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duster
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2014 01:39pm
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My land has a massive amount of overgrowth - simply cutting it with a brush cutter doesn't do much. I t grows back within a few weeks.
Does anyone have suggestions for getting rid of these weeds and underbrush for good?
These are pics of my lot, taken from the same spot, roughly, back in May, and then 5 weeks later. As you can see, we're being over-run.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2014 01:48pm
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Aside from some strategy of just killing it all with hideous chemicals, I'd say this is why brush hogs on the back of a tractor are so popular. With a large enough tractor the work goes fast so you don't mind doing it frequently, with too small a tractor for the acreage involved the task is odious. Another popular alternative is goats, who eat all that stuff to the ground. But then you have to take care of the goats. Some people maintain goat herds for the purpose of renting them to people like you twice a year to munch it down to the ground.
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duster
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2014 03:23pm
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Thanks, bldginsp - some interesting ideas there. I think that since I'm planning on being up at the property a handful of times a year, I may look into renting a tractor/brushcutter.
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2014 05:53pm
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I clear an area for the camp. But I leave the rest for bird habitat and other critters. I now have way over 100 nesting pairs in my area.
Inc. wild turkey, least and american bittern, vireo, numerous sparrows, meadowlark, various blackbirds, phoebe/flycatchers, bobolinks, baltimore oriels this year ... etc, etc.
Key benefits are fewer bugs that bite and the wonderful songs.
I do have a bush hog and a 4 stroke weed wacker for clearing around the camp buildings and creating paths.
if you rent one watch out. it is too much fun.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2014 06:44pm
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Duster- i think you are on the right track with a rental. I wanted to rent a small tractor for my property, but it turned out my little pickup wasn't rated for the weight to pull (and stop) it on the trailer. A small tractor (25-30 hp) such as at the rental places will only be good enough for a few acres. Don't know how much you are trying to deal with. How far is the closest rental place?
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OwenChristensen
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2014 07:15pm
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It's competition for available sunlight. Once you loose your timber the brush is a constant. Try to brush around any trees and let them grow. Or just brush trails and not the whole thing. Keep mowing trails and you'll have timber someday.
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old243
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2014 09:45pm
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Get to know someone in the neighborhood, there is usually someone with a tractor and brush hog. Don't know if you are in a snow area, you might also use them for snow blowing, hauling stuff, etc. Also good to know the neighbors. old243
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toyota_mdt_tech
Member
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:32am
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I use casoron granules on my driveway to keep weeds at bay, a little hand held broadcast spreader.
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2014 11:15am
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Old234, you're describing me. Brush hog. Snow blower. Need for cash. Probably cheaper, but not as much fun, as renting. 
Just one thing about spreading toxins. dichlobenil, the active ingredient in casoron is banned in Europe. Primarily for it's ability to contaminate water where it is classified as a probable cancer link and proven birth defects etc. So, if you opt to go that route keep it away from your well and kids.
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duster
Member
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:40pm
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Thanks all - some great ideas.
A buddy of mine suggested that I spread lye. Does anyone have any experience with that?
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:49pm
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By a push lawn mower [SET IT AS HIGH AS YOU CAN] and some hand clippers and maybe a ax,, go to work ..
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bobrok
Member
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2014 01:40pm
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Ever try using sheets of black plastic? Or are we talking too large an area? That should kill stuff off, shouldn't it?
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 2 Jul 2014 05:18pm
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great post bobrok. an hour or two of any kind of plastic sheeting. clear. cloudy. black etc. in full sun. will kill pretty much anything underneath it.
and Just. Isn't this why we come out into the wilderness (or a reasonable facimile?) to get some exercise and fresh air.
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duster
Member
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2015 02:51pm - Edited by: duster
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So this past weekend, I rented a brush hog - it did an incredible job.
I'd also used a 9x12 tarp to cover the spot where I plan to build a small cabin - it also worked great!
Here's what the place looked like after the brush-hogging. This pic is taken from the same persepective as the first one in this thread:
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duster
Member
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2015 02:58pm - Edited by: duster
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Before and after pics taken this past weekend at the beginning of my road in:
Got pretty much all of the cleared areas of my 4+-acre lot done in a total of about 8 hours - well worth the $100 I was charged for the day's rental by Home Depot.
12042895_10849573881.jpg
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2015 04:20pm
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 man. nice work. bet that frosty beverage tasted sweet at the end of the day.
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2015 04:41pm - Edited by: DaveBell
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Buy or rent some West Virginia Lawn Mowers (goats). Tether them to a stake. When they finish eating a perfect circle, move the stake. You will be surprised how well this works.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2015 08:12pm
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If the area you have to clear is not large you might do well to buy a less expensive tractor. Paying $100 each time to rent doesn't seem like much until the 12th time, and you see an old 49N for sale with a brush hog for $1100. The tractor will come in handy for other stuff too. But then you got maintenance to do. Also a small cheap tractor will be very limited in capability and implements it will operate. Life's a trade off.
Yogi Berra quote of the day- "If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up somewhere else."
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duster
Member
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# Posted: 5 Oct 2015 10:16am
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That's a good point bldginsp. I wouold like to get a tractor, because it would be handy for far more than just clearing brush. It's in the plan
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hueyjazz
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# Posted: 5 Oct 2015 12:31pm
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My solution has been to spend no more than $50 on craigslist and buy self propelled high wheel mowers. I disconnect the drive mechanism and put a heavy duty blade in. I try to eliminate all samplings and rocks but in high grass its hard to tell.
I also find the more you mow it the tamer it becomes. I started with brush and now its lawn. The first couple times through it tough on the mower but I've tamed a lot. The mowers with a drive give you a bigger engine. More power to blade when you don't use the drive
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hattie
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# Posted: 5 Oct 2015 01:18pm
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Quoting: DaveBell Buy or rent some West Virginia Lawn Mowers (goats).
That's what I was going to suggest. Goats or pigs. If you have any neighbours with them maybe you could borrow them for a few weeks and let them go to it. I've heard pigs will completely clear an area in no time flat.
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