Rotary Cutter looking for guesstimates for how long it would take to clear 2.5 acres of blackberry

bcp · Oct 6, 2015

From:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_armeniacus

In its first year a new stem grows vigorously to its full length of 4-10 m, trailing along the ground or arching up to 4 m high. The stem is stout, up to 2–3 cm diameter at the base,

STx · Oct 6, 2015

OK, that's nothing like what I'm familiar with. We have these - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackberry.

whis · Oct 6, 2015

rent a skidsteer with bushog on the front for a day and be done with it

MossRoad · Oct 6, 2015

In all seriousness, I could tow my little Power Trac PT425 with front mounted brush hog the 4400 mile round trip out to you from Indiana, spend 5 nights in hotels along the way there and back, get an oil change, and do 2 acres in one day for you, then come home and have about a thousand dollars in my pocket when I got home (providing nothing broke on my tractor or truck and trailer

). Something's just not right with that quote, or they thought you wanted the berries cleared completely from around each post in that old vineyard, which would require hand removal.

Just to drive up and down the rows on two acres wouldn't take that long. I've mowed 13'-14' high weeds before with the little 48" front mounted brush cutter.

As someone else mentioned, and is probably about the best suggestion I've heard, look into renting a skid steer with a front mounted brush cutter. See if you can get a weekend rate (usually two days for the price of one). You could probably do it for around $300 for the day or less than $1000 for the week.

dgarrett · Oct 7, 2015

I thought about a skidsteer but the ones that are < 60 inches wide do seem to be lacking on hydraulic GPM. This makes me believe that they could not handle the job at hand

jenkinsph · Oct 7, 2015

Have you attempted mowing this down with your tractor yet? That is the first thing I would try, then you will have a better idea of how long it will take you to do it. Since you want to save the trellis with 5' spacing that doesn't leave a lot of room for larger equipment. My hunch is saving the trellis and clearing the vines from the trellis is the biggest part of the job. That might be a LOT of hand work. This could be why the quotes were so high.

Silvic · Oct 7, 2015

It is obvious that some folks have no idea what you are facing with the Himalayan BB, presuming that is indeed what you have.
Even pictures do not do them justice.

Yes trying to save and working around the trellis are going to run the costs up and do so significantly but the number you have been quoted is not unreasonable for a commercial cutter. Not knowing what equipment they were planning on using for your area but I know folks that quote roughly $1500 a day for that type of work and up. On Whidbey my equipment dealer says that some guys are getting $3000 a day. Of course we are not talking about a little brushhog.

If they, the BB's, are as established as I interpret from your post finding the trellis and not taking them out/damaging them will really slow the work down. A very good chance that the vines will rip them down as they are pulled/cut as you proceed. Are you certain that the trellis are not already compromised from age and the vegetative overgrowth?
Years ago I did a lot of BB work with a 6 ft Woods BrushBull and 60 HP tractor and it is slow methodical work. The Fecon mulcher/masticator is much nicer.

If you have the funds and not the time pay someone. Otherwise as some have suggest go out and give it a try. Time your work and do a measured amount of area and see what you have. May go better than you think maybe worse.
2.5 acres of heavily infested BB as I in-vision your place will be hard on your cutter and will bog it down easily, so go slow and don't let the RPM drop.

You will only know by trying.

Oh yes the seeds from the Himalayan BB can last for 5-6 years in the soil so you will need to work the re-sprouts for several years before they are all gone but it will be easier once you get the old stuff out. Even after the cutting, the roots will try again to vigorously put out new growth. Chemicals will work great. If you want to avoid that, then after they have expended the root energy to put out good growth a re-cutting before they can start to store energy back in the roots works as well. It is not and will not be a one time battle however.
Good luck

edit
Went back and noticed the 60" spacing on the trellis lines in one of your follow-on posts (post #3). Your tractor has a 61.5" wheel base according to tractordata.com specs.
You may have a problem there fitting the wheel base between the trellis rows.
None of my equipment would fit between 60" rows.

