Need advice: taming the jungle along my driveway...

[avc8130]

I'd hire a boom mower for the first time and find a used sickle bar mower, 7 or 9 foot bar, and run up and down once a year with that.

I've been searching for a sickle going on 3 years now. They are just tough to find in my area. Finding one that operates from 0 to 90 degrees AND has parts available at a reasonable price seems to be a needle in a haystack.

I keep seeing the county tractors trimming along the roads with boom flail mowers. I'd love to offer the guy some cash to make a pass up and down my driveway, but I don't want us both to wind up in jail.

ac

 

[LouieJunior]

I second the samurai Sabre -- I have one for this exact task. If the overhanging / encroaching branches are 1-inch or less, this works great and reaches as high as your loader goes. You can angle it in infinite angles -- to cut ditches or above the trail. It is slow but effective. Here is an old snap shot...

 

[xzcVAbc5]

I saw the county "mowing" some trees back with a boom mower. I'd think it would be easier to cut the trees off and then keep the ditches shredded.

I'm sure this will be a developing project, and I'm sure you're going to end up with a few burn piles for brush.

 

[avc8130]

I saw the county "mowing" some trees back with a boom mower. I'd think it would be easier to cut the trees off and then keep the ditches shredded.

I'm sure this will be a developing project, and I'm sure you're going to end up with a few burn piles for brush.

I have a dozen goats who will take care of the brush

ac

 

[Gary Fowler]

That Samaria Sabre looks to be your best option for keeping the limbs cut back, albeit an expensive option. I like the pristine woodsy look for your drive rather than the cut back interstate highway look of trimming back 15 feet on each side and sloping the ground. A rear extend-a-boom bushhog would work also but much more costly. A pole saw would work for trimming the limbs but that would be a major work each year. I think I would invest a couple thousand in the Samaria and just trim it back with the FEL each year.

 

[avc8130]

That Samaria Sabre looks to be your best option for keeping the limbs cut back, albeit an expensive option. I like the pristine woodsy look for your drive rather than the cut back interstate highway look of trimming back 15 feet on each side and sloping the ground. A rear extend-a-boom bushhog would work also but much more costly. A pole saw would work for trimming the limbs but that would be a major work each year. I think I would invest a couple thousand in the Samaria and just trim it back with the FEL each year.

I do like the woodsy look also, but when it rains (or worse...SNOWS) I can't get up/down the drive without scratching my vehicles. That pisses me off.

I don't have front hydraulics at the moment. So that makes the front sickle option quite pricey.

ac

 

[avc8130]

I found a New Holland 450 sickle bar mower for sale somewhat locally. The seller claims it functions and that he replaced the cable and a few knives.

He's asking $1500. Will that work for my jungle? Is that a fair price?

ac

 

[Paddy]

I feel it's beyond trimming. Time to re-establish the set back. Cut it off at ground level from the woods side. With it leaning towards the road it will fall in to the road. then drag back in to the woods to rot. You will need to cut it further back than you think. In one of the photos you can see the old tree line.

my two cents

 

[xzcVAbc5]

I have a dozen goats who will take care of the brush

ac

:goat:

Looks like they will have plenty of greenery.

 

[avc8130]

Well, I attacked today. My buddy who is a certified machine operator came over and helped me big time. We pretty much went ballistic with the chainsaws and weed wacker (with Chinese star). We hacked everything up to the tops of the slopes and used the Kubota with pallet forks to push it all down the driveway and made a pile of brush to deal with at a later date.

Lesson learned:
1. I miss my grapple terribly. I think I'm going to order one Monday!
2. My buddy says I should be able to safely brush hog along ~80% of the problem area. The slope is much more gradual than I originally thought in most of the area.

I'll snap some pics tomorrow, but it is pouring rain now.

ac