Land clearing question

[AlbertC]

I have 3-4 acres that I would like to pretty up. It contains some nice pines but has a lot of scrub hardwood trees from 1-8" in diameter. I have previously paid a man to mow about an acre, but the problem is the hardwoods sprout back out.

I have another guy who has a grinder that he says will also handle this size trees. ?? Will I have the same problem with re sprouting with a grinder. Cost is 150hour.

Would I be better off to rent a mini excavator and pull the stuff out by the roots? The advantage that I see to the grinder is that it is fast and would get rid of a lot of the material whereas with a ex I will have to dispose/burn the material.

For the final product, I would like to be left with some large trees and have some type grass under the trees.

Can anyone tell me the best way to proceed?

Thanks

 

[Shaneard]

Dig them up, do not grind them. I currently keep up 44 acres for a guy who has the land for sale and moved out of state. He had a lot of stumps ground off about 8 years ago instead of digging them out. They keep sprouting and get bigger every year. It is awful! He sewed it all in grass after having them ground and the trees are taking over. It may be cheaper now to have them ground off but in 5 years you will regret it and have the same problem.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I would go with the mini ex. If your familiar with them, you can do quite a bit of work and leave a nice clean pile that'll burn down nice

Brett

 

[roadhunter]

Why can't you just kill the tree with some sort of chemical when you cut it flush with the ground. Seems like it would be easier to spray something on the stump than to dig them all up.

 

[teg]

...Can anyone tell me the best way to proceed?...

Do you know what the hardwoods are? If they are "Tree of Heaven" or "Kentucky Coffee Tree" you'll just piss it off when you pull them out. It will sprout up in spades. Best to spray with Garlon 4 without killing grass around the stump. You can spray round up but you'll kill the grass nearby.

I ripped up my clump of Tree of Heaven, took 5 years of twice a year spraying the spouts that pops up. Best to chemically treat the tree before removing. The chemical can spread throughout the roots.

 

[bigtiller]

I'd spot spray it with Pasture Pro. It will kill up to a 6" tree just by spraying the bottom 24" of a tree trunk.

https://www.orschelnfarmhome.com/view/product/si-pasture-pro--brush-killer-1-gal/si6556181

 

[teg]

Pasture Pro and Garlon 4 have the same active ingredient, triclopyr - I'm sure there are other names for the same chemical.

 

[prichard]

Pasture Pro and Garlon 4 have the same active ingredient, triclopyr - I'm sure there are other names for the same chemical.

Lots of triclopyr on the market. Great stuff. We've almost got to Chinese privet cleared up with it. The fact that it doesn't kill grass is letting the pasture grass take back over as it dies.

 

[newbury]

I have 3-4 acres that I would like to pretty up. It contains some nice pines but has a lot of scrub hardwood trees from 1-8" in diameter.

<snip>

8" DBH hardwood is approaching chip size!

How much of the acreage is at the larger range? If it's a lot you may be needing chainsaws.

I would suggest picking your poison and carefully SELECTIVELY spray the hardwoods after they leaf out and then let them die. After the last die off have a mulcher chew up everything you don't want. Then plan on mowing the grass and applying brush killer annually.

You've got a massive "root stock" bank that will sprout for years if not killed. The sprouts from roots may come up thick and quick. You probably have a massive seed bank that will sprout for years but they tend to come up slow and slim.

 

[TnAndy]

Large dozer with a root rake.