How to remove 2" of topsoil in pasture?

Robert6401 · Apr 12, 2010

I have a 4 acre pasture that is riddled with prickly pear cactus and I am thinking that the best way to get it under some semblance of control is to remove about 2" of the top layer of soil. The pasture is nothing but weeds and cactus, so I'm not worried about losing anything by going this route. The soil is sandy and easily moved and dug up. Is there any advice y'all can give me on the best way to do this with my Kubota L2800?

Thanks,
Bob

Car Doc · Apr 12, 2010

I would burn it to kill the seeds and dull the cactus stickers which still may not do it then plow and/or till or disc it but I sure don't know much. I will be interested to read what some smarter people than me say? hth

Steve

Robert6401 · Apr 12, 2010

The problem with tilling or discing it is that every piece of cactus that gets broken off grows as a separate plant. That's partly why the pasture is in such bad shape now. Its just been bushhogged for years and the top of a cactus will get cut off, then that piece starts to grow. Its like the gremlins are multiplying!

Soundguy · Apr 12, 2010

I had a ton of cactus in my pasture when we got it.

in the 3ac around the house there was good grass, so i actually hand picked the cactus.. took 3 weekends to do 3 ac.. me and the wife and a couple 30g plastic trash cans, a hoe and other small hand tools... it's now gone.. never has come back.

on my 10ac piece grass was weeds so i disced it 2ys in a row and then planted grass.. some cactus came back in some areas.. but a weekend of hand picking got rid of it never to return as well.

removing 2" of soil is going to bring alot of dormant weed seed up..

soundguy

sweettractors · Apr 12, 2010

What about spot spraying the cactus or maybe spraying the entire field and after killdown, just start over from scratch. Ken Sweet

Robert6401 · Apr 12, 2010

Yeah, I really don't want to have to dig up every cactus individually. I have already filled my bucket once digging some up and that was in an area without as much cactus and just big enough for my wife's small garden. I think that would take me all summer and I just don't have that much time. I made an attempt at spot spraying just certain areas last year and it had little to no effect and took a lot more time than I care to admit. That's why I'm really looking for total annihilation of the cactus. I can deal with the weeds, but the cactus has to go!

jsygrovehpi · Apr 12, 2010

Robert6401 said:
That's why I'm really looking for total annihilation of the cactus. I can deal with the weeds, but the cactus has to go!

Napalm! :thumbsup:

sweettractors · Apr 12, 2010

Robert6401 said:
Yeah, I really don't want to have to dig up every cactus individually. I have already filled my bucket once digging some up and that was in an area without as much cactus and just big enough for my wife's small garden. I think that would take me all summer and I just don't have that much time. I made an attempt at spot spraying just certain areas last year and it had little to no effect and took a lot more time than I care to admit. That's why I'm really looking for total annihilation of the cactus. I can deal with the weeds, but the cactus has to go!

I can relate to your situation, When I was in my early teens, my Grandpaw had me grubbing those things with a hoe one entire summer at .50 cents per hour. I was sure glad to get finished with the last field. The next year we tackled the rock picking up and we put those on the outside walls of his home. That summer was a real educational experience in Masonry. Ken Sweet

smstonypoint · Apr 12, 2010

Robert6401 said:
Yeah, I really don't want to have to dig up every cactus individually. I have already filled my bucket once digging some up and that was in an area without as much cactus and just big enough for my wife's small garden. I think that would take me all summer and I just don't have that much time. I made an attempt at spot spraying just certain areas last year and it had little to no effect and took a lot more time than I care to admit. That's why I'm really looking for total annihilation of the cactus. I can deal with the weeds, but the cactus has to go!

What herbicide did you use? In my opinion, chemical (rather than mechanical) control would be less demanding on your time and your wallet. There are apparently herbicides labeled for prickly pear control.

Steve

ustmd · Apr 12, 2010

I am with everyone else. You need to use a herbicide to effectively battle the cactus.

I live in Central Texas on 10 acres and cactus can be a way of life for us. You need to remember two things:

1. Treat the cactus when is growing during the wet season. If the cactus is dormant then any herbicide you use will not be very effective.

2. Whether you use a herbicide that is available on the open market (i.e. from a home or garden center) or is restricted to a licensed individual, it will be slow

acting on the cactus. It is not like spraying weeds with RoundUp and having them die within 48 hours. Sometimes, it can take as long as a year for the herbicide to do in the cactus.

Good luck.