters. These things have thousands of thorns several inches long that are like nails, like super big hypodermic needles. If you've never seen one, check the image at the bottom. Growing up on the farm, we had to bushhog the pastures and we'd get flats from these thorns. So, what to do. How do you get rid of these? I could hire a forestry mulcher that has tracks and he could certainly do it. But how long would you need to not drive in that spot!

A couple of years ago in this same pasture, we cut some in the open pasture with a chainsaw and polesaw and carefully stacked every single limb and made brush piles. I am now going to burn those and hope every thorn burns! But I now need to clear a heavily infested spot, dozens of trees to reclaim that part of the pasture. What is the best method is the question. And also how long these thorns can remain a pest. Like, many years before they rot?

These trees are beautiful trees otherwise and make a great conversation topic; I would like to save a couple of the more picturesque ones but I worry about them shedding a limb here and there and... flats. The trees also makes great firewood but dealing with the massive thorn clusters, yikes. I suppose that these trees are cousins of the honey locust tree. I wish they were just black locust or the thornless honey locust variety.

I grew up in SW Arkansas on land filled with Osage Orange (aka beau d'arc) and what we called Honey Locust, which looked just like your picture above that you call Water Locust. Whatever its called, these will put you out of business with flats unless you line your tires. I am not sure what brand my father used, but it was something like this: Home | Tire Gard of Northwest Ohio stops flat tires in their tracks. Not endorsing this brand, but something like this is what we used to good effect.

 

[Hermio]

Water locust thorny trees! I am concerned about getting flats on the Mahinda 5010 tractor while clipping the pasture. Or my truck while riding through! Now and far into the future, but not sure how much the latter is a concern. It's because of what we always called Water Locust trees, incredibly thorny monsters. These things have thousands of thorns several inches long that are like nails, like super big hypodermic needles. If you've never seen one, check the image at the bottom. Growing up on the farm, we had to bushhog the pastures and we'd get flats from these thorns. So, what to do. How do you get rid of these? I could hire a forestry mulcher that has tracks and he could certainly do it. But how long would you need to not drive in that spot!

A couple of years ago in this same pasture, we cut some in the open pasture with a chainsaw and polesaw and carefully stacked every single limb and made brush piles. I am now going to burn those and hope every thorn burns! But I now need to clear a heavily infested spot, dozens of trees to reclaim that part of the pasture. What is the best method is the question. And also how long these thorns can remain a pest. Like, many years before they rot?

These trees are beautiful trees otherwise and make a great conversation topic; I would like to save a couple of the more picturesque ones but I worry about them shedding a limb here and there and... flats. The trees also makes great firewood but dealing with the massive thorn clusters, yikes. I suppose that these trees are cousins of the honey locust tree. I wish they were just black locust or the thornless honey locust variety.

Our honey locust trees here look like that. The thorns are strongly attracted to tires! Seriously, though, there are a couple of ways to deal with them. One is to toss dry hay or straw as high as you can on the trees, then put some kerosine or lighter fluid (never gasoline!) on the straw you can reach, and then set it on fire. The thorns are quite flammable, and most of them will burn off. Then you can cut the tree down with less risk. But what I do these days is girdle the tree twice (the tree can bridge over one cut) and wait a few years for the dead tree to shed its bark and thorns. Then I cut it down for firewood. I am not sure how long fallen thorns remain a puncture hazard, but I would keep tractors away for at least 5 years. Also be careful walking in the area. I had a thorn get me by going through a Vibram lug sole on a Carhartt safety boot.

 

[newbury]

Just the pictures of those thorny trees bring back nightmares.
About 1959 my Grandfather and Father bought a 30 acre parcel in Essex Center, Vt. when I was ~8 yrs old to build a duplex for us on it. It had about an acre of similar thorned trees, but thankfully much shorter thorns.
I think I was about 9 when they decided I could help clear it. All by hand, axe, lopper and bow saw, plus wheel barrow and garden cart. We didn't have anything motorized or electric. Many layers of clothing and brown cloth gloves were the only PPE. A serious learning experience. I must have left a quart of blood on that hill, drop by drop, over the summer.

 

[Robert walker]

Water locust thorny trees! I am concerned about getting flats on the Mahinda 5010 tractor while clipping the pasture. Or my truck while riding through! Now and far into the future, but not sure how much the latter is a concern. It's because of what we always called Water Locust trees, incredibly thorny monsters. These things have thousands of thorns several inches long that are like nails, like super big hypodermic needles. If you've never seen one, check the image at the bottom. Growing up on the farm, we had to bushhog the pastures and we'd get flats from these thorns. So, what to do. How do you get rid of these? I could hire a forestry mulcher that has tracks and he could certainly do it. But how long would you need to not drive in that spot!

A couple of years ago in this same pasture, we cut some in the open pasture with a chainsaw and polesaw and carefully stacked every single limb and made brush piles. I am now going to burn those and hope every thorn burns! But I now need to clear a heavily infested spot, dozens of trees to reclaim that part of the pasture. What is the best method is the question. And also how long these thorns can remain a pest. Like, many years before they rot?

These trees are beautiful trees otherwise and make a great conversation topic; I would like to save a couple of the more picturesque ones but I worry about them shedding a limb here and there and... flats. The trees also makes great firewood but dealing with the massive thorn clusters, yikes. I suppose that these trees are cousins of the honey locust tree. I wish they were just black locust or the thornless honey locust variety.

I have honey locust and you’re right, they are a nightmare. Two years ago I found out that Slime makes a product that works in tires with inner tubes. I ordered 3 gallons. I put about a gallon in each of my back tires and split one in the two front tires. I have not had a flat since.
I cut them down with a chainsaw, leave the stumps about 12-15” tall and immediately spray them with a mixture of 1 quart Remedy mixed with 3 quarts diesel fuel. This kills the root system. I push them up in piles and wait at least 6 months and then burn them. It’s labor intensive but in the end they are gone. Bottom line is, the Slime works. As far as how long they be the pasture, I can’t answer but I would say no more different than hitting a nail. I drive all around where I cut them on UTV and have gotten a flat on it.