Trimmin' up the treeline...

HunterdonPaul · Mar 11, 2002

Trimmin\' up the treeline...

Hi everyone,
I haven't been around lately as I have been working like crazy. I have a question for anyone who can help. I have about a half mile of treeline (you know the one that used to separate different farms here in NJ). I have a fence that is parallel to this treeline and the treeline is starting to get pretty close to it. The majority of the brush is wild rose bushes which are really hard on air filled tires (and especially on unprotected skin - ouch). Someone here suggested I use a weed wacker with a blade - this would take me until next summer to finish. What would be the typical piece of equipment for this job?

Thanks,
Paul

MossRoad · Mar 11, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

Brush hog!

EdKing · Mar 11, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

If you can't get in there with your brush hog, the best way I found is with a pruning hook with a long handle. Just slide it in and cut them off at the base. This keeps you away from the thorns, believe it or not it is a lot quicker than a weed eater, and you won't get cut as much by the thorns.

Ed King

rancar · Mar 11, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

Paul,

For this type of work, I have a Stihl string trimmer/brush cutter. I change the heads and I use a saw blade (made specifically for the Stihl; you'd need to purchase at Stihl dealer) to cut these type of bushes out. Goes pretty quick, not as slow as you think. Just wear good work boots and gloves. Hope this helps.

Regards,
Bob Ancar
Cambridge, NY

RobS · Mar 12, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

If you're going to attack them off your tractor you might want to invest in a pair of hunters brush pants. I have a pair from my (long ago) rabbit hunting days and you can walk right through the brush without a scratch.

I would use my brush hog though. If you can't go at in forward, you can always raise it up, back in then lower it on the offensive stuff. Good luck and be careful /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MossRoad · Mar 12, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

I can go at it forward /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif.

EdKing · Mar 12, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

If those are mulit-floral roses, the hunting pants won't help. I rabbit hunt every year in the roses, and find the only way not to get cut is to go around them.

Ed King

TerryinMD · Mar 12, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

pborsetti,

We have multiflora rose all over the place on my property.

One of the easier ways to take care of these beasts (and I mean beasts as they will eat you if they could /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif) is to do the following.

1. Use your FEL with a toothbar and grub (scrape, pull, dig, push, whatever) the nasty things into a pile and create a bonfire. They burn quickly.
2. Once you've ripped all of the nasty things out, you can safely bushhog and maintain the fencerow in painless peace.

If you continue to bushhog for a couple of years, the chances of them returning is diminished. The grow two ways - seeds and by sucker roots. Multiflora does not like to be constantly cut and will die out if you keep after it.

Hope this helps...

Terry

poorboy · Mar 12, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

These guys have some really good advice here. I would like to also add my experiences with multiflora roses.

1. Cutting them out, as well as dozing them out will make them grow with more vigor.

2. Spraying them in the first fews weeks of green up will reduce the rate of regrowth.

3. Seeds usually are spead by birds and sure way to totally surpress regrowth is to remove the objects that the birds relieve themselves from.

4.Weedeater with a brush blade best to cut the base loose and a hoe to pull the remainder away.

5.Re-statement of number 2, Spray them before you cut them since most of the chemicals work best through the foilage on these critters. So much more satisifying knowing your probably only going through this torture once. Plus something deep down loves to watch these suckers wilt./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Just my experience. Good luck and watch your scalp.

Patrick

dmccarty · Mar 13, 2002

Re: Trimmin\' up the treeline...

Paul,

I would use the rotary cutter if I could access the space withe the tractor.

If I can't use the tractor then it would be my Stihl brush cutter with a brush cutting head.

I have not used chemicals but I might give it a shot....

Well, you have heard all this before, but here is the new bit... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I have seen adds in forestry magazines for "attachments" for brush cutters.
The attachments looks like a sponge with a line to a bottle. You put the
plant killing chemical into the attachment and when you cut the brush the
chemical is applied to the plant hopefully killing it for good. And you would
not use much chemical.

I have never used this, I have just seen the adverts.

Maybe one of our forestry guys have used this attachment...

If the plants are real long you might want to see if you can
get a long pole for the brush cutter. I know some tools can
be extended but I don't know if the particular model I have
can do this. I have use my brush cutter to go after some
vicious briers and a longer pole might help...

Hope this helps...
Dan McCarty