Post-forestry mulching

[northcaroliney]

We've utilized forestry mulching to clear at least the smallest of forest growth across multiple acres. This seemed like a good idea primarily to save money, but also to preserve larger growth. Well, now we've got larger growth that we still need to get rid of to thin out further, and I've got a bit of a conundrum on how to deal with the roots and stumps left in a mulched area. The intent is for this to be pasture, and not the kind of pasture where livestock breaks its leg(s). Will have access to ~ 35 HP tractor - I think 25-30 HP PTO. My thoughts are a potato plow, followed by box blade, followed by disking... Thoughts on this plan?

 

[nybirdman]

I had about seven acres cleared last year with a skid-steer and forestry head(FECON).After that;cut the remaining small trees for firewood;hired an excavator to remove the stumps;a friend disc(with 200 HP tractor
and large heavy discs.)plowed and planted with our equipment.
You will be a long time doing similar with a small tractor;I know,did it for ten years!

 

[Industrial Toys]

Seems like pretty small equipment. We had forestry work done. A hundred HP tracked SS and a forestry mulcher is what I would use if I could afford it. I had a big excavator start to tear out stumps, but I could see it was going to be too costly to rip out the stumps and fix the holes.

I kind of had a hard time following your desription of what exactly you have going on.

 

[northcaroliney]

Seems like pretty small equipment. We had forestry work done. A hundred HP tracked SS and a forestry mulcher is what I would use if I could afford it. I had a big excavator start to tear out stumps, but I could see it was going to be too costly to rip out the stumps and fix the holes.

I kind of had a hard time following your desription of what exactly you have going on.

We hired someone with a 100+ HP SS/Fecon type mulcher to do the mulching... Now we're trying to figure out our best options from there on how to turn it in pretty, smooth, useable (hole-free, minimize rotting stumps) pasture. Too late to reconsider mulching as a method to get to pasture.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Why are there roots and stumps left if you had it mulched? Everything above grade should be mulch.

 

[northcaroliney]

Right... Everything above grade is gone. I'm more worried about the insidious nature of allowing the roots and stumps to decay under ground and then collapsing when a large animal (think horse or cow) steps on them in a year or five.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have no experience there, but I don't imagine that would be a worry at all. I think the material falls in on itself and gets compressed. Might leave a slight indentation in the ground. Not like it decays leaving a void. Animals are not quite that stupid either. A ground hog hole is another matter. And I still don't recall a whole bunch of broken legs on account of those.

 

[TractorGuy]

I had 2 acres cut in the early 80s. As the stumps began to rot I chopped them out with an axe and shovel. (was much younger then) Mostly just fought depressions but I did get the majority of the stump and roots out. Had a couple that rotted and created a sure nuff crater. One such hole a visitor almost tore the front end of their car out when they hit it. I went out to mark it with a piece of PVC pipe about 6 foot long and when I stuck it in the hole it disappeared. I have seen countless proponents of mulching say it works fine and you won't get holes but my experience would not support that.

I had another 5 acres clear cut 3 years ago and bought a backhoe to dig out the stumps. Some of these go 6 to 8 feet deep. I'm sure a certain amount fills in as it rots but no way it won't leave a significant depression or hole. I still have about half of it left to do but I haven't gone after it full speed. I keep finding other projects I want to move in front of it.

The latest project is I bought a mid size tractor to replace my little one and I'm rebuilding a loader for it so I can order a grapple. Don't know why since I did half already without a grapple and should have little to no use for one when it's done but it passes the time. #retiredlife

 

[treemuncher]

My experience is to mulch it, seed it and keep it maintained. I've got areas on my property that I mulched down over 20 years ago and I've never had any stump issues. Most were hardwoods with some pines and cedars mixed in. No holes to be found. I normally mulch anything in my path up to 20" dbh but take out larger stuff when required to.

Mulching out nothing but the small weed trees and then calling in an excavator would be inefficient in my experience. If stumps need to be removed, doing it after mulching them down to grade will speed things up as they will break apart easily with a Tiger Tooth mounted on a bucket corner. Even when dozing, low cut stumps will break apart easy. The excavated stump pieces can then be mulched and a finish cut put onto the project prior to seeding.

Holes may be an issue with soil type as the soils get wet and then dry out in cycles. As a stump rots, I would expect the soils that were disturbed by the growing stump would naturally be inclined, by gravity and water, to settle back down into the original positions.

I've had a number of farmers and property owners that have seeded property after I've mulched it and never had any complaints about stump holes. This has been through a variety of soil types from MS River Loams to Red Rock Gravels, Flint gravels and Red Sand clays. The only problem I usually see is soil compaction around stumps which makes them seem to raise up out of the ground and become a mower hazard.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That's weird. To me it's one of those things. A deck or other wooden thing you wants rots to pieces tomorrow, but something like a stump, you want gone, is firm for seemingly ever!