Silvic · Oct 7, 2015

I was thinking about your issue and came up with another thought. With the spacing between your rows being as narrow as it is and if your tractor wheel base is indeed 61.5" you do have a problem/issue.

Do you know how the contractors you got bids from were going to do the job?

They may not have the mechanized equipment to fit between 60" rows either and were going to do it with self-propelled equipment like a DR Brushcutter or a Billygoat (brand name). You might consider that to protect the trellis rows. I think they can be rented at most of the bigger rental stores. Of course you could buy one for long term use between the rows to maintain them.

MossRoad · Oct 7, 2015

dgarrett said:
I thought about a skidsteer but the ones that are < 60 inches wide do seem to be lacking on hydraulic GPM. This makes me believe that they could not handle the job at hand

My little Power Trac PT425 only puts out 8gpm at 2500psi and runs a 48" brush cutter with no problems.

SPYDERLK · Oct 7, 2015

dgarrett said:
Using a rotary cutter and backing into 6-7ft high solid blackberries. I have a Kubota B2320 so I cannot plow through and flatten them before they are cut with the rotary cutter. The cutter is 48" and will raise it up and back into the berries. I had two quotes, one for $3000 and one for $4200. Both quotes were 3 to 4 days of work. I figure if I were to use my tractor and rotary cutter it would take me 4 to 5 weekends to get it done and wanted to get your opinion on how long it would take me. Much appreciated in advance!

Silvic said:
It is obvious that some folks have no idea what you are facing with the Himalayan BB, presuming that is indeed what you have.
Even pictures do not do them justice.

Yes trying to save and working around the trellis are going to run the costs up and do so significantly but the number you have been quoted is not unreasonable for a commercial cutter. Not knowing what equipment they were planning on using for your area but I know folks that quote roughly $1500 a day for that type of work and up. On Whidbey my equipment dealer says that some guys are getting $3000 a day. Of course we are not talking about a little brushhog.

If they, the BB's, are as established as I interpret from your post finding the trellis and not taking them out/damaging them will really slow the work down. A very good chance that the vines will rip them down as they are pulled/cut as you proceed. Are you certain that the trellis are not already compromised from age and the vegetative overgrowth?
Years ago I did a lot of BB work with a 6 ft Woods BrushBull and 60 HP tractor and it is slow methodical work. The Fecon mulcher/masticator is much nicer.

If you have the funds and not the time pay someone. Otherwise as some have suggest go out and give it a try. Time your work and do a measured amount of area and see what you have. May go better than you think maybe worse.
2.5 acres of heavily infested BB as I in-vision your place will be hard on your cutter and will bog it down easily, so go slow and don't let the RPM drop.

You will only know by trying.

Oh yes the seeds from the Himalayan BB can last for 5-6 years in the soil so you will need to work the re-sprouts for several years before they are all gone but it will be easier once you get the old stuff out. Even after the cutting, the roots will try again to vigorously put out new growth. Chemicals will work great. If you want to avoid that, then after they have expended the root energy to put out good growth a re-cutting before they can start to store energy back in the roots works as well. It is not and will not be a one time battle however.
Good luck

edit
Went back and noticed the 60" spacing on the trellis lines in one of your follow-on posts (post #3). Your tractor has a 61.5" wheel base according to tractordata.com specs.
You may have a problem there fitting the wheel base between the trellis rows.
None of my equipment would fit between 60" rows.

OP, is there any reason that you think you will be successful backing down the rows? Im imagining a lot of uncut, or cut but unmulched material hanging above the cut. Getting it all to go under the mower does not sound feasible without running over it first ... and from what Im hearing a Kub B will not be able to push thru. Even if it would the onslaught would likely take down the trellis by entanglement. I think you need a front bushog operated on a boom at an acute upwardly tipped angle. This is more than you can likely gen up. -- Finding a narrow hi flow Skid Steer sounds right.