Help! How to clear a black berry thicket covered in thorny vines?
- Thread starter Sid Post
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OP
Sid Post
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I replaced enough sickle bar teeth in a clear pasture to know I wouldn't want to try that in a black berry thicket. With the sickle mower we had, I think it would probably have bent every part (bar, fingers, ....) that went into the thicket.
TomSeller
Super Member
Berries really are not that hard to clear in an open field with a decent size tractor or skid steer. Where I struggle is where they have overgrown a fence or sheds, that sort of thing. Then it gets tedious.
Dingeryote
Silver Member
Chop with the Brush bull, spritz stubble with Crossbow. Repeat in a month to catch stragglers.
Fall is the best time to murder Caneberrys with herbicides, as it is the only time of the year that they actively draw nutrients from canes to the Roots.
Catch them just before the leaves start to turn, and it's game on. Glyphosate(Round up) is weak on cane berrys, even in the fall, but plain old 2-4-D and 2-4-D based herbicides like Crossbow, and Garlon is surefire death for them.
Because they replicate from root tissues, and can come back with a vengeance even if a single root hair is missed, it's best to murder the things before digging/pulling them up, or sterilizing the soil temporarily.
If a scorched earth approach is acceptable, and the ground isn't going to be used for a year, good old Velpar @ max label rate, just flat works.
It's **** on Trees and anything else within 50' of the treated area though.
Good luck OP!!
Fall is the best time to murder Caneberrys with herbicides, as it is the only time of the year that they actively draw nutrients from canes to the Roots.
Catch them just before the leaves start to turn, and it's game on. Glyphosate(Round up) is weak on cane berrys, even in the fall, but plain old 2-4-D and 2-4-D based herbicides like Crossbow, and Garlon is surefire death for them.
Because they replicate from root tissues, and can come back with a vengeance even if a single root hair is missed, it's best to murder the things before digging/pulling them up, or sterilizing the soil temporarily.
If a scorched earth approach is acceptable, and the ground isn't going to be used for a year, good old Velpar @ max label rate, just flat works.
It's **** on Trees and anything else within 50' of the treated area though.
Good luck OP!!
Dingeryote
Silver Member
Tom,
Look for a shredder blade for fencelines and around overgrown outbuildings. They make quick work of Brambles,woodbine and greenbrier.
Husqvarna has them now, but Oregon used to, and when Oregon dropped them(Liability nancys) several others brought similar blades to the market.
TomSeller
Super Member
Holy Cow! I will have to look for one.
Midniteoyl
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I dont think you can buy one in the US..
Stihl has a similar: Amazon.com: STIHL 4112 713 4100 25.4mm Brush Knife Steel Blade: Patio, Lawn & Garden
Stihl has a similar: Amazon.com: STIHL 4112 713 4100 25.4mm Brush Knife Steel Blade: Patio, Lawn & Garden
TomSeller
Super Member
I have one of those Sthil three pronged brush knives. It does a nice job, but not like that video. Unless I have just not gone wild enough with it.
Dingeryote
Silver Member
Not similar at all, and frankly, the three bladed jobs are a joke in brambles.
The Shredder blades are turned down at the ends, and chop up the horizontal canes, while the straight edge of the blade cuts the vertical canes.
Literally, they leave cane bits 2-6" long, instead of simply snipping the canes for you to get tangled up in, and fight with the brush saw.
They are available in the U.S. through either a Husqvarna dealer, or online from several vendors.
I'll root around and find the retailer for ya.
